Introduction Comments Map Map GPS Weather Photos Videos History Download Walk (pdf)

Eynsford Circular via Farningham Walk

Ancient woodlands, low hills and riverside paths in the Darent valley.

Circular Kent

History

Club walks since April 2015, and a summary which goes back to Jan 2010.

Date Option Post # Weather
Sat, 23-May-26 Eynsford Circular via Farningham - NEW to Saturdays!! 15 blazing hot
Sun, 07-Dec-25 a Eynsford Circular via Farningham
Sun, 30-Mar-25 Eynsford Circular via Farningham 7 sunny
Sun, 29-Dec-24 b Eynsford Circular, via Farningham 24 dull and misty and cold
Sun, 28-Jan-24 a Eynsford Circular, via Farningham 13 sunny
Walker
17.3km (10.7 miles), with an optional extra loop adding 1.8km (1.1 miles) bad walk tag
9.47 train from Victoria, calling at all sorts of SE London stations, including Bromley South depart 10.23, to Eynsford, arriving 10.41 If you just miss this, catch the 9.55 train, arriving Bromley South at 10.11, to connect to the above train

From London Bridge, you could get the 9.44 train to Peckham Rye, arr 9.54 and connect to the Eynsford train there at 10.01

For walk directions, GPX and map click here.
Would you believe, this walk has never been posted on a Saturday, and seems so far to have been mostly confined to midwinter That is a pity, as this is gorgeous May territory. In particular, early on in the Lullingstone Country Park, it crosses a hillside that is usually awash with oxeye daisies at this time of year. The park is also my favourite spot to hear yellowhammers, and the river near Farningham is a good spot for mayflies. I am pretty sure there will also be good displays of buttercups somewhere or other. Among other delights...!!

There is a positive embarrassment of lunch pubs - four in Eynsford, one in Farningham - and if you do the extra 1.1 mile loop to Horton Kirby there is another pub there with (from memory) a rather nice garden that would make a good mid-afternoon stop. Otherwise for tea/end of walk drinks there is a riverside pub in Farningham and the aforementioned four pubs in Eysnford.
Those that want a longer walk could follow the Darent Valley Path south from Eynsford to Shoreham or even Otford.
Trains back are at 35 past, going to Victoria in 55 minutes: but you can also change at Swanley (arriving 40 past, depart 48 past) and get a fast train to London Bridge, arriving 07 past: ie just 32 minutes journey time in all.
  • Walker
    May-26

    When posting this walk I was expecting it to be sunny, but not blazing hot . Perhaps a walk with more woodland would have been a good idea (though there was some). I also wanted to avoid trains to the coast, which I feared would be crowded: but I spent a good portion of the walk thinking how nice it would be to have a cool dip in the sea... 15 emerged from the train at Eynsford, a few having come from London Bridge via Peckham Rye. We set off under the fierce glare of the sun. The countryside was looking very pretty. Oxeye daisies carpeted the hillside in Lullingstone Country Park. Later we descended across arable fields with fine valley views. Did I mention it was hot? No one, including the walk author, who was present, had any views on which of the four Eynsford pubs was better, so dither ensued. In the end a Man of Destiny (me) was required to steer prospective diners to the Malt Shovel. It was empty and had a garden with shade. The food was old-fashioned homemade dishes served rapidly in huge portions - the kind of pub food that is rapidly disappearing in a tide of gastro flummery. Half a dozen swifts screamed overhead. Initially there were only three of us eating and we wondered where the others had gone. But four more turned up. After lunch it transpired that most of the rest of the group were picnicking in the shady churchyard next door. We all set off together, so group cohesion was maintained. It is interesting to see the pretty centre of Eynsford (not passed through on other walks). For the record the Five Bells seemed to have a very pleasant garden. We made a stop at the castle ruins and there was then a mort of road walking to get to Farningham. Once we got to the Darent I squinied for signs of mayflies, but only saw banded demoiselles. This walk also had lots of chaffinches singing. Through stopping to look at nature I lost the rest of the group, but had the walk author to guide me in the correct direction around the extra loop. In an area of scrub near Horton Kirby I heard a nightingale. You will have to take my word on this. Eight or nine of the main group went the other way round the loop so got to the garden of Fighting Cocks before us. Cold drinks and (in my case) hot tea were had here. Then we sent the others to finish the loop their way while we finished it ours. We met up again at the viewpoint on the edge of Farningham Woods. This gave a fine prospect of the motorway, which sounds like I am being catty, but I am actually not. It really is a grand view, worth sitting a while to savour and I enjoyed the downland descent to Farningham. Three were having drinks in the garden of the Lion Hotel here, and two of us joined them. The others presumably went straight on to Eynsford. I guessing lots got the 17.35 train. I could not resist a quick second look along the river to see if there were any mayflies, but there were not. I guess they have been and gone. I walked back to Eynsford with the Farningham church bells pealing all the way, ringing a complex sequence of changes (my mother was a bell ringer in her youth). I got to the Malt Shovel at 6.10pm, but not before I had taken off my boots and waded the ford - something some of the others did earlier, I gather. Four of us then got the 18.35 train, charging at Swanley for the fast train to London Bridge via the Bickley Interconnector.

Mr M Tiger
14km 8.7 miles Difficulty 4/10
Trains: get the 9:44 Sevenoaks stopping train from Victoria, arriving 10:36
Trains return xx:41
Up the hill and round past Eagle Heights. Up there you get good views of the Eynsford viaduct and Eynsford Castle. Later, a stretch along the Darent leads to Farningham, then Horton Kirby. The return to Eynsford includes a stretch through a nature reserve then open hillside. Eynsford boasts a ruined castle if you have time. Open to 4pm.
Lunch: Choose between Lion Hotel 01322 860621 in Farningham with its riverside beer garden which you pass twice. There, you can puzzle over the strange structure in the river (it's a “cattle-screen”). The Fighting Cocks (01322-862299) in Horton Kirby is more centrally placed. As always, it's advisable to book if you want to be sure of something more than a bowl of chips. Both pubs are near picnic areas if you prefer to bring your own
Tea Eynsford boasts the Castle, the 5 Bells and the Malt Shovel You’re more likely to find room in the 5 Bells.
Directions: here Short walk 1, omitting the Southern loop is suggested but feel free to do the full 10.7 miles if desired. bad walk tag
Note that the Roman Villa mentioned in the directions has been closed for, like forever.
    Mr M Tiger
    14 km 8.7 miles Difficulty 4/10
    Up the hill and along past Eagle Heights, where, if you’re lucky, you might see a stray raptor from the Birds of Prey centre. Up there, you get a good view of the Eynsford Viaduct. On to Farningham and, after a stretch along the river Darent, Horton Kirby. The return to Eynsford includes a stretch through a nature reserve then open hillside. Eynsford boasts a ruined castle if you have time (open 10 till 4).
    Trains: ⏰ Clocks go forward a hour today, which means everything happens earlier.
    I've put the train time back half an hour to compensate. Get the 10:13 Sevenoaks stopping train from Blackfriars arriving 11:06.
    Trains return at xx:11 and xx:41
    Lunch: Choose between:
    • the Lion Hotel 01322 860621 in Farningham with its riverside beer garden (which you pass twice). Puzzle over the strange not-a-bridge structure in the river (a “cattle-screen”).
    • or The Fighting Cocks (01322-862299) in Horton Kirby, which is more centrally placed.
    A reminder that today is Mother’s Day, so pubs may be busy. Plan accordingly. There are picnic areas near both if you prefer to bring your own.
    Tea. You pass both the Castle and the 5 Bells in Eynsford. You’re more likely to find room in the 5 Bells.
    Directions: here (we're doing Short walk 1) bad walk tag
    • author image
      Mr M Tiger
      Mar-25

      5 at the station on a sunny day. 3 sped off and weren’t seen against untill Horton Kirby. The two laggards looked in at the Lion to see if they were there. They weren’t but they had a wee drinkie seeing as they were there. Then on to HK along the Darent. Not only were the others in the Fighting Cocks but there were another 2 bringing the number to 7 1 had walked from Swanley. They had arrived separately because some fool had messed about with the start times of the walk due to BST. He won’t be doing that again, will he? Anyway, more drinkies. Naturally, nowhere was serving food unless you’d booked a year or so in advance. And came with your mother. After an uphill/downhill stretch, we arrived back at Farningham -more drinkies. After there was a split because some had come out along the way others were going back. The two ‘roadies’ went for a look at the castle, which needs a bit of work. Then they met two ‘uppies’ coming along the road for their own look at the castle. The end result was more drinkies. ‘Sigh’.

    Sean
    Extra Walk 419b – Eynsford Circular, via Farningham (Short Walk 2)

    Length: 13½ km (8.4 miles). Toughness: 3/10

    09:44 Sevenoaks train from Victoria, calling at lots of stations in south London and arriving Eynsford at 10:36. If you just miss this at Victoria, take the 09:55 Ashford International train and change at Bromley South (arr 10:11, dep 10:19) onto the Sevenoaks train. Buy a day return to Eynsford (from St Mary Cray if you've also got a Zones 1-6 Travelcard; from Swanley with a Freedom Pass).

    Trains back to Victoria are hourly this Sunday, at xx:41. There's not much advantage in changing onto a faster service at Bromley South, nor in catching a train in the other direction at xx:36 and changing at Sevenoaks (the latter probably needs a more expensive ticket anyway).

    Cattle Screen I wasn't sure about choosing this walk when another Eynsford Circular was posted a few Sundays ago, but the double whammy of Storm Darragh and major signalling problems at Victoria station seems to have prevented anyone from showing up (or at least reporting on it). In any case there's only a small overlap between the two walks, with this one covering a more northerly area around Farningham rather than Shoreham. I'm suggesting we skip the full Main Walk's northern loop since the river is prone to flooding around Franks Lane, but you could risk this if you want a longer walk.

    Getting a pub lunch between Christmas and New Year is never guaranteed but this walk goes past no fewer than *five* hostelries in around 2½ km: three in Eynsford at the centre of its figure-of-8 shape, followed by two more in Farningham. There are several picnic areas if you prefer to bring your own provisions. As Eynsford's tearoom closed several years ago you'll have to revisit one of its pubs if you want some refreshment at the end of the walk, with the Plough Inn on Riverside being the most conveniently placed.

    You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.419.b page. If you kept a printed copy after doing another version of this walk in January, note that the route has been tweaked and some of its loops are now done in the opposite direction.

    • David
      Dec-24

      22 off the train at Eynsford,1 driver and1 planned late arrival at the Malt Shovel, so24 in all. Weather was dull and misty and cold . Very pleasant gentle stroll, with the group quickly splitting into smaller groups. Ten picnickers ate sandwiches in the conveniently located churchyard of St Martin of Tours. Lots of families and dog walkers were out and about throughout the day. The main route from the Pied Bull to the Lion Hotel is recommended, rather than the direct route. We comfortably made it back to the station in time for the 14.41 train back to London. Very helpful directions provided.

    • David Colver
      Dec-24

      The Malt Shovel deserves special mention for the speed with which it produced food from a varied menu.

    Sean
    Extra Walk 419a – Eynsford Circular, via Farningham (Short Walk 1)

    Length: 14 km (8.7 miles). Toughness: 3/10

    10:13 Sevenoaks train from Blackfriars, calling at almost every station in south London and arriving Eynsford at 11:06. Buy a return to Eynsford (from St Mary Cray if you've also got a Zones 1-6 Travelcard; from Swanley if you've got a Freedom Pass).

    If it's more convenient you can take the 10:12 Rochester train from Victoria and change onto the Sevenoaks train at Bromley South or Swanley, but there's a 15-minute wait so it's no quicker.

    Trains back from Eynsford to Blackfriars are half-hourly at xx:11 & xx:41. Change at Bromley South if you want to return to Victoria.

    Cattle Screen This is notionally a ‘new’ walk in the Darent valley, but regulars will soon twig that it's a reworking of parts of the Farningham Road to Eynsford walk. It has rather too many tarmac stretches on the return leg but that might be no bad thing in winter. I'm also proposing the option which omits the potentially muddy woods in Lullingstone Park. Towards the end the walk goes through Eynsford village (bypassed on other SWC walks) where you might be able to explore the ruins of Eynsford Castle (free entry, if open).

    I heard some grumbling about the lack of cider and chips when I recently posted a Sunday walk without a pub at the lunch stop. In order to atone for this deplorable faux pas there are three possible lunch pubs on this walk (one of which you go past twice), plus two or three more at the end in Eynsford.

    You might find it hard to resist the temptation to stop at the first pub since the route goes right through the riverside beer garden of the Lion Hotel in Farningham, but the one closest to the walk's midpoint is the Fighting Cocks in Horton Kirby. As always, it's advisable to book if you want to be sure of something more than a bowl of chips. Both have picnic areas nearby if you prefer to bring your own provisions.

    At the end of the walk there are three pubs in Eynsford, although sadly the Riverside Tea Room seems to have permanently closed.

    You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.419.a page. If you're printing them from this page you can save a couple of sheets of paper by first clicking ‘Short Walk 1’ in Walk Options.

    • anon
      Jan-24

      So grateful to Sean for posting these shorter walks👍

    • JohnL
      Jan-24

      Joanna and I have booked a table for 4 in The Lion at 13:00, two spare seats first come first etc.

    • author image
      Mr M Tiger
      Jan-24

      11 set off on a sunny day Up we went. Up, up, to where the eagles live(not that we saw any), along and down again through fields to Farningham. On the way, there were views of the valley and the castle. We stopped at the Lion where those who had booked sat inside and devoured a sumptuous repast. Those who hadn’t booked sat outside and looked at the river and the strange brick thing. Sadly, Mr Tiger found himself far removed from any surplus chips. 4 intrepid walkers completed the Horton Kirby loop, a pleasant stretch along the Darent, but there was a hill on the way back.The others were not seen again. Snowdrops were out in force in churchyards and, a front lawn in Farningham had stunning display of what looked like celandine but my mate Billy Google says is Winter Aconite. Returning through Eynsford, the intrepid - by now - 2 bumped into 2 more who were doing their own version of the walk. So 13 then. The Castle Hotel was packed so the 2 found space in the 5 Bells, which was OK if a bit noisy. (Chatter not music). An intrepid 3rd dropped in. Then off to the station., following a gigantic skein of walkers from another group.