The Kent Wealdway and Vineyards of Meopham Valley 25km/15mile Hilly Hike

GRADE: Advanced; 25km/15 miles, 565m elevation gain. Approximately 6.5 - 7 hours of hiking plus breaks.

Join us on this scenic countryside hike through the rolling hills of Kent, The Garden of England, crossing vineyards, woodland and picturesque farmland of the Gravesend district of north-west Kent. This advanced hike is 25km/15 miles long, and has 565m of ascent and descent with some steep hills.

The circular bunny-shaped route includes a stretch of the Wealdway, a long-distance path running from Gravesend to the outskirts of Eastbourne in East Sussex, as well as a stretch of the North Downs Way, another long-distance national trail which stretches from Farnham in Surrey to Dover in Kent.

The route takes us through magnificent, peaceful farmland and beautiful woods, and passes Luddesdown Court, said to be the oldest continuously occupied house in England; it is believed that William the Conqueror’s half-brother Odo once lived there!

Some of the other highlights are two large vineyards which we will be hiking through, and the village of Birling, where we stop for lunch. Finally, we will visit Coldrum Long Barrow, an ancient burial site constructed in the fourth millennium BCE.

COST: £10 organiser fee paid on RSVP

MEETING POINT and TIME: 09:31 outside Sole Street station

You can also meet other hikers at 08:20am at Victoria Station by the information point near platforms 12 & 13 to organise yourselves into groups of 3-9 people to buy your Group Save day return to Sole street tickets and travel together.

HIKE STARTS: 09:35am from Sole Street Station

TRAINS: 08:48 Southeastern service from London Victoria, arriving at Sole Street at 09:31am, journey time 43 minutes.

RETURN: Trains to London leave Sole Street hourly, 32 minutes past the hour; journey time to London Victoria: 46 minutes (direct). We can chill at The Railway Inn, right next to the station, if we have to wait for our return train. There are 2 other pubs 1 km and 1 mile from the station too, on our route back to the station.

TICKT PRICE (as of 6 June): Return from London to Sole Street: £19.70 or £13.10 GroupSave when 3 - 9 people buy tickets and travel together or with Network Railcard.

LUNCH: Packed lunch, picnic - please bring your lunch, snacks and plenty of water (2.5 litres recommended) as there won't be anywhere to buy them on the day

HIKE FINISHES: approximately 17:00 - 17:30 at Sole Street Station, but finish times always depend on pace of the group on the day and are a rough estimate rather than a guarantee. Consider yourself committed for the day.

HIKE LEADER: Eliza 07990 489040

What to bring: lunch, snacks, water, suitable clothing and hiking footwear.
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