Sevenoaks: Ancient Knole, Wealden views and a moated manor
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This is a circular walk starting and finishing at Sevenoaks station with an optional pub stop at the end. We’ll visit Sevenoaks town, Knole’s free to enter spaces (with 45 minutes to one hour free time), One Tree Hill on the Greensand Way for lunch and pass Ightham Mote.
The route
Leaving Sevenoaks Station, we’ll walk through the town centre to Knole Park. Inside the Park, we will pass the stately home of the Sackville family and take a break to visit the free to enter spaces. We’ll follow the Greensand Way with views over the Weald of Kent with lunch at One Tree Hill, before walking via woods and Wealden countryside passing Ightham Mote. On the way back we will retrace part of the route through Knole Park and on to Sevenoaks.
NOTE: We will stop for 45 minutes to 1 hour where you’ll have time to visit the free to enter spaces of Knole. This could include the visitor centre, courtyards, Orangery, Conservation studio or cafe.
There will NOT be time to visit the House, Gatehouse nor Ightham Mote later on.
The sights
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks is a prosperous market and commuter town. Only one oak remained after the Great Storm of 1987, the replacements planted by Gloria Hunniford and Blue Peter’s Caron Keating have also since also been replaced.
Knole (around 45 minutes to visit free to enter spaces)
Knole House (now National Trust) is probably the largest private house in England, which was built as an archbishop’s palace and has been the home of the Sackville family for 600 years. We will have time for you to choose which to visit: the courtyards, visitor facilities, orangery or conservation studios. LGBTQ history is represented with Vita Sackville-West’s relationship with Virginia Woolf, who set her novel Orlando (whose title character changes sex) at Knole. One of the last occupiers, Eddy Sackville-West lived in the gatehouse (not on our visit) where his story as a gay man in the early 20th century is told. The park occupies almost 1000 acres, with 350 deer.
We won’t visit the showrooms or gatehouse but an introductory tour (14 minutes) is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DceOsnGVRPM and the Gatehouse (4 minutes) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-prvqGmDig&t=34s
Greensand Ridge/One Tree Hill
The Greensand Way runs 107 miles from Farnham (Surrey) to Hamstreet (Ashford, Kent) with lovely views over the Weald of Kent from One Tree Hill. It was donated in memory of the four time mayor of Reading Arthur Hill, half brother of Octavia Hill, one of the founders of the National Trust. The site has recovered well since the 1987 Great Storm felled 90% of the woodland. We will aim to have lunch here with time to admire the views.
Ightham Mote (visit not included)
The manor house is named after the medieval word “mote”, being a meeting place rather than its moat which laps the walls of the house. Despite the house appearing quite uniform with Kentish rag stone and Wealden timbers, parts of it date back to the 1340s and others to the 19th century. The last occupier American Charles Henry Robinson saw the house for sale in Country Life magazine and remembered once visiting it as a young man. He donated Ightham Mote to the National Trust and the subsequent 1985-2006 restoration project cost at least £10m. We won’t see the only Grade II listed dog kennel in the country but will be able to view part of the exterior of the house.
The route (please click the link to see the route at the Ordnance Survey website):
https://explore.osmaps.com/route/22412024/sevenoaks-odl-updated-
Don't waste that space!
Summer walks get really busy so please only book if you know you can make it. If your plans change please free up the space for someone else.
New Members
New members are very welcome. Please message me if you have any questions or concerns before the day. Whilst we are a very open and welcoming group, if you wish, we may be able to organise an existing member to buddy up with you before or on the day. Do also feel free to arrive early as I’m always around much earlier than the start time.
Dogs
The walk is suitable for dogs with paths and pavements. There are some busy roads to cross particularly in Sevenoaks. In Knole, your dog must be kept on a lead due to the deer. Dogs are not allowed in the indoor spaces (café/orangery and visitor centre) during our 45 minute stop, but there are outdoor spaces to be enjoyed.
IMPORTANT! – Participation Statement
You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
Image / photo credits: All images taken by the event leader Alex Young and co-leader Neil Prior with permission for ODL use.
What to bring
Wear walking boots or sturdy trainers as there will be some mud on the Greensand Ridge and in the Park. Please dress according to the weather including a rain jacket.
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch, and plenty of water and snacks to see you through the day.
Please visit BEFORE the walk start time: there is a Costa Coffee shop and Pumpkin food concession inside Sevenoaks station. A Little Waitrose is 3 minutes’ walk: turn left from the station over the railway bridge at the petrol station (not on the route we are taking), but close to both car parks if you are driving.
At Knole, there is time to visit the café, but there are usually long queues, so this will reduce your time to visit the other sights during our 45 minutes there.
There will be an optional pub stop (likely The Restoration https://www.therestoration.pub) near the end of the walk back in Sevenoaks.
Toilets
Toilets at Sevenoaks Station (booking hall level just inside ticket barriers), on walk at Knole and at Ightham Mote café (limited) and optional pub near end.