A Ramblers group with walks of about 4 - 6 miles. We explore the beautiful Kent countryside from within the Tonbridge and Malling area and, occasionally, further afield.
Dorothy W.
A flat walk along good paths and tracks. Leaving Tonbridge, we will walk towards Powder Mills where there will be an opportunity to read the information boards at the old Powder Mills site, now a housing estate. The older houses were built to house employees of the mills by Curtis & Harvey and you will see C&H on the front of the houses and the date they were built. We will continue across fields, which may be muddy, to Haysden Country Park before returning to Tonbridge.
The Powder Mills were set up in 1811 by John Children and William Burton. The site was close to the Medway which enabled transport of raw materials in and transport of manufactured goods out. Waterways were dug and the gunpower was moved around by punts. Fortunately, it was in a rural location in case of explosions. Ownership of the site changed over the years, and after 60 years and several mergers, the site had become a major research centre for GlaxoSmithKline, employing 300 staff. GSK left in 2010 ending nearly 200 years of chemistry at Powder Mills, and the land was redeveloped for housing.
Nibble break (bring your own refreshments) at Haysden Country Park.
Dogs on short leads because there will be sheep in some fields.
There are plenty of opportunities for refreshments after the walk in Tonbridge's cafes and pubs.
There are plenty of car parks in Tonbridge, you must pay for parking, please check cost and methods of payments before you park. Please make sure you pay for sufficient parking time for the duration of the walk.
Please arrive 10 minutes before the start of the walk to allow time to sign in and hear the walk briefing.
The Big Bridge (white) on the Tonbridge Castle side of the High Street.
