Eden Valley Walk – Guide & What to see

The Eden Valley Walk is a delightful 15-mile (24 km) linear route that takes you through the picturesque countryside of West Kent, following the course of the River Eden and River Meadway. On this peaceful walk you will walk through gently rolling hills, lush meadows, and charming villages.

Starting from the historic town of Edenbridge, the walk takes you first to the historic Hever Castle and Gardens, once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Afterwards you can take a slight detour to the Tudor village of Chiddingstone and explore another castle. The last section of the walk also takes you through the Penshurst village and castle estate with a beautiful medieval manor house and gardens.

The Eden Valley Walk is well-maintained and waymarked throughout, with a mix of footpaths, bridleways, and quiet country lanes. The route is relatively easy, with gentle gradients and few steep ascents or descents, so anyone can enjoy this walk.

And finally my favourite thing about this trail: it’s very peaceful and fairly quiet. Maybe because it’s in-land and not part of the long distance paths, the Eden Valley Walk seems to be less busy than other trails in Kent.

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My favourite part of the walk

I really liked walking the whole length of the Eden Valley Walk, but my favourite part has to be the section from Hever Castle to Penshurst. This section is only about 6 km long, but perfect to take a detour to see the Hever Castle or visit the beautiful gardens at Penshurst. I also like to include Chiddingstone Castle and village, as it’s only a short distance from the path.

The walk is fairly easy on this section, although it can get a bit muddy in places. In the spring you will walk through a carpet of wild garlic – it’s amazing how you can smell the garlic in the air as you walk through the woodland. There are also few lovely suprises along the way – one is seeing a very cute lamas at one farm and the other when you realise that the path has been cut through a local sandstone hill.

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My local tip

If you want to walk the Eden Valley Walk in one day, but don’t want to walk the whole 24 km, you can shorten the distance, by starting at Hever (Hever train station is directly on the path).

This section of the walk to Tonbridge is about 16 km long, which (if you start early in the morning) still gives you enough time to visit one or two of the castles or gardens along the way. There are frequent trains from Tonbridge back to London or connections to the rest of the Kent.

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Practical Information

DISTANCE: 24 km

STARTING POINT: Just outside Edenbridge (3 km), where Vanguard Way and Tandridge Boarder Path meets

FINISHING POINT: Tonbridge

WALK DIFFICULTY & TERRAIN: Fairly easy, mostly level, but some gentle hilly areas, some walking on local tarmac paths, fields (can be muddy after rain)

FACILITIES: Shops, cafes and restaurants at Edenbridge and Tonbridge. Tearooms at Hever Castle (inside the ticket admission area), pub at Chiddinstone village and tearoom at the castle (inside the ticket admission area), tearooms, restaurant, pub at Penshurst and tearooms at the castle (no need to purchase a ticket, available to all).

ACCESSING THE PATH: Train stations at Edenbridge, Tonbridge (end of the trail) and Hever (middle of the trail).

What is the best way to walk the Eden Valley Walk

Since this walk is in the valley and there are no significant hill climbs (there are few up and down gentle hilly parts), you can walk it from either direction. But today, I’ll suggest to walk it following the Eden River flow towards Tonbridge, so we will start our walk just outside Edenbridge.

If you are experienced walker and allow yourself plenty of time, you can walk the entire walk in one day. But, you won’t have much time to visit any of the castles and villages along the way, which I think would be shame. This is why I’m suggesting to divide the walk into two days and do about 12 km each day, allowing for plenty of castles exploring, tea drinking and gardens admiring.

Day 1

The first section of the Eden Valley Walk from Edenbridge to Chiddingstone village takes you through a picturesque landscape. Starting in Edenbridge, you will follow the banks of the River Eden, walking through peaceful countryside with mix of parkland, woodland, and open fields.

The terrain is generally gentle and undulating, with no steep climbs, which makes it suitable for most walkers. However, be prepared for some muddy sections, especially after rain, as the paths can become quite slippery. If you visit Hever Castle you will be able to see river Eden creating ponds in the castle grounds.

Whilst Chiddingstone is not directly on the trail, it would be shame not to visit it, as it’s only about 15 minutes diversion through local country lane.

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Day 2

The second section of the Eden Valley Walk from Chiddingstone to Tonbridge will take you woodland, open fields, and riverside paths.

As you walk, you’ll pass through the historic village of Penshurst, where you can explore Penshurst Place, a stunning medieval manor house with beautiful gardens.

The terrain remains relatively easy to walk on and there is a little climb once you’ve left Penshurts Place. The paths are generally well-marked and maintained, though you should still be prepared for occasional muddy patches, especially in wetter weather.

At Penshursts the River Eden merges into River Medway and you will continue to follow it until you reach Tonbridge. There are some lovely lakes, farmland with sheep and then parkland on the outskirts of the town. The walk ends in Tonbridge, where you can visit Tonbridge Castle and enjoy a well deserved rest at a local cafe or a pub!

What to see along the Eden Valley Walk

Devils Den (1,5 km)

Devil’s Den is a medieval moated site that dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have been constructed during the high medieval period, possibly as a fortified homestead or a small manor house. The site consists of a rectangular moat with an island in the center, which would have supported the main building. The moat itself varies in depth, reaching up to 1.5 meters in some areas. Archaeological surveys have revealed that the moat was likely used for defensive purposes as well as for drainage.

Edenbridge (3 km)

Edenbridge is a historic market town with history dating back to Roman times. The town grew significantly in the medieval period because of it’s leather-making and iron-smelting industries. It’s nice to see that today, it retains much of its historic charm with several medieval buildings and a quaint high street.

The town museum (Eden Valley Museum) has collections about the local history and heritage and its worth the visit. There is also a beautiful St. Peter and St. Paul Church, which dates back to the 12th century.

Just outside Edenbridge you can make a little detour to see a windmill, which is a historic five-storey brick tower mill. It was built in the early 19th century and originally had a domed cap and four sails mounted on a cast iron windshaft. The mill was winded by a fantail, which was a common feature in traditional windmills that helped to turn the cap and sails into the wind.

The Edenbridge Mill, as it was called, was mainly used for grinding corn and other grains to supply local farms. It’s now a grade II listed building, but no longer operates as a working mill.

Hever (9 km)

Hever Castle is a stunning historic castle, which dates back to the 13th century. It is most famous as the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII and mother of Queen Elizabeth I. The castle has a double moat and a drawbridge at the entrance. The castle has beautifully decorated rooms filled with antique furniture, tapestries, and Tudor portraits. There are also lovely gardens, including a rose garden, a maze, and a lake.

Chiddingstone Castle & Village (12 km)

Chiddingstone Castle dates back to the early 16th century. Originally a timber-framed house built by the Streatfeild family, it was rebuilt in the 1670s and transformed into its current Gothic style in the early 19th century. The castle is now a museum, with fascinating collections of art and antiques collected by its last private owner, Denys Eyre Bower.

The village itself is the one of the best-preserved Tudor villages in England and it’s owned and looked after by the National Trust. The village has charming half-timbered buildings, a historic church, and a traditional pub. Don’t miss the Chiding Stone, a large sandstone rock that is said to have been used for public reprimands in ancient times.

Penshurst (15 km)

Penshurst Place is a historic manor house which dates back to 1341. It was initially built as a country retreat for Sir John de Pulteney, a wealthy London merchant. The estate later became the property of King Henry VIII, who used it as a hunting lodge.

In 1552, it was granted to Sir William Sidney, and it has remained in the Sidney family ever since. There are also beautifully maintained gardens and a large lanscaped grounds. The Eden Valley Walk goes through the estate, so you will be able to get a good views of the large manor house.

The village of Penshurst is equally charming, with its picturesque streets and historic buildings. You can explore St. John the Baptist Church, which dates back to the 12th century and has one of the few ‘dole’ stones in the country. Dole stone was a place where several times a year, people would place small amount of money, food and clothes for the poor to help themselves.

There is also a traditional pub, The Leicester Arms, a perfect cozy spot to enjoy local food and drink. Further away there are also village tearooms and there is also the Porcupine Cafe at the Penshurst Castle.

Tonbridge (24 km)

Tonbridge is another historic market town going back to the Norman conquest. The town grew around Tonbridge Castle, which was built in the 11th century by Richard Fitz Gilbert to guard a crossing of the River Medway. The castle has a well-preserved gatehouse and there is also a small castle museum that you can visit.

Tonbridge also has a bustling high street with a independent shops, cafes, and restaurants. There is also a miniature railway ground, where you can ride on a small replicas of real steam engines.

How to get to Eden Valley Walk by public transport

Depending on where you are coming from you can start the walk either from Edenbridge or Tonbridge, which have good train and bus connections with the rest of the Kent and London. There is also a train station at Hever, which is roughly at 1/3 of the walk distance.

Getting to Edenbridge by Train

There are two railway stations in Edenbridge: Edenbridge Town and Edenbridge.

• From London: You can take a direct train from London Bridge station to Edenbridge Town, which takes around 37 minutes .
• From Other Locations: You can also reach Edenbridge by changing trains at larger hubs like Redhill or Tonbridge, depending on your starting point.

There are bus services that connect Edenbridge with surrounding towns and villages. For example, you can take a bus from Sevenoaks or Tunbridge Wells to Edenbridge. However, bus services might be less frequent and take longer than trains.

Getting to Tonbridge by train

• From London Bridge: Direct trains operate frequently from London Bridge to Tonbridge. The journey typically takes around 35-40 minutes .
• From Charing Cross: Southeastern trains also run direct services from London Charing Cross to Tonbridge, with a journey time of about 45 minutes.
• From London Victoria: You can take a train from London Victoria to Tonbridge, often involving a change at either Redhill or Sevenoaks, with a total journey time of approximately 1 hour.

While buses are available, they are less direct and take significantly longer than trains. If you prefer to travel by bus, you can use services like National Express, although this would typically require multiple transfers and a longer travel time.

This blog post was originally published on 9 April 2025 and last updated on 9 April 2025