One of the draws for moving to Tunbridge Wells has always been it’s green, open spaces close to and even within the town boundary. Since Covid-19 lockdown when taking a walk as part of a daily exercise routine became a more common part of daily life, we have had applicants for properties with access to good walks listed high on their property criteria. As lettings agents and estate agents we have made it our job to be local experts. Here’s a list of our favourite walks in Tunbridge Wells that take you off the beaten track which you might find some of our locals don’t even know about!
Hawkenbury
Exploring the walks around Hawkenbury has been one of the joys of Covid lockdown. The area is handy for town but has easy access to lovely country walks. Take a walk beside the new estate built by Berkley Homes, called Hollyfields and admire their views, taking Hawkenbury Road which runs beside Hawkenbury Recreation ground. Turn left at the end of the rec and take the footpath which leads up to a coppice called High Woods. You can walk through High Woods to join High Woods Lane and walk back down to Hawkenbury allotments at the bottom of Halls Hole Road. If you walk in the opposite direction to go further on up High Woods Land you will be rewarded with sensational views across sweeping open countryside, and ultimately you can go on through a footpath to Pembury for a longer walk.
From Forest Road you can leave town past the Nevill Golf Club on your right down pretty Benhall Mill Lane till it comes to an end, turn left and loop back into town on Hawkenbury Road. The whole route feels lovely and peaceful and rural despite being just on the edge of town.
St Johns
To anyone who doesn’t know the St Johns area it is tempting to think that it is just a busy road with an endless crawl of traffic. In fact, St Johns residents have access to a lovely well cared for park that leads out to fields at the back of it, beloved of dog walkers. By walking out from the park, through the field at the rear, taking a short 5 minute walk down Reynolds Lane (more than just a short cut!), you join stunning Hurst Woods and can be lost amongst tall trees, cross small streams and enjoy circular walks that bring you back to Coniston Avenue and Culverden Down. Alternatively you can cross the golf course via Rusthall Park to get to Toad Rock in Rusthall and circle back into the woods via a short path at the end of Grange Road.
Mount Ephraim
Mount Ephraim residents have the Tunbridge Wells common on their doorstep from which they can climb on the Wellington rocks and watch cricket on the cricket pitch but there are also lots of established footpaths on the common either side of Major Yorks Road to be enjoyed. Taking one of these footpaths, just above the open car parking on Major Yorks Road leads you through to the beautifully named Cabbage Stalk Lane which passes pretty houses and comes out on Hungershall Park. Follow Hungershall Park to the left along the road for a short period then you can either take a footpath up on the right to join The Midway and admire the expansive houses on delightful quiet Nevill Court. Carry on down Hungershall Park which becomes High Rocks Lane and you can take a path on the left to walk under the overhang of ancient sandstone rocks of High Rocks. Those with the stamina for a steep climb can walk up Tea Garden Lane (another delicious name!) for a drink at The Beacon before coming home via Langton Green and Rusthall. For a longer walk keep going past The High Rocks pub and on into the peace of Broadwater forest where you can imagine you are in the New Forest not the outskirts of a relatively large town.
Broadwater
The Broadwater area of Tunbridge Wells has direct access from Broadwater Down into Hargate Forest where you can follow meandering trails through woods and fields, often wet underfoot and a popular destination for dog walkers. The forest stretches all the way to another enticingly named road, Bunny Lane.
Southborough
Southborough common is not the only part of Southborough to have sensational walks. Take Pennington Road beside the Imperial pub and turn off at Vicarage Road then walk to the very end and directly on through a footpath into the woods. You will come out of the woods in a field with sensational views across the distant hills then you can cross to Vauxhall Lane or dip back into the woods lower down on your right heading back towards Pennington Road on a forest track. If this walk wasn’t long enough for you, have a rest on the bench then go back onto Pennington Road for about half a mile till you come to a footpath signposted down a drive on the left which will take you up to a house at which point you skirt their garden on the left, heading to Brokes Wood. There is a walk through the wood which will take you to an amazing viaduct at the bottom of Powder Mill Lane. Come back up to town on the paths through Brokes Wood to pass the recently restored lake which is fed by a fresh spring. See brokeswood.co.uk & southboroughcommon.co.uk for more information.
Rusthall
Rusthall has access to Nellington Woods from the end of the high street, close to the Jockey Farm football club on Nellington Road. This is particularly popular for walks during the Spring when bluebells fill the woods.
From Rusthall common you can also walk across the Langton Road to get to St Paul’s Church and beside it follow a path into the area known as Happy Valley. Happy Valley contains sandstone rocks which are thought to have been shelter for nomadic hunters and was once a chief beauty spot in Victorian and Edwardian times. Walk through the wood to either Tea Garden Lane to walk further down to the High Rocks or cut left onto The Midway/Nevill Court/Nevill Park to walk back to Tunbridge Wells common and enjoy the striking view across from the large houses of Nevill Park to the equally grand houses of Hungershall Park.
Pembury
Signposted from the A21 is the intriguingly named ‘Pembury Walks’ and indeed if you take the footpath that runs from the industrial estate or hospital, up the side of the A21 (on a very safe footpath which runs parallel to it!), you can join one of several easy -to-follow trails through Tudeley Woods Nature Reserve. The main Pembury Walks road leads down to a reservoir which you can’t access but is a striking sight and you can walk back up to the A21 starting point up Dislingbury Road (also known as Half Moon Lane) past an RSPB bird sanctuary. Alternatively make it a longer walk by taking Old Church Road up to Kent College set in beautiful countryside.
Another option is to walk through Tudeley Woods back towards Pembury hospital as the path leads into Pembury Wood and makes a pleasant walk to come back to Tonbridge Road which you can cross and take a wide path to a bridge over the A21 that takes you back to town via Blackhurst Lane.
If you move to Tunbridge Wells you will, without question, find your own favourite walks. We’d be delighted to hear about them.
