insideKENT Magazine Issue 78 - September 2018 | Page 53

you walk onwards, the beautiful Darenth Valley
will open out before you. Look across the valley
at colourful crops, hay meadows glinting in
the sunlight and the sight of Lullingstone
Castle nestled in the trees. Lullingstone Castle
is situated on one of England’s oldest family
estates, which dates to the time of the
Domesday, and is open to the public on
selected days throughout the year.
As you venture onwards, you will see the
Eynsford Viaduct standing proudly in the
valley. The impressive nine arches forms part
of the main railway line and is a prominent
feature of the ‘Bat and Ball’ line. Nearing the
end of the valley, you will be following
the path winding its way down to a set of
steps that come out next to Lullingstone
Roman Villa.
The villa, run by English Heritage, is one of
the most complete examples of a Roman Villa
in existence. It is a great family day out and
offers a brilliant interactive experience. It’s the
perfect place to extend your day and because
it’s near the end of the walk, only a short walk
back to the start.
Follow the quiet surfaced road past
Lullingstone Castle, then bear right into the
car park and go through the kissing gate to
head back along the riverbank towards the car
park. The end point is Lullingstone Country
Park with its mini adventure playground
and on-site café where you can reward
yourself with coffee and cake to mark the end
of your walk.
If you love exploring the countryside and
taking in great views, this walk is for you! It’s
a great walk for couples or groups or even
walking solo. You’ll feel like you’ve escaped
from the rat race for a day and will return from
your walk feeling great!
LOCATION: LULLINGSTONE – DA4 0JF
DISTANCE: 6.5 MILES (10.46 KM) CIRCULAR
TIME: ALLOW 3 HOURS
EXPLORER MAP: 147
TERRAIN: FIELD AND WOODLAND PATHS.
SOME STEEP SLOPES.
PARKING: PARKING IS AVAILABLE AT
THE VISITOR CENTRE.
REFRESHMENTS AND FACILITIES: VISITOR CENTRE,
SHOREHAM VILLAGE SHOPS AND PUBS.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: FOR INFORMATION ABOUT
LOCAL BUS AND TRAIN SERVICES TO LULLINGSTONE
FROM YOUR HOME ADDRESS, TAKE A LOOK AT
WWW.KENTCONNECTED.ORG
WHAT NEXT?
For more information on our
walks, cycle rides and
canoe trails, please visit
www.explorekent.org, and
discover the great Kentish
countryside or follow Explore
Kent on social media @exploreKent on
Twitter and Facebook.
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