The Scotney Castle Circle
This delightful walk begins from the Vineyard pub in Lamberhurst and takes a leisurely stroll around the grounds of Scotney Castle.
This delightful walk begins from the Vineyard pub in Lamberhurst and takes a leisurely 6km stroll around the grounds of Scotney Castle.
Lamberhurst is a quaint village with timber-framed houses and scenic views. It has a rich history and is surrounded by beautiful countryside, making it a delightful place to visit or live. The village lies in the valley of the River Teise, with the River Bewl creating the Bewl Water reservoir nearby. The area is known for its scenic beauty and is part of the High Weald National Landscape.
About Scotney Castle
Scotney Castle is a fairytale medieval moated castle set within a stunning picturesque garden. This National Trust property has a 780 acre estate with open parkland and ancient woodland. A walk in the Scotney Castle grounds is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors, soak in some history, and experience the beauty of the Kent countryside.
Step by step guide
1. Leave The Vineyard, turn right, and cross the road towards The Down village green. Turn left and follow the trail diagonally through the village ground. At the end, turn right and walk along the road for 150m until you see the second ‘Public Footpath’ sign and a wooden gate on the left.
2. Go through the gate and follow the trail until the fences end. Continue straight into the field, following the yellow stripes on the posts, along the edge of the field, and then along the property fence.
3. Cross the small road and continue straight along the track. When it turns sharply right, follow it a bit further and turn left onto a small trail. Continue until you reach the A21 road.
4. Carefully cross the A21, continue slightly right, then turn right onto a small road. Walk for 150m until you reach a crossroad with a track between buildings.
5. Turn left and head straight towards a wooden gate. Climb over the stile next to the gate and walk through the fields of Scotney Castle grounds.Continue through another wooden gate for 0.3miles until you reach a bridge on the right.
6. The stream under this bridge is called the Sweetbourne, which feeds the moat around the old castle. From the bridge, follow the Parkland Trail, go through the gate, and head towards the next bridge.
7. The River Bewl flows under this bridge and feeds into the nearby Bewl Water reservoir. From the bridge, go through the gate and walk up the hill to the signpost. Turn left and follow the bluetopped posts across the field. Continue over the crest of the field to the gap in the fence line. Go through the gap and walk along the edge of the woodland pasture.
8. Stop halfway to view the New House and old castle, then continue to the gateway. From the gateway, continue to the next blue post where the tops of the oasts come into view.
9. Cross the field to the bridge, then go through the field to the next gate. Follow the hedge line up the field to the gate on the road.
10. Turn left on the road for 100m, then right over the stile into the field. Follow the hedge line around the field to the stile at the top. Walk along the top of the field, following the blue posts. Keep walking along the edge of the field for 150m, climbing another stile until you reach a tarmac road.
11. Turn left onto the road, cross the bridge over the A21, and follow the road down the slope. At the bottom, turn right onto the trail and follow the footpath through the golf course for about 200m until you reach the end.
12. Continue straight, following the yellow arrow signpost, and walk for 400m through the grassland with a football pitch.
13. At the end, turn left, go through a metal gate, and turn right onto a small tarmac road. Follow the road, climbing over a stile, to reach a T-junction. Cross the road, turn left, and leave the road to the right, following the ‘Public Footpath’ signpost.
14. Continue straight until you reach another T-junction. Turn left onto the bigger road, which turns sharply to the right, and continue until the end.
15. Follow the ‘Public Footpath’ signpost and walk up the hill along the school ground until a wooden gate. Go through the gate and continue until a T-junction. Turn right onto the road and keep walking until a crossroad with a bigger road. Walk straight onto a smaller road and follow it until you return to The Vineyard on your right. Enjoy a nice cold drink and rest!
