![\"\"](\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_087.jpg\")
![\"map](\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/map_087.jpg\")
Volunteer
\nDistance: 3.3 miles (1h 20m)
\nOS Map: Explorer 147 (Start at TQ558532)
\nStart from the car park at One Tree Hill.
\nLeave through gap in fence at top of car park past information board. Follow broad track to T-junction. Turn right downhill to lane.
\nTurn left and take path on right just a few metres along drive to Shepherds Meade. Follow path between fences (glorious bluebells in wood on right in spring) to junction. Turn right uphill through woodland to lane. Take path opposite through woodland to next lane.
\nTake path opposite, bearing initially right and left then gently descending and avoiding all side paths, down to a stream. On far side bear right uphill and left then take first distinct turn on right (there is an indistinct path just after the main path bears left and levels out and the correct turn is a few metres after that) through bracken to lane (where there is a finger post). Take short section of path opposite to next lane.
\nGo down driveway for Nether Fawke opposite, bearing right then left at end. Continue to farmyard and take path over stile at far left corner. Bear right around farm building to second stile then left downhill over third stile in corner of field and through band of trees into large field. Turn left along valley parallel with trees on left to a stile. Over stile continue downhill to valley bottom then up far other side, over stile and over yet another stile onto uphill path leading to track past house. At T-junction turn right along drive to lane.
\nBear left across lane, along right-hand edge of triangular green and after 50 metres turn right along lane. Follow lane for around two thirds of a mile, then becoming a rough track and descending steeply. Immediately on reaching an asphalt track by Rooks Hill Cottage take path up bank into woodland on right. Follow path through woodland to re-enter National Trust land at One Tree Hill. There are many paths that will take you back to the car park but for a fine view keep left to reach stone seat. When rested cross track running a few metres behind seat, cross low bank and bear half left along track on far side of clearing back to car park.
\n\t\t\t\t\tProject\n![\"\"](\"https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P087a.jpg\")
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.
\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.
\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.
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).
\nThis walk is not conveniently \n\t\t\t\t\t\taccessible by public transport.
\nAutomatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_087.htm on 2025-12-11 08:56
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