Walking in Kent. Kev Reynolds

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      Wood near Obriss

      Turn right and walk with care along this country road (there’s no pavement) for about 400 metres. Just after passing a cottage on the right, take a footpath through a kissing gate on the left into a belt of trees beside a stream. Soon enter a rectangular meadow and maintain direction along its left-hand boundary beside more woodland. At the far corner go through another strip of trees and over a stile into a sloping meadow. Veer half-right down to a field gate, a stile and another small stream. Over this walk up the next sloping meadow which is divided by trees and bushes. Keep to the left of these and ascend a vague grass path aiming towards a house. At the head of the slope a kissing gate gives access to a continuing path rising between hedges and a garden wall. The way soon turns left where fences divide two sections of garden. Through a white gate turn right down a drive to the head of a narrow metalled lane by a tile-hung cottage.

      Follow the lane left, soon passing a few houses, and keep on to where the lane feeds into the B2026 in Crockham Hill. The Royal Oak pub is seen a short distance away on the left. Turn right, and after passing a row of houses, turn right again into Church Road. After passing the village primary school, the road curves towards Holy Trinity church. Octavia Hill is buried in the churchyard. Leave it here and go ahead through a kissing gate beside a field gate into a meadow at a dedicated picnic area. Cross slightly left ahead towards a gate in a fence, and maintain direction over the undulating meadow with Mariners Hill seen above Froghole Farm and its oasthouses.

      The path leads to a second kissing gate and a footbridge. Go up the left-hand side of a rising meadow. At the top cross a stile and ascend 134 steps between cascading gardens, and passing a thatched cottage on your left (half-hidden behind a fence and shrubs) emerge onto Froghole Lane. Turn left, and about 400 metres later come to the B2026 again at TQ 448 514.

      Immediately on the right you will see another flight of stone steps, which you now climb onto Mariners Hill. At the top of the steps keep ahead on a fenced path which keeps left of a hilltop field. The path soon curves left among trees, with a house seen on the right, and on reaching a corner boundary fence you veer right, then in a few paces break off to the left – now on the route of the Greensand Way.

      Mariners Hill was secured for the National Trust by a cheque received by Octavia Hill the day before she died in 1912. With a tremendous panoramic view over four counties (Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex), a brief diversion to the crown of the hill is worth making.

      Cross a narrow drive and continue ahead over a wooded common. Ignoring alternative paths that break off right and left, eventually descend a fairly steep slope to a lane opposite the entrance to Chartwell.

      Home to Sir Winston Churchill for 40-odd years, Chartwell is now one of the busiest National Trust properties. Refreshments are available at the house-end of the car park.

      Cross the lane with care onto a continuing footpath immediately left of the car park entrance. It’s a narrow, fence-enclosed path (muddy after inclement weather) from which you can glimpse views of the extensive Chartwell grounds. Soon rising steeply among trees you reach another narrow lane and cross directly ahead onto a bridleway which takes you through more woodland. Once again, ignore alternative paths and keep ahead, eventually curving right alongside the hedged garden boundary of a house at the hamlet of French Street. Very shortly come to a crossing lane at TQ 458 527.

      Leave the Greensand Way here and turn left. Shortly after passing the attractive little white-walled April Cottage, take the right-hand of two footpaths on the right, and descend steeply between fences. At the foot of the slope cross a footbridge over a minor stream, and ascend a meadow to its top right-hand corner where there’s a stile next to a field gate. Turn right on a farm drive, and within a few paces pass along the right-hand side of Outridge Farm, an utterly delightful cottage, and oasthouses owned by the National Trust.