03/06/17 - The Darent Valley

Start - Dartford
End - Sevenoaks
Walk Inspiration - Trail Magazine, September 1995
Distance - 17 Miles
Geocaches - 16
Pubs - The Lion Hotel, Farningham and the Anchor, Sevenoaks

There are some things that improve with age.  An example is Trail Magazines estimation of distances on their walking routes.   This gem of a walk was from back in the nineties, where they seemingly calculated the distance with a sextant.  It is advertised at 13.5 miles, so I planned rail trips on pre-booked trains to give me 6 hours.  I then plotted it in my GPS and was horrified to find it was more like 16 miles.

Geocaches and pub visits are in serious jeopardy if I need to keep up an average of 2.8 mph.

22 Years Old, The route remains - longer than advertised

I choose to begin the walk in Dartford, picking up the River Darent in the park.  Dartford looks like a place filled with civic pride.  Lots of posters of Dartford celebrities - Mick and Keef, the most recognisble.  Information boards everywhere, including on the side of their pubs.

Wat Tyler Pub, Dartford

Day's First Signage in Dartford Park

Mick!

The walking is very easy, all flat and following the River Darent in the main, with the odd excursion along leafy lanes.  There's a fair amount to keep the history buffs interested - Roman Villas, Castles, memorials to WWII fighter aces and the villages are picture postcard perfect.

Mainly, the walking is like this.

The first village is South Darenth.   Three pubs, if you inlcude the Chequers in Darenth.  None were never expected to be visited, as its only 10:30am.

Guess the Pub Name?  You got it, The Bridges

Out under big skies

The geocaches start in earnest, but with limited time, I avoid any lengthy hunts, caches with latin hints, caches requiring waders and caches where little children are sat at GZ.  On a day with more time, I could have bagged up to 40 smilies, showing that geocachers know the best routes.

Farningham is simply too pretty to be avoided.  The route brings me into the beer garden of the Lion Hotel.  Its a handsome looking C16th Boozer, next to a folly bridge and a beer garden full of cyclists and families picnicing.  It was neither the obligatory visit from Charles Dickens or the Cask Marque sign that convinced me to stop for a 10 minute breather.  Only disappointment was the one real ale on.

Time constrained, but unavoidable

No, its not Rev James.  Its Doom Bar.

Farningham looks mainly like this.

A long stretch along the wonderfully monikered Sparepenny Lane.  Memorials to crashed Spitfires and views over Eynsford Castle, built by Normans.

Eynsford Castle

The countryside is picked back up as I make my way down to Lullingstone Castle - been in the same family since 1497 & host to Elizabeth I and Henry VIII, history fans.

More Big Skies on the Darent Valley Walk

Lullingworth Castle

Hop fields and lavender fields take me to Shoreham, a place that I really should have stopped at.   The George looked wonderful, but I checked my progress and can only afford one more stop.  I'm hoping that Sevenoaks Station has a suitable watering hole to celebrate the end of the walk.  I actually make my way to the George bar, unclipping my rucksack when Sensible Mappiman mutters into my head about delayed gratification being the best gratification.

Fields of Purple Lavender

Where the magic comes from

Should have stopped.

It was a mistake.

There's a good five miles to Sevenoaks.   The water runs out.  Its a route march into the town, where there's not even a shop for refreshment.  By the time I get to Sevenoaks Station, I'm dryer than Ghandi's flip flop.

Still, the good news is I have 50 minutes before my train.   Every station in the country has a rough pub next to it, usually called the Station or the Railway Inn.  Not Sevenoaks.  Its got a funeral parlour. a Lamborghini showroom and of course, a Costa.

Coffee ain't going to do it, so I walk the mile up to town - looking all the way for a pub.  Is that a pub sign on the side of a building?  Kind of, but on closer inspection, it's a Chocolatier.

Chocolate ain't going to do it.  By the time I reach the Anchor (my first Good Beer Guide tick in Kent, so all was not in vain), I can barely speak to the landlord (possibly Barry) to get my order across.

Good Beer Guide Entry - The Anchor

Harvey's Best, Water Chaser, Doom Bar Glasses

If the future Mappiman does this walk again - remember, you need more than six hours and don't walk on by the George in Shoreham.