North Downs Way: Dunton Green to Wrotham

The Walk: From Dunton Green Station we rejoin the North Downs Way (NDW) National Trail, which is then followed some 10 miles to Wrotham. Highlights include crossing the Darenth Valley, the fine views from the Downs above Kemsing, and, in summer, fields of blue linseed.

Wooden cross on Kemsing Down

Map

NB The map shows my route, with various diversions and excursions which you may not wish to follow precisely.

Why do it: The first section of the walk crosses the picturesque Darenth Valley (although in truth, the Darenth is only glimpsed briefly in Otford).

Darenth valley

Otford has some interesting old buildings, including an old Archbishop's Palace, centred on a village green with a duck pond. There are handy information boards.

Archbishop's Place, Otford

The NDW climbs steeply out of Otford and traverses fairly flat and enclosed pasture before emerging onto open downland again above Kemsing, with great views, especially from an unnamed grassy plateau, with a wooden cross apparently erected by the religious community at nearby Otford Manor.

Kemsing Down

More pasture and woodland follow, until you emerge to another striking view before descending to join the Pilgrims Way running along the foot of the Downs into Wrotham.

Descending to Pilgrims Way (blue crop is probably linseed)

Connoisseurs of motorway noise have the M26 and M20 to chose from, the village of Wrotham being located in the corridor between them.

Crossing M26 in Dunton Green

Distance: 13 miles from station to station (Approx 1 mile and 2 miles from the respective stations, 10 miles along the NDW).

Logistics: To do a walk returning to your start point at Dunton Green Station, you can park free along Station Approach, and cut through side streets to the busy London Road, which is followed a mile or so north, crossing over the M26, to rejoin the NDW where the previous walk left off at the Rose and Crown pub.

From Wrotham, I walked down to Borough Green and Wrotham Station. You can either follow the main roads, or take footpaths as shown on the map, although these paths were rather overgrown in places. You can return to Dunton Green station by train with two changes, at Otford and Sevenoaks.

Of course, you could also simply get the train to and from the two stations, which are well served by services to London.

It would simplify the walk to start at Otford, which can be reached in a short, direct train journey from Borough Green.

Challenges:

Expect mud after rain. There is a very steep descent over grassy downland to reach the Pilgrims Way, which would be slippery when wet.

Steep grassy slope down to join Pilgrims Way

Noise from the M26 motorway at the start is soon left behind, but reappears as you near Wrotham, when it is joined by its brother, the M20 close by to the North. .