EXPLOREKENT.ORG

explorekent.org: ride // walk // cycle // canoe pembury CIRCULAR

Explore Kent WELLS E C G I Kent County Council D R I C

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Invicta House, A

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Maidstone, ME14 1XX T

ONE OF A explorekent.org SERIES OF FOUR 13 TUNBRIDGE WELLS Cover Photo: Old Coach Road Pembury Old Coach Photo: Cover MILES CIRCULAR WALKS Gateway to the Weald Pembury 13 Circular MILES

A bracing ramble through the iconic High Weald countryside, taking in beautiful Kentish orchards, Summerhill Park secluded woodland plus small irregular shaped fields of pasture and crops.

Beginning at High Brooms station, the walk INTERESTING FEATURES leads off through Barnett’s Wood Local Nature BARNETT’S WOOD LOCAL NATURE RESERVE St Peters Gate Viaduct Reserve towards the south of Tonbridge. You’ll is a haven for wildlife on the edge of Southborough. The Kent High Weald Partnership manage the Progress clockwise along the route through the It’s worth taking a slight detour to the CHURCH OF habitats which include woodland, ponds, hedges pretty parkland at Somerhill and onwards to ALL SAINTS at Tudeley which contains delightful and meadows to promote biodiversity thereby Tudeley where you will turn southwards back to stained glass windows painted by Marc Chagall, who maintaining a much loved local greenspace. Tunbridge Wells via the orchards to the east of was commissioned by Lady Rosemary d’Avigdor- Pembury complete with glorious views before Be sure to admire the viaduct which was built in 1845 Goldsmid of Somerhill in memory of her daughter reaching the small village of Hawkenbury. for the Tunbridge Wells to Tonbridge railway. It has 26 Sarah who tragically drowned near Rye in 1963. arches of varying height. ST PETER’S CHURCH AT PEMBURY dates back to This walk indicates how HISTORIC SOMERHILL PARK, once part of the vast Norman times. Worshipping takes places place in two South Frith estate, is an imposing 17th century Grade buildings the upper church and the old church. The farming has shaped the two buildings vary greatly in character and are well High Weald landscape, I listed Jacobean mansion surrounded by 18th – 19th century parkland. It was home to the worth a look around. creating an area of Goldsmid family for a century. The orchards and fruit farms at DOWNINGBURY Outstanding Natural AND PIPPINS were once hop gardens which were Beauty. During the Second World War the mansion served as a prisoner prevalent in this part of Kent, producing hops for the of war camp and underwent brewing industry at its height in the late 19th century. extensive restoration in the The far reaching views at BAYHALL suggest a late 1980s before becoming different type of farming – a mix of dairy and arable in the home to the Schools of larger field patterns. Somerhill.

St Peters Church High Woods explorekent.org - ride // walk // cycle // canoe EXPLOREKENT.ORG

explorekent.org: ride // walk // cycle // canoe pembury CIRCULAR

Explore Kent WELLS E C G I Kent County Council D R I C

R U

B

L

N

Invicta House, A

U R

Maidstone, ME14 1XX T

ONE OF A explorekent.org SERIES OF FOUR 13 TUNBRIDGE WELLS Cover Photo: Old Coach Road Pembury Old Coach Photo: Cover MILES CIRCULAR WALKS Gateway to the Weald Pembury 13 Circular MILES

A bracing ramble through the iconic High Weald countryside, taking in beautiful Kentish orchards, Summerhill Park secluded woodland plus small irregular shaped fields of pasture and crops.

Beginning at High Brooms station, the walk INTERESTING FEATURES leads off through Barnett’s Wood Local Nature BARNETT’S WOOD LOCAL NATURE RESERVE St Peters Gate Viaduct Reserve towards the south of Tonbridge. You’ll is a haven for wildlife on the edge of Southborough. The Kent High Weald Partnership manage the Progress clockwise along the route through the It’s worth taking a slight detour to the CHURCH OF habitats which include woodland, ponds, hedges pretty parkland at Somerhill and onwards to ALL SAINTS at Tudeley which contains delightful and meadows to promote biodiversity thereby Tudeley where you will turn southwards back to stained glass windows painted by Marc Chagall, who maintaining a much loved local greenspace. Tunbridge Wells via the orchards to the east of was commissioned by Lady Rosemary d’Avigdor- Pembury complete with glorious views before Be sure to admire the viaduct which was built in 1845 Goldsmid of Somerhill in memory of her daughter reaching the small village of Hawkenbury. for the Tunbridge Wells to Tonbridge railway. It has 26 Sarah who tragically drowned near Rye in 1963. arches of varying height. ST PETER’S CHURCH AT PEMBURY dates back to This walk indicates how HISTORIC SOMERHILL PARK, once part of the vast Norman times. Worshipping takes places place in two South Frith estate, is an imposing 17th century Grade buildings the upper church and the old church. The farming has shaped the two buildings vary greatly in character and are well High Weald landscape, I listed Jacobean mansion surrounded by 18th – 19th century parkland. It was home to the worth a look around. creating an area of Goldsmid family for a century. The orchards and fruit farms at DOWNINGBURY Outstanding Natural AND PIPPINS were once hop gardens which were Beauty. During the Second World War the mansion served as a prisoner prevalent in this part of Kent, producing hops for the of war camp and underwent brewing industry at its height in the late 19th century. extensive restoration in the The far reaching views at BAYHALL suggest a late 1980s before becoming different type of farming – a mix of dairy and arable in the home to the Schools of larger field patterns. Somerhill.

St Peters Church High Woods explorekent.org - ride // walk // cycle // canoe 13 pembury MILES CIRCULAR

SF

SF Start/Finish 13 miles (21km) Take the train

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Crown Copyright and database right 2017 Ordnance Survey 100019238

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