# Sevenoaks Circular Route

Sevenoaks Rambler Stephen Uttley had for some time been mulling over the concept of a circular route around Sevenoaks. The opportunity to put the route into practice arose during the walks programme offered by Sevenoaks Ramblers for this year's Sevenoaks Summer Festival.

The overall route is some 38 miles long and has over 4,300 ft of ascent. By splitting it into manageable chunks comprising a series of smaller circular routes, we were able to cover the majority of the route during the Summer Festival. This enabled us to walk out the route and share it with the wider public. The rest of the route was walked out subsequently.

Following the festival a number of the walk leaders who had been involved met to discuss some tweaks and enhancements, with particular regard to crossing major thoroughfares, enabling the final route to be optimised.

The route follows an elliptical shape with Westerham as its western extremity and Oldbury at its eastern extremity. To the north it reaches Shoreham and to the south Sevenoaks Weald, with Sevenoaks Town sitting in the centre. It passes a number of other villages including Ide Hill, Toys Hill, Knockholt, Otford and Heaverham. It uses existing rights of way and follows sections of some of the long distance footpaths which traverse the district.

The route is located in the Kent Downs National Landscape (formerly AONB) an area noted for its rich geological heritage and stunning views. The landscape comprises chalk downland, woodland and pasture. Nature reserves at Polhill and Kemsing feature, offering plant lovers bluebell woods and orchids in season. It is an area which is no doubt familiar to other Ramblers Groups who walk in the district.

The route passes a number of National Trust properties. It visits Knole House of course but also Ightham Mote, Emmetts and Chartwell. It passes historical sites ranging from Iron Age forts to archbishops' palaces.

And for the walker seeking sustenance, there are cafes, pubs and hostelries catering to every need.

The route can be accessed directly by train from rail stations at Sevenoaks, Knockholt, Otford and Shoreham. Bus services provide access to Westerham, Chartwell, Knockholt and Ightham and of course there is ample car parking at locations along the route. The multiple access points allow the route to be split into linear walks of varying length, or allow circular walks which explore the adjacent attractive countryside. The circular route is linked to Sevenoaks railway station and town by existing waymarked links along the Darent Valley Path and the Greensand Way.

We hope that the Sevenoaks Circular Route will become a destination route in North and West Kent. It offers walkers a challenge that they can tailor to their abilities. Those endowed with great stamina may be able to complete the route over a weekend. Others may prefer to set themselves the goal of completing the walk over a number of weeks. Either way, walkers are guaranteed an exhilarating experience in truly beautiful landscape.

The route is already publicly available through the OS App (explore.osmaps.com/route/23855594/Sevenoaks-Circular-FINAL) and Sevenoaks Ramblers' website. The intention is also to make it and attached circular walks available through the Ramblers App.