Time Out Country Walks near London Volume 1
Walk 15 : Leigh to Tunbridge Wells
Penshurst Place & Medway Valley
| Length | 17.5km (10.8 miles) 5 hours 20 minutes. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow 10 hours 30 minutes. |
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| OS Landranger Map | No.188. Leigh, map reference TQ 546 462, is in Kent, 1km east of Tonbridge. |
| Toughness | 5 out of 10. |
| Features | The route of this walk is through a landscape of great beauty, confirming the description of Kent as the Garden of England. It proceeds through the grounds of Penshurst Place, with fine views of the house, taking in a truly pastoral landscape of rivers, lakes, woods and rolling hills; and passes through the lovely village of Penshurst. The walk then makes its way along the River Medway and into historic Royal Tunbridge Wells, through woods and parks which extend right into the heart of the town. The suggested tea place is in the colonnaded Pantiles. |
| Shortening the walk | You can reduce the length of the walk by over 4km, by more or less following the River Medway from point [5] to point [8] on the map - see the OS map for details - missing out the steepest hill, but also the recommended lunchtime stop and the best view. This would be a good option if you set out late, and stop for lunch in Penshurst. Except on Sundays, you can also get a 231 bus about once an hour going to Tunbridge Wells or Edenbridge, from either the bottom of Smart's Hill (a ten-minute walk from the lunchtime pub) or from Penshurst. For bus information, phone Kent Public Transport Freephone (0800 696 996) or Rider Services (01273 482 123). |
| History |
The stately home of Penshurst Place tel 01892 870 307) is a perfectly preserved, unfortified manor house, which has been the home of the Sidney family since 1552, when Edward VI gave it to his old tutor, Sir William Sidney. The poet Sir Philip Sidney was born here in 1554. The oldest part of the building dates from the fourteenth century, but the present house represents a curious blend of five centuries of architectural styles. The house is open Saturdays and Sundays in March, and seven days a week from April 1st to October 31st. Opening times for the gardens are 11am to 6pm, for the house midday to 5.30pm. Admission is £5.70 (last entry 5pm). On the south side of St John the Baptist Church, Penshurst, are timber-framed cottages, which form part of Leicester Square (named after a favourite of Elizabeth I) and include a post office house from 1850. The church contains the effigy of the top half of Stephen de Penshurst, Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle, who died in 1299. David Salomons' House tel 01892 515 152) is the former home of civil rights campaigner Sir David Salomons and his nephew (also named David Salomons), the outstanding Victorian scientist and innovator - he developed the first electrically propelled tricycle in 1874 and the house was the first in England to use electricity for cooking. It is open all year round on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (excluding bank holidays) 2pm to 5pm. Admission is free. The spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells had its beginning in 1606, when a courtier, Dudley, Lord North, discovered an iron-bearing spring which made good the damage to his health from dissolute living. At the town's zenith, William Pitt, Dr Johnson, David Garrick and Sir Joshua Reynolds were regular visitors. Queen Victoria frequented Tunbridge Wells as a child, but the 'Royal' prefix was added in 1909 by Edward VII. The colonnaded Pantiles are named from the small clay tiles that Princess Anne paid for in 1698, after her son fell on the slippery ground. |
| Lunch | The suggested lunchtime stop is the Spotted Dog tel 01892 870 253) at Smart's Hill. This is a large pub with good food, four log fires for the winter and a superb view across the Medway Valley to Swaylands and Penshurst. Despite being out of the way, this is a very popular and well-known pub, so in season, particularly on sunny days, arrive early to avoid long waits for lunch. Food is served midday to 2pm (sometimes later) daily (on Sunday until 3.00pm). Alternatively, for late starters, the Leicester Arms tel 01892 870 551) in Penshurst serves lunch from midday to 2.30pm Monday to Saturday, and midday to 9.30pm Sunday; groups of more than 12 people should phone to book. |
| Warning | This text was taken from an older edition of the book, and is a little out of date. Please check the updates for this walk. |
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Walking Instructions
For a map and detailed walking instruction, please see Time Out Country Walks near London Volume 1
