Saturday Walkers Club www.walkingclub.org.uk Penshurst Circular via Bough Beech walk Popular bird-watching site in the Eden Valley and attractive Kent villages Length Main Walk: 21½ km (13.4 miles). Five hours 15 minutes walking time. For the whole excursion including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 9½ hours. Short Walk 1, omitting Penshurst village: 15½ km (9.6 miles). Three hours 45 minutes walking time. Short Walk 2, also omitting Chiddingstone: 14¾ km (9.2 miles). Three hours 30 minutes walking time. OS Map Explorer 147. Penshurst Station (in Chiddingstone Causeway, TQ519467) is in Kent, 7 km W of Tonbridge. Toughness 5 out of 10 (3 for the Short Walks). Features This walk starts through low-lying farmland interspersed with patches of woodland. At Bore Place it makes use of the farm's permissive trails to reach one of the few viewpoints over Bough Beech Reservoir, a large body of water which is surprisingly well screened from public footpaths in the vicinity. The reservoir was created by damming one of the streams flowing down from the Greensand Hills, but is now mostly replenished with water abstracted from the River Eden. The walk continues across the causeway at the northern end of the reservoir where there are good opportunities for bird-watching, but the site's status as a designated nature reserve is uncertain since Kent Wildlife Trust withdrew from its managment in July 2020. After a loop around the western side of the reservoir the walk comes to the first of two possible lunch pubs, in the hamlet of Bough Beech. The walk then crosses the River Eden several times as it makes its way to an alternative pub in Chiddingstone. In this picturesque village Chiddingstone Castle is a castellated manor house rebuilt in the 19thC, containing an unusual collection of art and curiosities left behind by its late owner, Denys Eyre Bower. The grounds are usually open but currently the house is only open Sundays and a few weekdays from August to October; admission is £9.50 (2020). https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/walk/penshurst-circular/ 1/12 A stretch along the Eden Valley Walk leads to another attractive Wealden village, Penshurst. Just outside the village Penshurst Place is an even more impressive manor house, the home of the Sidney family since the 16thC. There is still a fairly lengthy final leg through the mature parkland of its large estate and more farmland before you return to Chiddingstone Causeway, with its welcoming pub next to Penshurst station. This part of the Eden Valley is a popular walking area and the route overlaps several other SWC walks. After it was tweaked in 2019 to avoid a ploughed-up meadow, the first 3 km reverses the ending of the Hurst Green to Chiddingstone Causeway walk (2–16). Most of the stretch between Chiddingstone and Penshurst is the same as the Leigh Circular walk (#92a). The Hever to Leigh walk (1–19) goes through both of these villages, while part of this walk's final leg follows the route of the Leigh to Tunbridge Wells walk (1–15) in the reverse direction. The Wealden soil does not drain well and parts of the walk can be muddy even after moderate amounts of rain. Walk There are several ways of shortening the walk. In the morning you can take a more Options direct route to the first lunch pub which saves 3½ km; this short cut misses out the Bough Beech Visitor Centre (and indeed all views of the water) but would be worth considering if you missed a train and had to start an hour late. In the afternoon two possible Short Walks are available. The first (which can be combined with the morning short cut) takes a direct route back from Chiddingstone, saving 6 km by omitting the southern loop through Penshurst village. The second takes a more northerly route back from Bough Beech, reversing part of the morning short cut and also going through an attractive stretch of woodland designated as Chiddingstone Nature Reserve. Transport Penshurst station (3 km north of its village, in the hamlet of Chiddingstone Causeway) is on a branch line with an hourly service between Tonbridge and Redhill (through trains from London were withdrawn in 2018). Travelling from Charing Cross and changing at Tonbridge is usually 10–15 minutes quicker than going via Redhill. The most flexible ticket is an “Any Permitted” return to Penshurst, but you can buy a cheaper “Via Redhill” ticket if you will be going out and back on this route. If you want to finish the walk in Bough Beech or Penshurst village, Metrobus 231 & 233 go to Chiddingstone Causeway (for Penshurst station; Mon–Sat). The buses continue to Edenbridge in one direction and Tunbridge Wells in the other. If driving, there is a small private car park on the south side of Penshurst station where a sign says the charge is £3 per day. Suggested Take the train nearest to 10:00 from Charing Cross to Penshurst (changing at Train Tonbridge). You could start an hour later if taking the morning short cut. Lunch The main choice is between two attractive and relatively up-market lunch pubs, both now run by the same consortium and serving very good food. The first (and only option on Short Walk 2) is the Wheatsheaf (01732-700100) in Bough Beech, after 9½ km (6 km with the short cut). This popular pub/restaurant is likely to be fully booked at weekends but on fine days there should be space in its garden area, set well back from the road. In a further 3¼ km the equally good Castle Inn (01892-870371) in Chiddingstone reopened in April 2017 after being closed for nearly a year. It is in a quieter location and has a particularly attractive back garden. Another option in this village would be to have a light lunch at the Tulip Tree tearoom. https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/walk/penshurst-circular/ 2/12 On the Main Walk, a very late lunch might be possible at the Leicester Arms Hotel (01892-871617) in Penshurst, after a further 4 km. Tea At the end of the walk the Little Brown Jug (01892-870318) is usually open all day and serves tea and coffee as well as normal pub fare. For the walk options which go through Chiddingstone and Penshurst earlier refreshment stops are possible as both have good tearooms. In Chiddingstone the suggested tea place is the Tulip Tree (01892-870326), a popular tearoom which is open daily to 5pm. On the limited days when Chiddingstone Castle is open its equally good Tea Room (01892-870347) is open to non-visitors to 4.15pm. In Penshurst the Fir Tree House (01892-870382) tearoom has a large garden and is open from 2.30-6pm, but is closed on Mondays (except Bank Holidays, when it is closed the following Tuesday; it might also be closed on other weekdays in winter). Help Us! After the walk, we would love to get your feedback You can upload photos to the ⬤⬤ SWC Group on Flickr (upload your photos) and videos to Youtube. This walk's tags are: swcwalks swcwalk300 By Car Start TN11 8JE Help National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Travelline SE (bus times): 0871 200 2233 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234 Version Oct-20 Copyright © Saturday Walkers Club. All Rights Reserved. No commercial use. No copying. No derivatives. Free with attribution for one time non-commercial use only. www.walkingclub.org.uk/site/license.shtml Walk Directions https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/walk/penshurst-circular/ 3/12 Walk Map All maps © OpenStreetMap contributors Walk Options ( Main | Short ) M. Main Walk (21½ km) i. Main Walk, with morning short cut (18 km) a. Short Walk 1, omitting Penshurst village (15½ km) ai. Short Walk 1, with morning short cut (12 km) b. Short Walk 2, also omitting Chiddingstone (14¾ km) Walk Directions A. Penshurst Station to Bushy Wood (3 km) This section follows the route of Walk 2–16 (in reverse). https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/walk/penshurst-circular/ 4/12 1. If arriving from Tonbridge, cross the footbridge to leave the station from Platform 2. Go down the short approach road to the B2027, with the Little Brown Jug opposite. Cross this main road carefully and turn right to go along the pavement for 200m, passing St Luke's church1 and a War Memorial on the other side. Opposite the junction with the B2176 turn left onto a long straight tarmac path between large fields2. 2. At the end turn left to go along a road (Camp Hill), taking care as there is no pavement. In 125m bear right into the driveway to Camphill Barn, signposted as a footpath. In 50m turn right through a small metal gate at the end of the hedge and follow a grassy path across the middle of a large field, heading NNW. 3. On the far side go through a metal kissing gate and continue along the right-hand edge of two fields, with some paddocks on your right. Towards the end of the second field bear left onto a faint path across the field, cutting off the corner and aiming for a wide gap in the hedge. 4. Go through the gap and along a broad grassy field margin, with a wood on your left. In 100m follow the grassy track as it bears left into this small wood, coming out into the corner of another field. Do not continue along the field margin but turn half-right to go diagonally across the field.