{"id":"69394e5f7202e9abd62bd0b9","title":"Sissinghurst Castle And Frittenden","path":"walks/routes/recommended/sissinghurst-castle-and-frittenden","contentMarkdown":"# Kent Ramblers: Walk 85\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/banner_085.jpg)\n\n![map 085](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/map_085.jpg)\n\n# Kent Ramblers: Walk 85\n\n## Sissinghurst Castle & Frittenden\n\nDistance: 5.4 Miles (2h 30m)\n\nOS Map: Explorer 137 (Start at grid reference TQ806383 )\n\nPark in National Trust car park at Sissinghurst Castle. There is a £4 charge for non-members.\n\nOn returning to the castle you can have a tea and if you are feeling energetic do a walk in the woods by the lakes (leaflet available from ticket office) where the bluebells in April/May are superb.\n\nFollow the meandering path through the centre of the car park to the top, bear right to a gap in the corner and bear right across bottom of orchard to finger post in front of house. Turn right down bridleway between hedges. Follow all the way to Digdog Lane.\n\nGo straight across and down Sand Lane. Take path over first stile beside gate on left and bear right across field passing lone tree to stile. Head straight across next field to another stile and across field after that to corner of protruding hedge. Follow line of power cables ahead to first pole in middle of field then bear left towards steeple of Frittenden church, crossing a couple of fields before reaching village main street.\n\nTurn right along main street past church and opposite school entrance take path alongside private drive to Hill Farm on right. At first bend cross drive and take path over stile opposite. Follow left hand edges of small field and large field. At corner go over stile on left and along right hand edge of orchard to stile. Follow left hand edges of two more fields and cross third to Sand Lane.\n\nTurn right, pass Chanceford Cottage and take footpath by gate on left. Follow left hand edge of field for 130 metres to fingerpost (it may be hidden by foliage from hedge but it is at a point where the field widens) then turn sharp right across field to two stiles. Bear left across next field to stile in corner then right along field edge to T-junction of paths.\n\nTurn left to corner of protruding hedge. Keep hedge on your left to next bend and a footbridge. Don’t cross the footbridge but turn right across field towards the right hand corner of a tall hedge. Turn left along the hedge then right at the corner and along the right hand side of the field to Sand Lane.\n\nTurn left and opposite Brissenden Farm take a concrete path on left past barn. Bear right across field to pedestrian gate. Cross next field to stile by tree. Cross next field to bridge. On other side head down left hand edge of field. At corner bear slightly right to another bridge and across field to a lane.Turn right. At junction, keep right. Pass Bettenham Manor and when lane bends right take signposted track on left and follow back to Sissinghurst Castle.\n\n## Points of Interest\n\n### Sissinghurst Castle\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P085a.jpg)\n\nThe home of Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tNicholson...\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P085e.jpg)\n\n...where they created their acclaimed garden.\n\n### Woodland Walk\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P085b.jpg)\n\nLots of bluebells in spring...\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P085c.jpg)\n\n...and some fine lakes full of \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tfish.\n\n### Frittenden\n\n![](https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/images/P085d.jpg)\n\nThe prominent chimney on your right as you approach \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFrittenden was for a boiler to generate steam to operate \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tmachinery in a timber yard belonging to the village \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbuilder Charles Pearson. Dates are not clear but it \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tseems that the business was operating at least until \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tjust before World War I.\n\n### Public Transport\n\nGetting to Sissinghurst by public transport is not \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\teasy. There are buses from Maidstone to the \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tvillage but there is then still over a mile to walk to \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe Castle. There are buses from Tunbridge Wells \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tto Cranbrook from where you can do a 10.2 mile circular \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\twalk that includes Sissinghurst Castle ' this is \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdescribed in the first of our guides listed below.\n\nAutomatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_085.htm on 2025-12-11 08:55","contentHtml":"

Kent Ramblers: Walk 85

\n

\"\"

\n

\"map

\n

Kent Ramblers: Walk 85

\n

Sissinghurst Castle & Frittenden

\n

Distance: 5.4 Miles (2h 30m)

\n

OS Map: Explorer 137 (Start at grid reference TQ806383 )

\n

Park in National Trust car park at Sissinghurst Castle. There is a £4 charge for non-members.

\n

On returning to the castle you can have a tea and if you are feeling energetic do a walk in the woods by the lakes (leaflet available from ticket office) where the bluebells in April/May are superb.

\n

Follow the meandering path through the centre of the car park to the top, bear right to a gap in the corner and bear right across bottom of orchard to finger post in front of house. Turn right down bridleway between hedges. Follow all the way to Digdog Lane.

\n

Go straight across and down Sand Lane. Take path over first stile beside gate on left and bear right across field passing lone tree to stile. Head straight across next field to another stile and across field after that to corner of protruding hedge. Follow line of power cables ahead to first pole in middle of field then bear left towards steeple of Frittenden church, crossing a couple of fields before reaching village main street.

\n

Turn right along main street past church and opposite school entrance take path alongside private drive to Hill Farm on right. At first bend cross drive and take path over stile opposite. Follow left hand edges of small field and large field. At corner go over stile on left and along right hand edge of orchard to stile. Follow left hand edges of two more fields and cross third to Sand Lane.

\n

Turn right, pass Chanceford Cottage and take footpath by gate on left. Follow left hand edge of field for 130 metres to fingerpost (it may be hidden by foliage from hedge but it is at a point where the field widens) then turn sharp right across field to two stiles. Bear left across next field to stile in corner then right along field edge to T-junction of paths.

\n

Turn left to corner of protruding hedge. Keep hedge on your left to next bend and a footbridge. Don’t cross the footbridge but turn right across field towards the right hand corner of a tall hedge. Turn left along the hedge then right at the corner and along the right hand side of the field to Sand Lane.

\n

Turn left and opposite Brissenden Farm take a concrete path on left past barn. Bear right across field to pedestrian gate. Cross next field to stile by tree. Cross next field to bridge. On other side head down left hand edge of field. At corner bear slightly right to another bridge and across field to a lane.Turn right. At junction, keep right. Pass Bettenham Manor and when lane bends right take signposted track on left and follow back to Sissinghurst Castle.

\n

Points of Interest

\n

Sissinghurst Castle

\n

\"\"

\n

The home of Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold \n\t\t\t\t\t\tNicholson...

\n

\"\"

\n

...where they created their acclaimed garden.

\n

Woodland Walk

\n

\"\"

\n

Lots of bluebells in spring...

\n

\"\"

\n

...and some fine lakes full of \n\t\t\t\t\t\tfish.

\n

Frittenden

\n

\"\"

\n

The prominent chimney on your right as you approach \n\t\t\t\t\t\tFrittenden was for a boiler to generate steam to operate \n\t\t\t\t\t\tmachinery in a timber yard belonging to the village \n\t\t\t\t\t\tbuilder Charles Pearson. Dates are not clear but it \n\t\t\t\t\t\tseems that the business was operating at least until \n\t\t\t\t\t\tjust before World War I.

\n

Public Transport

\n

Getting to Sissinghurst by public transport is not \n\t\t\t\t\t\teasy. There are buses from Maidstone to the \n\t\t\t\t\t\tvillage but there is then still over a mile to walk to \n\t\t\t\t\t\tthe Castle. There are buses from Tunbridge Wells \n\t\t\t\t\t\tto Cranbrook from where you can do a 10.2 mile circular \n\t\t\t\t\t\twalk that includes Sissinghurst Castle ' this is \n\t\t\t\t\t\tdescribed in the first of our guides listed below.

\n

Automatically migrated from https://www.kentramblers.org.uk/KentWalks/public/walk_085.htm on 2025-12-11 08:55

\n"}