Tonbridge to Penshurst Cycle Route

 

Tonbridge to Penshurst cycle route (Regional Cycle Route 12) between Tonbridge castle and Penshurst Place offers an excellent, almost entirely traffic free ride from the heart of Tonbridge alongside the River Medway, out into the countryside as far as the glorious buildings of Penshurst Place, some 5 miles (8km) to the west.

 

This wonderful cycle ride takes you past Tonbridge Racecourse sportsground and into Haysden Country Park, running around the edge of Barden Lake with its wide variety of birdlife. Shortly after passing beneath the A21 you enter a delightful secret kingdom of lush broadleaf woodland carpeted with wildflowers in the spring and a delight in autumn as the colours change.

 

 

The one noticeable climb of the day comes between the Ensfield Road bridge over the River Medway and Well Place Farm giving you wide-ranging views of the surrounding countryside and setting you up for a fine descent past two lakes to arrive at Penshurst Place, the finest and most complete example in England of 14^th century domestic architecture.

Route Instructions- follow the blue Regional Cycle Route 12 signs. The route should take 40-60 minutes.

From the car park entrance to Tonbridge Swimming Pool car park go to the far end of the over flow car park, keeping the rugby clubhouse to your left. Follow the cycle path around the edge of the Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground, pass under a railway bridge and turn left at the T-junction of the tracks to cross the bridge over the river. Shortly turn left again and pick up cycle route signs, re-crossing the river to emerge at Barden Lake.

 

Keeping the water to your right, turn left and follow the outer of two parallel tracks around the edge of Barden Lake. At the end of the lake turn left to go under a railway bridge then at the T-junction, with the car park to the right, turn left. At the next T-junction, at the end of the drive to Haysden Country Park, turn right. Follow this lane through the village of Lower Haysden, passing the pub.

 

Go under the A21, turn first right then first left onto a stone track passing through lovely broadleaf woodland. At the end of the track, at the T-junction with Ensfield Road, turn right, then 150 metres after crossing the bridge turn left at the route 12 sign and proceed onto the concrete track through the Penshurst Estate. Climb on this broad track and then descend past Well Place Farm towards the magnificent building of Penshurst Place.

 

Map of route and directions for getting here

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Last updated: 13/02/09 at 11:48:14 Office use only: 2125/2010-11-01