{"id":"69394e627202e9abd62bd0bb","title":"One Tree Hill And Bitchet Green 3 3 Miles","path":"walks/routes/recommended/one-tree-hill-and-bitchet-green-3-3-miles","contentMarkdown":"# Kent Ramblers: Walk 87\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_087.jpg)\n\n## Points of Interest\n\n### Sevenoaks Greensand Commons \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tProject\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P087a.jpg)\n\nThe hatched areas on the map are \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tcommon land.  The Greensand ridge has a long \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\thistory of human activity.  The poor, acid soils \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tmeant that the post-glacial woodland was easy to clear \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbut the cleared land very difficult to farm.  \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tInstead lowland heath developed and was prevented by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tgrazing animals from reverting to scrub and then \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\twoodland.  However, in recent times grazing has \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\treduced considerably and scrub was becoming widespread \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t(picture above), putting at risk the rare lowland heath \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\thabitat.  The Sevenoaks Greensand Commons Project \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\twas started in 2018 with lottery funding and has \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tsignificantly increased local awareness and \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tunderstanding of the history and ecology of the commons.  \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHowever, apart from some clearance of rhododendron and \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbirch and some turning over of soil to expose seeds, it \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tis not very clear what has actually been achieved on the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tground.  It seems that early aspirations of \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\treintroducing grazing have come to nothing.\n\nThe Greensand ridge has been a \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tuseful route for communication since the Stone Age, \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tproviding dry ground in stark contrast with the muddy \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWealden clays to the south and the Gault clay to the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tnorth.  Bitchet Common lies between two iron age \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tforts, Squerryes to the west (walk 12 in our\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t2022 Annual Review) \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tand Oldbury Hill to the east (walk \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t10).\n\n### Public Transport\n\nThis walk is not conveniently \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\taccessible by public transport.\n\nAutomatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_087.htm on 2025-12-11 08:56","contentHtml":"<h1>Kent Ramblers: Walk 87</h1>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_087.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<h2>Points of Interest</h2>\n<h3>Sevenoaks Greensand Commons</h3>\n<pre><code>\t\t\t\t\tProject\n</code></pre>\n<p><img src=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P087a.jpg\" alt=\"\"></p>\n<p>The hatched areas on the map are \n\t\t\t\t\t\tcommon land.  The Greensand ridge has a long \n\t\t\t\t\t\thistory of human activity.  The poor, acid soils \n\t\t\t\t\t\tmeant that the post-glacial woodland was easy to clear \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbut the cleared land very difficult to farm.<br>\t\t\t\t\t\tInstead lowland heath developed and was prevented by \n\t\t\t\t\t\tgrazing animals from reverting to scrub and then \n\t\t\t\t\t\twoodland.  However, in recent times grazing has \n\t\t\t\t\t\treduced considerably and scrub was becoming widespread \n\t\t\t\t\t\t(picture above), putting at risk the rare lowland heath \n\t\t\t\t\t\thabitat.  The Sevenoaks Greensand Commons Project \n\t\t\t\t\t\twas started in 2018 with lottery funding and has \n\t\t\t\t\t\tsignificantly increased local awareness and \n\t\t\t\t\t\tunderstanding of the history and ecology of the commons.<br>\t\t\t\t\t\tHowever, apart from some clearance of rhododendron and \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbirch and some turning over of soil to expose seeds, it \n\t\t\t\t\t\tis not very clear what has actually been achieved on the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tground.  It seems that early aspirations of \n\t\t\t\t\t\treintroducing grazing have come to nothing.</p>\n<p>The Greensand ridge has been a \n\t\t\t\t\t\tuseful route for communication since the Stone Age, \n\t\t\t\t\t\tproviding dry ground in stark contrast with the muddy \n\t\t\t\t\t\tWealden clays to the south and the Gault clay to the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tnorth.  Bitchet Common lies between two iron age \n\t\t\t\t\t\tforts, Squerryes to the west (walk 12 in our\n\t\t\t\t\t\t2022 Annual Review) \n\t\t\t\t\t\tand Oldbury Hill to the east (walk \n\t\t\t\t\t\t10).</p>\n<h3>Public Transport</h3>\n<p>This walk is not conveniently \n\t\t\t\t\t\taccessible by public transport.</p>\n<p>Automatically migrated from <a href=\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_087.htm\">https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_087.htm</a> on 2025-12-11 08:56</p>\n"}