Walk 43 : Otford (round walk)

Romney Street, Shoreham & the Darent Valley

Length

11.3km (7 miles), 3 hours 30 minutes. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow 7 hours 30 minutes.

OS Landranger Map

No.188. Otford, map reference TQ 532 593, is in Kent, 4km north of Sevenoaks.

Toughness

2 out of 10.

Features

This would make a good, brisk, shortish autumn or winter walk, with a late start possible. The route at the outset is steeply uphill, for a time following the North Downs Way, with views back over Otford and the valley, then going through Greenhill Wood, with a glimpse of Hildenborough Hall, before heading north to the pub in Romney Street. On reaching Shoreham there is the Shoreham Countryside Centre to visit, should you want to learn more about the history of the area and about its trees, birds and fungi (the centre is closed from the end of October to the beginning of April). Shoreham Village itself is worth visiting too, with its five pubs and twelfth-century church. The route onwards is the Darent Valley Path, which leads into Otford. The village of Otford offers a tearoom, a palace (in ruins), a church and many ancient buildings. There are trains to Otford from both Victoria and Blackfriars.

Shortening the Walk

It is possible to get a train back to London from Shoreham.

History

Shoreham is the remote village that the painter Samuel Palmer chose as a refuge from London's pollution. He was visited there in 1826 by William Blake.

Otford goes back to the sixth century, when the Saxons settled the place and called it Ottanford (Otta's Ford). Offa and Canute fought battles here. The village pond, with the duckhouse, is a listed building and was the main source of water for local people until the early twentieth century.

The Bull pub in Otford has magnificent fireplaces, brought there from the ruined Otford Palace. Opposite the Bull, is the Arts and Crafts-style Church Hall, designed by Edwin Lutyens who waived his fee, as it was commissioned by his brother William who was then vicar of Otford.

The craft shop by the pond in Otford sells a leaflet entitled 'A Look Around Otford' should you have an hour to spend at the end of the walk in which to admire the village's ancient past.

Otford Palace once occupied four acres, but it fell into decay after Archbishop Cranmer was forced to surrender it to Henry VIII in 1537. The Church of St Bartholomew in Otford was founded about 1050 and contains murals to the great-grandsons of Oliver Cromwell.

Lunch

The suggested lunchtime stop is the Fox & Hounds pub (tel 01959 525 428) in Romney Street, which serves simple food from midday to 2pm; groups of more than ten should phone to book.

Saturday Walkers Club

The Saturday Walkers Club do this walk each October.

Walking Instructions

Detailed walking instructions are to be found in the Time Out Book of Country Walks (volume 1).