This trail follows the North Downs Way and the historic Pilgrims Way, which Pilgrims once travelled on between Winchester and Canterbury.
Trosley Country Park offers a unique habitat for flora and fauna and boasts carpets of bluebells in spring and tawny owls, badgers and dormice. Butterflies such as the chalkhill blue and dark green fritillary can be seen fluttering over the sloping chalk grassland.
You’ll pass through a mixture of farmland and woodland along this walk before finally reaching the wonderful setting of the Coldrum Stones, a 6000 year old burial site dating from c.4000 BC that is the best example of its type in Kent and offers glorious views across the countryside.
Please note for map:
- At Number 19, there is no second squeeze stile, it is a gap with steps
- Picture is wrong at Number 20
Step by step guide
From the car park, head down the sloped path, past the notice board. Turn left and follow the path (North Downs Way) through the trees.
At a fork in the path take the right-hand path and continue ahead. At the crossroads continue ahead following the North Downs Way.
Follow the path uphill to a gate. Pass through gate (leaving the park) and then at junction turn sharp right to follow the path downhill to a road. The path here is very steep and can be slippery when wet. Beware of traffic.
Turn left and continue following the North Downs Way.
Follow the path for approximately half a mile until you reach a junction at some wooden bollards. Bear right here and continue ahead past remains of an old building to a fork in the path.
At the junction turn right (leaving the North Downs Way) to follow the restricted byway downhill.
On reaching the junction with the road, turn left to follow the bridleway.
At the next junction turn right to follow the path in front of a house.
Follow for 100 metres before taking a right turn, next to barn, through the hedgerow onto a footpath. Keep the fence line on your left and follow along edge of field until you reach a gap leading into an adjacent field. Pass through gap and bear right to follow path past Coney Lodge Shaw and then follow path diagonally across the field. Follow the path leaving the field through a short section enclosed by trees and hedges to a sleeper bridge. Cross and continue along the path heading past a telegraph pole on your left towards houses.
At junction, turn right to the road. Beware of traffic.
Turn right at junction with road and follow the road uphill.
Cross road at the junction and head to stile opposite. Cross stile and follow path through woods. Cross sleeper-bridge and another stile and continue along path to stile leading out of woods into a field.
Cross stile and follow path towards metal gate at far right edge of field.
Cross stile next to gate and bear right to follow the Wealdway, following path to right, at the junction. On reaching a hard surfaced path bear right
You will soon pass the Coldrum Stones on your left. These are the remains of a Neolithic Long Barrow 4,000 – 5,000 years old. They are one of seven such tombs around the Medway Valley.
Follow the path, bearing left, as the surface changes to grass.
On reaching a junction under a small wooded area bear left off of the Wealdway onto a footpath. After 200 metres the grass path turns into a hard surface.
Continue past a gate through a small car park. From this car park continue straight ahead to road. Beware of traffic.
Cross road and pass through squeeze stile into a field. Follow path across field towards church in distance. Pass through a second squeeze stile. Beware of traffic.
Turn right at road, past houses and through courtyard to footpath ahead. Continue to gate (do not cross) beside fence and houses.
At gate turn right and follow edge of field towards telegraph poles and North Downs. Pass through kissing gate and continue along left field-edge to another gate at road. Beware of traffic.
Cross road and re-enter Trosley Country Park.
Take the second track left through the woods to steps.
Climb the steps (steep section) and follow path as it winds to the left. On reaching the flat track you were on earlier turn left and retrace your steps back to Visitor Centre.
