Start point Grid Ref: 548 464 Map: Pathfinder 1228

LEIGH - ENSFIELD BRIDGE - PENSHURST and return (5 1/2 miles)

A pleasant circular walk up river to Penshurst Place, returning to Leigh through Penshurst Park. Can be muddy when wet. Parking by village green.

1. Take Greenview Avenue, running South from the green. Go through kissing gate at the end, where the path leads
down to a bridge under the railway.

2. The path continues over the flood barrier, through kissing gate on L, along R edge of one field and diagonally across the next to a footbridge over the river.

3. Cross the river, bear L for 20 yards then turn R (over water at times?) and bear R to stile into field. Bear R again to another stile. Keep all the way along R edge of large field to Ensfield Bridge.

4. Across the bridge the path continues up river on the other bank until just before the river bends to L. Here (well signed) the path leads to the R over a stream bridge, straight up over a brow, past several marker posts and over a stile to meet a concrete track.

5. Turn R, then immediately L over stile onto main track, passing Killick's Farm on L. Continue up hill on this track; as it bends L to Well Place, carry straight on over two stiles, and down the hill, bearing L past a large beech tree, to meet a private metalled road leading from Well Place to Penshurst.

6. Turn R on the road, passing Penshurst Place on R, and through gateway to Penshurst Village; refreshments can be obtained and the church visited.

7. Some 20 yards along turn R, up steps and between timbered houses, to the church. Take the path round the church to L into the park. Continue straight across front of the House, cross the drive and the stile beyond at point 8.

8. Proceed past cricket ground on R to further stile at point 9.

9. Ignoring avenue straight ahead, veer R towards distant house on horizon, to stile in middle of fence. Turn R along fence round lake to point 10.

10. Cross stile in corner by remains of ancient fenced oak. The path goes L up hill between an avenue of trees. Continue over a stile to the top of the hill.

11. At the top, ignore path straight on but follow to the R the very long avenue of plane trees with a stile midway, eventually passing a spruce plantation on R as you emerge into a field.

12, Turn L then R along edges of field, with view to L from the ridge.

13. At the end of the ridge a stile leads to a track down to the road by Paul's Hill House. Turn L on road and follow under the railway bridge, back to Leigh Village. Turn R at T junction to return to the green.

This site was last updated 16-Mar-2005