Kent Ramblers: Walk of the Month

May: Farnborough & Holwood

Distance:         4.5 miles (2 hours)

OS Map:          Explorer 147 (Start at grid reference TQ443643)

Click map to enlarge and click again to enlarge further

Park in Farnborough High Street – there is usually plenty of space west of main row of shops.  Much of the route follows the well waymarked Farnborough Circular Walk.

Turn into Church Road and then immediately right down somewhat potholed Tye Lane.  Follow this track, becoming footpath between hedges, pass metal posts that prevent passage of vehicles and emerge alongside field with woodland on right.  When the woodland ends, bear left around small clump of trees and resume direction across field to gap in hedge at far side.  Enter woodland, mainly managed as coppice and take first left turn which after a few metres passes a stone marked “J.L.” (for John Lubbock, one time owner of High Elms estate, of which this was once the boundary) out of wood and down right hand side of field to Shire Lane.

Cross this sometimes-busy road very carefully, bearing right to footpath signposted to Downe on far side.  Follow path up middle of field to hedge at top.  Turn right along track (“Bogey Lane”) between hedges to Farthing Street.  Turn right and follow road carefully back to Shire Lane.  Go straight across to path that turns sharp left and initially runs parallel to road between hedge and fence, offering fine views of Holwood House on hill.  Pass a couple of stiles then bear right, round farm and through gate by Jack Frost’s Pet Products shop.

Take path between fences a few metres to right and climb towards woods in parkland surrounding Holwood House.  Cross drive leading to house and then pass remains of Wilberforce Oak on left (original is dead but replacement has been planted higher up) – inscription on stone seat on right bears an extract from William Wilberforce’s 1787 Diary:

“At length I well remember after a conversation with Mr Pitt in the open air at the root of an old tree at Holwood just above the steep descent into the Vale of Keston I resolved to give notice on a fit occasion in the House of Commons of my intention to bring forward the abolition of the slave trade.”

Continue to Westerham Road.  Go straight across into Keston Common and take first right turn along valley bottom parallel with road until you reach car park.  Go down steps from middle of far side of car park past Caesar’s Well and alongside first of the ponds.  At the end of pond, bear right uphill to corner of Westerham Road and Fishponds Road.  Cross Fishponds Road and continue down left hand side of Westerham Road until there is public footpath sign opposite.  Cross road and follow path along backs of some very expensive houses to A21.

Turn right and follow pavement back to Farnborough.  Official Farnborough Circular Walk detours across recreation ground back to Tye Lane, but main street is quite pleasant and you might as well just follow it back to your car.

In addition to the walking routes on our web site we have published four popular walking guides:

Points of Interest

Holwood House

The estate and house were owned by William Pitt from 1785 to 1802.  However, the present building designed by Decimus Burton was built around 1825-27 by merchant John Ward to replace the one occupied by Pitt.  In 1953 the house was acquired by Seismographic Service (England) Ltd as its headquarters but in the first few years of this century it was converted into apartments.

Artist's impression of original Holwood House

Keston Ponds...

... created in the 1830s to supply water to Holwood House.  The water was pumped up to the house by a hydraulic ram which uses the energy released by lowering a large to quantity of water through a short height to raise a much smaller quantity through a larger height.  In 1926 the ponds were given by the then owner of Holwood, Lord Stanley Earl of Derby, to the parish to form part of the commons.

Caesar’s Camp

Although Julius Caesar is reputed to have visited Keston in 55BC, the huge Iron Age earthwork that bears his name had been built a century or so earlier.  Nearby Caesar’s well was supposed to have been discovered by Caesar’s troops when, in need of water, they followed two ravens to a spring hidden in bushes, hence the river whose source is the spring is known as the Ravensbourne

Public Transport

Bus 388 between Crystal Palace and Orpington Station via Bromley offers a frequent service to and from Farnborough High Street.  Bus R4 also passes both Orpington Station and Farnborough High Street 3 or 4 times an hour.

Please report any problems with this walk to info@kentramblers.org.uk.

Ramblers' volunteers in Kent work tirelessly to ensure that our paths are as well protected and maintained as possible.  Of course we also organise led walks but most of our members are independent walkers who simply want to support our footpath work.  Please join us and become a supporter too.  You need us and we really need you.