A river, a castle and a traditional English pub in an old village, this is the Len Valley Walk in a nutshell. Really underrated, this hike in Kent should definitely be somewhere near the top of your must-do walks list. And if it is not on it yet, then the below guide should convince you to reshuffle your bucket list!
Another hike in Kent, but not any hike in Kent: the Len Valley walk. Change from the traditional North Downs or High Weald and let’s go on an adventure near Maidstone to explore the heart of the Garden of England.
Logistics of the Len Valley Walk
- Distance: 12.9 miles (20.7 km)
- Ascent: 489 feet (118 m)
- Walking Estimate: 4 hours and 45 minutes
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- How to get there: Direct train from London Victoria to Maidstone East. The journey takes an hour. For the return take the direct train from Lenham to London Victoria. The return journey takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. Both Maidstone East and Lenham are on the same train line so you can book an anytime-day return ticket to Lenham and get off at Maidstone East.
- What to bring with you:
- Comfortable clothing and footwear,
- Gaiters if it has been raining as you will be walking along a river so the path can get muddy,
- Headcover, sunscreen and sunglasses if you are going on a bright day,
- Rain gear if you are going on a rainy day as the route is exposed with no to very little forested areas,
- Backpack with water (2L at least recommended)
- Additional Information: There are public toilets in Mote Park
- Pub Stop: Red Lion Pub, Lenham
Highlights of the Len Valley Walk
- Maidstone
- Mote Park
- Fulling Mill Oast
- Leeds Castle
- River Len
- Lenham
The Len Valley Walk
Maidstone
Our walk starts in Maidstone, the largest town in Kent with an approximate population of 100,000 inhabitants. The town was settled in the Neolithic according to archaeological research in the region. It played an important role during the Peasants’ revolt in 1381 as well as during the English Civil War, when the Maidstone Mayor, Andrew Broughton, declared the death sentence on Charle I.
Fun Fact: In the nineteenth century, archaeologists discovered a fossilised iguanodon in the region of Maidstone which is now at the Natural History Museum of London.
Walking Through Maidstone
The problem at the start of any countryside walk is to get out of the urbanised area to reach the countryside fields. And in this particular walk, it is quite a journey to get there. But the reward is worth it.
As you come out of Maidstone East train station (please note that there is more than one station in Maidstone, so make sure you get off at the correct one), walk up Station Road. At the crossroad where the St Francis’ Church is standing, take right onto the high street.
There is no Iguanodon to be seen in Maidstone, however, there is a statue of a T-Rex, the perfect spot for your next profile picture!
Walk down Week Street where you can find mainstream retailers and restaurant chains. You then arrive at the crossroad with King Street where stands the Queen Victoria Monument. Continue straight onto Gabriel’s Hill, which by the way is going down when you are going away from Maidstone town centre, phew!
Walk down the hill until you reach Romney Place, then turn left. You will find yourself walking on a street at the back of buildings which is not really nice, but the worst is yet to come. I warned you, getting out of Maidstone is not a walk in the park.
At the end of the street, turn left and walk under the A249 (yep!) and cross to the other side to join the river bank. Don’t get too excited, it is a filthy river bank with all sorts of things being dumped there.
Continue on the footpath and it is only a short walk after the Square Hill Allotments to finally reach Mote Park.
Mote Park
You’ve made it out of the town, well done! Now it is time to roam around and enjoy the beauty of Mote Park.
Mote Park is a 440 acres public park in Maidstone. Its name comes from the old English “moot” which means “assembly“. Throughout the centuries the Park has been a royal possession, from Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV to Queen Elizabeth I for example.
The landmarks of the park are:
- The Keeper’s Cottage
- The Old Brewhouse
- The Boat House
- The Pavillon
- Mote House
- The lake
Now a public park, you can find a miniature railway, a sailing club, an angling club, a squash club, a play zone and a cafeteria among other things
Walk across the park alongside the lake and follow the Riven Len onto Downswood and Mallards Way Park. A little hill to climb and there you are, on the other side of the wooden gate at the top are the countryside fields!
Otham
Step onto the field and you can see St Nichola’s Church on the other side. Walk alongside the crops and when you reach Green Hill, keep going straight.
Walk down the hill and you are passing through farmland with sheep and horses grazing. On the other side, walk uphill and join Caring Road, a countryside road with no sidewalks. Beware of the cars. At the crossroad with Caring Lane, continue straight on the footpath leading to meadows with sheep. Continue walking up and you would be able to see the Fulling Mill Oast from afar.
Walk another 10 minutes across the lush green fields and you reach a pile of logs, the perfect spot for a lunch break.
Leeds
After lunch, walk towards the River Len. When you reach the Boat House, make a turn onto the fields and walk towards Leeds. Leeds in Kent is not to be confused with Leeds in West Yorkshire, a metropolitan city of nearly 800,000 inhabitants. The Leeds in Kent is a village, home of St Nicholas Church which has the second-largest Norman tower in England.
Another important feature of the village and of this walk is the Leeds Castle, which was erected in 1119 for military purposes during the Norman invasion. It was acquired in 1278 by Kind Edward I for his wife. Later, Henry VIII used the Castle as a residence for his wife Catherine of Aragon. The Castle opened to the public in 1976.
Walk alongside the River Len passing in front of the Castle. Continue on the path and you can see the Leeds Castle Culpeper Garden on the opposite bank.
You then enter Broomfield Wood. At the crossroad with Broomfield Road, leave the footpath and follow the road until you can see St Margaret’s Church. Take the footpath in front of the Church and you are back on the fields.
Fairbourne Heath
We are now getting towards the end of our walk and Lenham is just a stone’s throw away. As you leave Broomfield, follow the Len Valley route across green fields and forested areas. When you reach Water Lane, leave the footpath and follow the road towards Waterlane Farm.
As you get to the lovely farmhouse, turn right and walk across the plantation to join Fairbourne Lane on the other side. Follow Fairbourne Lane until you get to the pond by Fairbourne Carriages. Walk around the pond and take the footpath on the opposite side.
A little change from the endless green fields we have been seeing since the start: a golden straw field!
Continue walking alongside the field until you reach the M20. Take the footbridge and walk to the opposite side of the motorway. You are nearly there!
Lenham
Wave goodbye to the fields, you are back in civilisation. Once on the opposite side of the M20, take Sandy Road and use the bridleway at Boldrewood Farm to avoid walking on the road for too long. At the end of the Bridleway, cross Old Ham Lane and you will find a footpath on the other side of the road going through Leadingcross Green.
Take this footpath and as you get to Headcorn Road, turn right to get to Lenham centre. Lenham is a village of approximately 3,000 inhabitants. Even though it is allowed a market which means it could be called a town, the community still prefers the status of the village. As you walk up High Street, you can find the traditional English timber-framed houses, many of which are listed buildings.
I am not as think as you drunk I am
– The Red Lion, Lenham
When you arrive at the village square, you come face to face with the Red Lion Pub, a fourteenth-century public house. This is where we end our walk. In a traditional British pub environment, you can enjoy a large selection of drinks, amazing Sunday roasts and desserts all served by a very friendly staff! A drink + a roast + a smile = perfect way to end a hike!
Bon appetit!
Len Valley Walk Map
Do you want to do the same walk? Download the map by clicking on the button below. Upload it to your navigation app. You can check my guide here on how to upload the map.
Final Thoughts on the Len Valley Walk
If you want to do more walks in Kent and discover the Kent Downs or the High Weald, check my selection of walks below
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