insideKENT Magazine Issue 36 - March 2015 | Page 82

DAYSOUT Horton Kirby Walk This relaxing walk takes you along one of the most picturesque stretches of the River Darent, following the banks of the river through fields and copses. An easy walk with gentle slopes makes this an ideal family day out. Leave the car park and go through the gate to follow the waymarked route to the swirling river. Follow the tree-lined banks until you reach the road. Turn left and cross over the road to join the path running alongside the well-kept village cricket field and Franks Hall, an impressive redbrick Tudor mansion set in substantial grounds, with a historical reference to suggest Queen Elizabeth I may have stayed here in the late 16th century. This section of the Darent Valley has always been an important transport corridor due to the widening valley where the Downs begin to level out, and cars and lorries are clearly visible on the skyline. Ponies graze in the open fields and sheep can be spotted on the hillside before you rejoin the river and pass under the M20. From here, head towards Farningham via the A20. Pop into The Lion Hotel – a popular haunt with keen anglers including the writer Charles Dickens – where you can sit and enjoy views across the river. Farningham House (opposite the Pied Bull public house) to follow the path back across the fields and along to the banks of the river. The village flourished in the 18th century when it was regarded an important overnight stop on the c oach road from London to the coast. Today, its fine inns are still popular destinations with both visitors and local residents. The yellow breasts of grey wagtails are regularly seen along this stretch of the river and numerous holes in the banks provide homes for small creatures including water voles. Meanwhile, wrens can be spotted foraging around the base of many trees that line the river and treecreepers circle up the ivy-clad trunks. Before you head home, try the award-winning Fighting Cocks riverside pub and warm up with some comfort food and a cup of tea or pint in the beer garden. Across the road from the Lion Hotel stands one of the finest mills in the valley, while a glance up the winding main street of Farningham reveals picture-book village shops, and traditional Kentish weatherboard and flint-faced cottages. Cross over the town bridge and past the site of a former castle and medieval fairs – now Market Meadow, a village open space. Continue up to the main street with its well-preserved stately Georgian houses, and turn left just after 82 Cross straight over the road to return to Horton Kirby on the eastern side of the river, and follow the path over the bridge and across the weir to the car park.