SYNDALE VALLEY Walk
Set in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, explore the land where Pimms was born, where a 2,000-year-old yew tree stands and sample some of Kent’s best produce along the way, on this truly foodie walk.
Amongst the unspoilt and picturesque scenery, the Syndale Valley’s farming, food and rural traditions are the cornerstones of community life. Running through the mid Kent Downs – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – the chalk valley remains one of the few timeless landscapes in this busy corner of Kent.
Not without its own share of historic highlights and notoriety, your walk begins in the ancient settlement of Newnham, occupied since at least the 12th century. James Pimm – creator of one of Britain’s best-loved summer drinks Pimms, was born here. The Rev. Granville Wheler proved the existence of electric current in 1725 at Otterden Place – just one of the grand homes that pepper your path as you make your way through ancient woods, working farmland and historic grazing pastures. Many of the woods are still hunted by wildfowlers who sell their game to local butchers and restaurants, while others support the rural craft of coppicing.
Traditional coppicing of sweet
chestnut shoots for fence stakes extends the life of the trees and floods the woodland floor with light in spring and summer, promoting an abundance of flowers and food for wildlife.
As you pass back into sweeping open fields you may see kestrels and other birds of prey. The village of Eastling then comes into view. Its pub, The Caroenter’s Arms a centre for village life, used to host celebrations at the end of another ancient tradition, the St
Location: Newham – ME9 0LL Distance: 11 miles (17.7 km) Time: 4.5 hours OS Explorer Map: 149 Terrain: Country lanes and woodland tracks.
! !
0
00.5 Km
00.5 Miles
1
Start/Finish 11 miles (17.5km)
© Crown Copyright and database right 2015 Ordnance Survey 100019238
30 Mid Kent Living
Information and image above supplied by Explore Kent
j
j
j
j
Shortcut
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64