Kent Ramblers: Walk 70

Cowden Station & Trugger's Gill

Distance:     5.4 Miles (2h 40m)

OS Map:      Explorer 147 (Start at grid reference TQ476417)

Click map to enlarge and click again to enlarge further

Park at Cowden Station.  Alternatively travel by train – there are services every day of the week.

From end of station approach go up Blowers Hill.  Take first turn on right (Wickens Lane, not named but there is public footpath sign).  Pass drives to Rickwoods House and Rickwoods Farm; take next turn on left.

Go up drive and, just before reaching house ahead, go through gate on right and bear left diagonally across field to gate in hedge.  On far side bear right to pass concrete water trough.  Continue in the same direction through two gates, over brow of hill and make for stile into wood.  Turn left along path through wood to emerge over stile.  Follow path along glade, after a few minutes descending gently.  At lowest point before path starts to ascend and bear right (alongside waymark post close to wood on right), bear left to stile and enter wood.  Cross footbridge and bear left along path that soon bears right to climb steeply through wood.  On joining more level path, keep left and continue to stile and gate into field.

Follow right hand edge of field to gate.  Don’t go through first gate but through kissing gate a few metres beyond it leading into a small section of woodland.  Beyond the woodland follow right hand edge of field to reach lane.

Take path opposite, uphill through woodland.  Cross field towards copse.  Turn left following line of electricity wires and making for gate immediately beneath next pole.  Follow path beyond gate down to Truggers Lane.

Turn right for about 100 metres and at lowest point of lane take path on left descending to footbridge.  Follow path between fences then along right hand edge of a couple of fields to enter Trugger’s Gill.  Go over footbridge and up bank beyond into field.  Follow hedge on right until it turns right, then bear half right across field, going neither uphill nor downhill, to enter more woodland.  At a T-junction, turn left along broad track.  Follow track through wood and along ridge (initially lower Tunbridge Wells sandstone and later Wadhurst clay mudstone), if in doubt taking higher of alternative paths to ensure that you remain on ridge until path enters Newtye Hurst Wood.  Follow track through wood to road.

Turn left and left again at junction.  At footpath sign on right, go down driveway towards Malletts Barn.  Just before gate, go right along path between hedge and wall to gate (Buckhurst Farm over wall is Grade II listed).  Go straight across field to gate.  In next field pass to right hand side of pond surrounded by trees and continue across field.  Aim just left of electricity pole and descend to gateway in hedge.  Immediately through gateway, go through metal pedestrian gate on right and up field for about 100 metres to pole, then bear half left to gate in hedge that leads into Station Road opposite white house with hung tiles (The Old Bakehouse).

Turn left and soon right into Cow Lane.  This climbs at first but just as it levels out take path on left steeply down right hand side of field, then over stile and along end of garden of large house (Edells).  Another stile (with waymark) takes you into more woodland and soon you see on your left brickwork at entrance to railway tunnel.  At T-junction turn left and keep between railway on your left and stream on your right until you reach Blowers Hill.  Turn left under railway bridge and left back into station approach.

Points of Interest

Buckhurst Farm (also known as Old Buckhurst)

This is a late mediaeval hall house with early 17th century projecting gabled left extension.  The garden is sometimes open under the National Gardens Scheme.

Edells

Built in the 1830s for William Woodhouse, a General “in the Service of the Honorable East India Company” according to his will proved in 1845.  The ten-bedroomed house, little altered since 1875, is now a very up-market holiday let.

The Markbeech Riots

During the construction of the Markbeech railway tunnel between Hever and Cowden in 1866 riots broke out when about 500 French workers were brought in to undercut the wage rates paid to English Navvies.

Public Transport

Good rail service to starting point.

In addition to the walking routes on our web site we have published three popular walking guides:

Guide to Tunbridge Wells Circular Walk and other walks in the area

Guide to the Kent Coast Path: Part 1, Camber to Ramsgate

Guide to Three River Valley Walks in West Kent: Darent Valley Path, Eden Valley Walk and Medway Valley Walk

Please report any problems with this walk to info@kentramblers.org.uk.

Ramblers' volunteers in Kent work tirelessly to ensure that our paths are as well protected and maintained as possible.  Of course we also organise led walks but most of our members are independent walkers who simply want to support our footpath work.  Please join us and become a supporter too.  You need us and we really need you.