Paddock Wood - River Medway - Whetsted - Paddock Wood

Ian Runcie

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Paddock Wood lies in the Medway Valley on the fertile weald. Maidstone lies about ten miles north-east and Tunbridge Wells is approximately six miles to the south-west. The main shopping area is in Commercial Road and there are two excellent car parks about halfway along on either side of the road. The town is now the centre for the distribution of fruit and vegetables in the area, to and from Europe, with its vast, air-conditioned warehousing and distribution facilities.

Paddock Wood is on the main Charing Cross to Ashford International Station route and as such has the Eurostar going through at regular intervals. Trains run from here to Maidstone and the Medway Towns. They also cross onto the Tunbridge Wells to Hastings route. As we are walking in the Medway Valley the terrain is particularly flat, a rise of only six metres over the whole length of the walk.

We follow the Tudeley Brook for some distance on delightful paths with fields alongside the banks. We walk across the fields of The Hop Farm Country Park, a well-known venue for the 'War and Peace' annual event. It hosts many different activities all year round. The Hop Farm is situated off a roundabout on the A228, about five minutes by car from Paddock Wood. We walk a stretch of the River Medway along the towpath, which is both tranquil and scenic.

We leave the Medway and walk across fallow fields and a lovely enclosed, grassy path leading out to paddocks and grazing horses. We have graded this walk 'easy' because of its flatness and its very few stiles. There are several eateries in Paddock Wood and a Brewer's Fayre Restaurant at the Hop Farm Country Park. Barsley's traditional department store has a coffee shop on its upper floor; also Waitrose supermarket has a coffee shop.

This walk was originally contributed by Alan Love. Ian Runcie has fully updated it (April 2010). Our thanks to Alan and Ian.

England - South England - Kent - Countryside

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Cafe, Flowers, Moor, Mostly Flat, Pub, Public Transport, River, Toilets, Woodland

8/6/2012 - Steven Heard

We done this walk in August 2012 and even then you could see that it might be quite muddy in parts during a rainy season. The walk passes through some fairly overgrown areas, one section was particularly affected and it was fairly evident that it had not been walked recently by many ramblers. That said, it was plains, trains and automobiles. A very flat walk, passing over the main train line, past a car auction and over a main road. The walk along the river Medway was pleasant. The directions were very accurate, although I always take a satnav just in case. The walk will take you about 2 hours 15 minutes at a moderate pace.

2/26/2011 - Walkingworld Administrator

Our thanks to Lesley Hitch for her update for this walk. February 2011. Adrian (Admin)

1/26/2011 - Jacki Stevenage

We did this walk on Sat 22nd Jan 2011 and thoroughly enjoyed it. The updated directions were very good. We did this walk in 2009 and got hopelessly lost - we ended up getting a taxi back from a pub near Stilstead Bridge!! A lot of the foliage at this point had been cut back this year and we found our way easily. Very muddy but great fun. Thank you.