Greensand Way
Walk
summary:
108 miles (173km).
Stride out along 108 miles of the Greensand Way and discover
some of the finest walking experiences in the South East.
Maps and guides:
Surrey:
For the Surrey section of the Greensand Way, see Surrey County Council's
website.
About the walk:
The Greensand Way offers outstanding days out for long distance
walkers tackling the whole route from Haslemere, in Surrey, through
to Hamstreet, in Kent. There are also many opportunities for
everyone wishing to sample shorter sections in the two
counties.
The route
takes in two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the Surrey Hills
and the Kent Downs - as well as numerous
Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
The Greensand Way is named after the sandstone ridge, which
crosses Hampshire, Surrey and Kent - one of a series of ridges
running west to east across South East England.
In Surrey, the route passes by the highest point in the South
East, Leith Hill, through farms and villages along the Greensand
ridge into Kent, coming to an end on the now landlocked former
cliffs, overlooking the haunting levels of Romney Marsh.
A hallmark of this route is the number of magnificent houses,
gardens and parks, which have been built along the ridge,
attracting some of the finest architects, interior and landscape
designers of their eras.
Many of these properties, built and rebuilt over the years, have
been financed by wealth earned by businesses trading in London and
overseas. Their owners have been seeking peace and quiet for their
families away from the hustle and bustle of city life, or opting
for a peaceful retirement.
They have
expressed their commitment to enhancing the landcape with fine
plantings of specimen trees in their parklands, and careful
management of their farms and cottages.
Much of the route passes through ancient and semi-mature
woodland, ensuring bluebell walks in spring, cool shade in the
height of summer and amazing displays of colour in autumn.
The many villages along the way provide a warm and friendly
welcome with the chance to rest weary legs, while the peaceful
hilltops and inspiring views offer perfect refreshment for the
mind.
The late Geoffrey Hollis initially conceived the Greensand Way
as a route in Surrey which was opened in 1982. The Ramblers’
Association later extended the route into Kent, which was completed
by 1989 and produced the first guide for the route.
Circular walk guidebook
To mark the 20th anniversary of the Greensand Way, Explore Kent
has produced a new walking guide.
The 'Six Circular Walks along the Greensand Way' guidebook is
priced at £4.99 and available from bookshops, or call 0300 333
5538.
The booklet features six walks:
- Westerham - Wonderfully wild woodland (5 miles, 8.1km)
- Ide Hill - Peaceful paths and inspiring hills (5 miles,
8km)
- Sevenoaks - Parkland and parakeets (4 miles, 6.4km)
- Shipbourne - As pretty as a picture (5 miles 8km)
- Linton - Orchards and oasts (4 miles, 6.4km)
- Egerton - Fertile farms in the heart of Kent (3.1 miles,
5km)
Read the free taster online - featuring the complete Ide Hill
walk
Download the free taster (PDF, 1.5MB)
Useful information:
Weather at start point
This Weather Widget is provided by the Met Office
Explore Kent Challenge
Attempt the Explore Kent
Challenge by walking this route and receive
a prestigious Explore Kent certificate!
If you need to report a problem on this route
please call 0845 345 0210 or use the online
reporting tool. You can then choose to receive regular updates
about the progress of your report.