HIKE 18km 🦌 Knole Deer Park, Medieval Manor & the Kent Downs
About the event
📏 Key Info: • Distance: 11 miles (18km) • Grading: [Intermediate](https://outdooraholics.co.uk/HikeGradings.pdf) • Ascent: 420m • Hiking time: 4.5 to 5 hours • Cost: £31 (includes guided hike + return train) • Refunds: Payments are non-refundable and non-transferable. If you follow our [[Resale Process](https://outdooraholics.co.uk/FAQ.pdf)] and your place is rebooked, we’ll issue a refund. • Toilet breaks: On the train, at the lunch stop, and at the end pub
📍 Meeting Point • Location: Charing Cross station. Meet in front of the ticket office - [MAP](https://outdooraholics.co.uk/StationPhotos/CharingCross.jpg) • Time: Meet 8:40am, leave 9am for the 9:15am train • Return: 5:21pm arrival back in London (you’re committed until then)
🌟 Highlights • Explore the magnificent 1,000-acre Knole Deer Park, home to over 350 wild deer roaming freely • Explore the 1,000 acre Knole Deer Park, home to over 350 wild deer roaming freely • See Knole House, one of England’s largest and grandest country houses with 365 rooms, 52 staircases and 7 courtyards • Hike through beautiful rolling countryside along the Greensand Way in the Kent Downs • Pass by Ightham Mote, one of Britain's finest surviving medieval moated manor houses from 1321 • Discover landscapes that have remained remarkably unchanged since Tudor times
🥾 Hike Description Step back into the England of kings, knights and grand country estates.
Our adventure begins on the beautiful Greensand Way before entering the breathtaking 1,000 acre Knole Estate, one of England's finest historic landscapes. This remarkable Tudor deer park has remained largely unchanged for centuries and is home to over 350 wild fallow and sika deer that roam freely beneath magnificent ancient oak trees. Deer sightings are common.
At the heart of the estate stands the extraordinary Knole House. Built in 1486 and later owned by Henry VIII, it is one of the largest houses in England, boasting an astonishing 365 rooms, 52 staircases and seven courtyards. Few places combine such architectural grandeur with such an unspoilt natural setting.
Leaving Knole behind, we continue across the rolling Kent Downs, following peaceful countryside trails through woodland, open fields and quiet valleys towards Ightham Mote. Surrounded by its picturesque moat, this beautifully preserved 700-year-old medieval manor is widely regarded as one of Britain's finest historic houses. Historian David Starkey described it as *"one of the most beautiful and interesting of English country houses."*
Throughout the day we'll enjoy classic Kent countryside, peaceful walking and spectacular historic landscapes that feel wonderfully untouched by modern life.
This is a hike for anyone who enjoys wildlife, magnificent historic estates, beautiful countryside and the timeless character of rural England.
🧠Guide: • Leader: [GRAHAM](https://www.outdooraholics.co.uk/MeetTheOutdooraholics.pdf) • Contact (hike day only): 07796 098487
🍽️ Food: • Bring a packed lunch • Pub visit after the hike (drinks optional)
🎒What to Bring • Hiking boots/shoes • Water (2 litres minimum) • Packed lunch • Waterproofs (jacket and trousers) • Hat and gloves if cold • Train tickets are arranged – just meet us at the meeting point
⚠️ Safety Your guide is a trained hike leader and Outdoor Activity First Aider
❓ Want to Know More? • [New to Our Trips?](https://outdooraholics.co.uk/new_to_our_day_hikes.pdf) (perfect for first-timers, answers “what to expect”) • [About Us](https://outdooraholics.co.uk/about_us.pdf) (who Outdooraholics are, credibility, history) • [FAQs](https://outdooraholics.co.uk/FAQ.pdf) (covers common queries)
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