Easter Break in Kent

It's time to catch up with some of the walking that we have been doing. We had a break in Kent staying with dad and a few walks were taken.

Friday 10th April, Good Friday
We decided on a walk today so drove to Westerham and parked at the NT car-park at Chartwell. We left the car-park and turned onto the footpath following the northern edge of the estate and then walked up quite a steep hill to Hosey Common lane, where we crossed the road and continued on a bridleway, through woodland to French Street hamlet. We were surprised that there was still evidence of the hurricane in 1987, with many fallen trees which were now regenerating and filing in the hedgerows. We turned right onto a footpath and descended steep steps to a stile which we crossed and continued across a field and then climbed another woodland path to a wooden bench where we sat and had a coffee and a hot cross bun.

More woodland was walked through until we got to Emmets gardens. The azaleas and daffodils were lovely but the bluebells were not out yet. We retraced our steps to the woods and followed the path. Unfortunately we took the wrong path here so after about 0.5 mile we had to turn round and retrace our steps. We got onto the right path and followed the path to Chart lane, diverting off for a short walk to find a cache. We then walked to the lane and down to the Fox and Hounds for a drink and bag of crisps.
After our break we crossed the road and followed a wide path to the remains of Weardale Manor. This 145 room manor was left to deteriorate in the 1920's and then the site was bombed in the war. There are lovely views of Kent, Sussex and Srrey from what had been the patio. We continued along the track and back to French Street hamlet. We retraced our outward route and then entered the Chartwell estate. It was raining by the time we got back to the car so we had been very lucky to have such a good day. 9.8km.
Monday 13th April
After just short walks on Saturday and Sunday - (Riverside park and a trip to Savacentre)we were ready for a longer walk. We drove to Shorne country park which had changed a lot since we had last walked here, about 20 years ago. There was now a large visitor centre and it was packed with families setting off for cycle rides.
We walked out of the park, crossed the A2 bridge and entered Ashenbank Wood. This was a lovely ancient woodland but we were surprised that there were no bluebells out yet. We walked through the woodland and followed the path beside orchards and oast houses into Cobham where we stopped to admire the water -pump (and found a very small geocache) and then went into the church to see the brasses. We walked through the churchyard and followed a wide green path beside orchards full of white blossom (cherry I think) towards Henley Street. We stopped for a break and then walked along the bridleway towards Luddesdown. We walked up a short but steep hill and had a brief look around the churchyard and at Luddesdown Court. We admired a field of pigs wallowing in the valley and then followed the path around to arrive at the Golden Lion, where we stopped for a drink and a bag of crisps.
After our break we walked up another steep hill and across a field, where the soil was very white and flinty compared with what we are now used to in Leicestershire. We walked through Cobhambury wood and followed the trail through Cobham park and past the mausoleum. It had been extensively refurbished since we had last seen it, when it had been highly vandalized, graffitied and surrounded by burnt out cars. It was now surrounded by high fencing so it was not easy to see the renovations.
After passing the mausoleum we walked through woodland until we reached Knights Place farm. We passed the farm and continued through the wood to reach the new London to Paris railway line. As we walked beside the line a Eurostar train passed at high speed.
We walked to the road and crossed the A2 bridge to head back through Brewers wood and back to Shorne Country park. It had been a good walk with plenty of wild flowers - anenome's, primroses, violets, blossom but only a few bluebells. We were also surprised to see a yellow frittilary on the bank as we walked back into the park. 15 km