All Through the Night — Summer Solstice Walk

West Kent Walking Group — 20/21 June 2025

It was around 11 p.m. on a Friday night that the locals in the Sennockian Pub in Sevenoaks noticed, with some bewilderment, that this was not to be an ordinary evening. A group of 20+ hardy, perhaps foolhardy, members of the West Kent Walking group were assembling for the group's first all-night walk to mark the summer solstice. As the clock struck 11.30 p.m. they left the comfort of the bar for a 15 mile circumnavigation of the countryside around Sevenoaks, hoping to return in time for a hearty breakfast at a local café.

The first stop was Knole Park, where the group walked through the ancient deer park under moonlight. The experience of walking familiar paths in complete darkness brought an entirely different perspective — sounds were amplified, shadows played tricks, and the group bonded over shared uncertainty and wonder.

As dawn broke over the Kent Weald, the walkers were rewarded with spectacular views across the countryside, painted in the golden light of the year's earliest sunrise. Exhausted but exhilarated, they returned to Sevenoaks for that well-earned breakfast, having shared an unforgettable experience that none would forget.