{"id":"69394e307202e9abd62bd0a3","title":"Hayesden Country Park And Leigh 4 Miles","path":"walks/routes/recommended/hayesden-country-park-and-leigh-4-miles","contentMarkdown":"# Kent Ramblers: Walk 33\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_033.jpg)\n\n## Points of Interest\n\n### The Straight Mile\n\nThe canal on your right was built in the 1830s by the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPenshurst Canal Company in an attempt to straighten the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMedway to make it navigable upstream from Tonbridge.  \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe enterprise caused a huge dispute with the Medway \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNavigation Company whose supply of water for the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\toperation of its locks was threatened.  There were \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\texpensive legal proceedings and fights between workers \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom the two companies.  The chief instigator of \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe venture, James Christie, was bankrupted by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tescalating costs and fled to America leaving the canal \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tnever to be completed.\n\n### Avalon\n\nKnown as Meopham Bank until a few years ago and still \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tshown as such on most maps, Avalon was once the home of \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tartist John Frederick Herring Senior (1795 to 1865), \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\trenowned for his paintings of horses.  The house, \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tpossibly designed by Septimus Burton (brother of the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tmore famous Decimus Burton who designed many houses in \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTunbridge Wells and also the Palm House at Kew Gardens), \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\twas then known as Meopham Park.\n\n### Barden Lake\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P033a.jpg)\n\nCreated between 1974 and 1980 by the removal of a 4m \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tlayer of sand and gravel which was itself 2m beneath \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsoil and other deposits.\n\n### Long Distance Walks\n\nBoth the 82-mile \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWealdway from Gravesend to Eastbourne and the\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t[Eden Valley Walk](https://kent.ngx-ramblers.org.uk/walks/routes/long-distance-paths/eden-valley-walk) from \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tnear Edenbridge to Tonbridge pass through Haysden \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCountry Park.  Kent Ramblers has published guides \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tto both (see below).\n\n### Public Transport\n\nHaysden Country Park is within walking distance of \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTonbridge Station.  Alternatively you could start \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tand finish the walk at Leigh which has a railway station \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tand is on the 210 bus route to Tonbridge.\n\nAutomatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_033.htm on 2025-12-11 09:19","contentHtml":"<h1>Kent Ramblers: Walk 33</h1>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_033.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<h2>Points of Interest</h2>\n<h3>The Straight Mile</h3>\n<p>The canal on your right was built in the 1830s by the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tPenshurst Canal Company in an attempt to straighten the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tMedway to make it navigable upstream from Tonbridge.<br>\t\t\t\t\t\tThe enterprise caused a huge dispute with the Medway \n\t\t\t\t\t\tNavigation Company whose supply of water for the \n\t\t\t\t\t\toperation of its locks was threatened.  There were \n\t\t\t\t\t\texpensive legal proceedings and fights between workers \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom the two companies.  The chief instigator of \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe venture, James Christie, was bankrupted by \n\t\t\t\t\t\tescalating costs and fled to America leaving the canal \n\t\t\t\t\t\tnever to be completed.</p>\n<h3>Avalon</h3>\n<p>Known as Meopham Bank until a few years ago and still \n\t\t\t\t\t\tshown as such on most maps, Avalon was once the home of \n\t\t\t\t\t\tartist John Frederick Herring Senior (1795 to 1865), \n\t\t\t\t\t\trenowned for his paintings of horses.  The house, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tpossibly designed by Septimus Burton (brother of the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tmore famous Decimus Burton who designed many houses in \n\t\t\t\t\t\tTunbridge Wells and also the Palm House at Kew Gardens), \n\t\t\t\t\t\twas then known as Meopham Park.</p>\n<h3>Barden Lake</h3>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P033a.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<p>Created between 1974 and 1980 by the removal of a 4m \n\t\t\t\t\t\tlayer of sand and gravel which was itself 2m beneath \n\t\t\t\t\t\tsoil and other deposits.</p>\n<h3>Long Distance Walks</h3>\n<p>Both the 82-mile \n\t\t\t\t\t\tWealdway from Gravesend to Eastbourne and the\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https://kent.ngx-ramblers.org.uk/walks/routes/long-distance-paths/eden-valley-walk\">Eden Valley Walk</a> from \n\t\t\t\t\t\tnear Edenbridge to Tonbridge pass through Haysden \n\t\t\t\t\t\tCountry Park.  Kent Ramblers has published guides \n\t\t\t\t\t\tto both (see below).</p>\n<h3>Public Transport</h3>\n<p>Haysden Country Park is within walking distance of \n\t\t\t\t\t\tTonbridge Station.  Alternatively you could start \n\t\t\t\t\t\tand finish the walk at Leigh which has a railway station \n\t\t\t\t\t\tand is on the 210 bus route to Tonbridge.</p>\n<p>Automatically migrated from <a href=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_033.htm\">https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_033.htm</a> on 2025-12-11 09:19</p>\n"}