Knockholt Circular Walk
This route from Knockholt Pound uses sections of the North Downs Way and the Pilgrims Way to create a circular walk through the area. There's fine views from the elevated position of the area and you'll also pass the noteworthy Chevening House on the route.
The walk starts in Knockholt Pound and heads south past Lees Wood to link up with the ancient Pilgrims Way trail at Morants Court Farm. You then head west past Chevening House and Hagbush Wood before coming to Hogtrough Hill. The Grade I listed house was built between 1617 and 1630 to a design reputedly by Inigo Jones. It is often inhabited by a prominent member of ruling government and sometimes by the prime minister.
At Hogtrough Hill you turn north to link up with a country lane to take you to the North Downs Way. The waymarked footpath will take you north east to Knockholt village. After exploring the village you return to the trail and continue east through a woodland area to return to Knockholt Pound.
Knockholt Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Knockholt Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Knockholt OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Knockholt Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Walks near Knockholt
- Sevenoaks Circular Walk - This circular walk around the Kent town of Sevenoaks visits some of the highlights of the area
- Sevenoaks - The popular Kent town of Sevenoaks is surrounded by beautiful parks, gardens, woodland and several long distance walking trails.
This is a nice walk from the centre of Sevenoaks, visiting the Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve and Chipstead Lake using the Darent Valley Path and North Downs Way long distance trails.
The walk starts from the train station where you can directly pick up the Darent Valley Path - Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve - Follow a series of well laid out footpaths around this lovely nature reserve on this short walk in Sevenoaks
- Otford Circular Walk - A popular circular walk from the Kent village of Otford, visiting the River Darent, Shoreham, Great Wood and the Otford Mount viewpoint
- Knole Park - A circular walk around the delightful deer park at Knole in Sevenoaks
- Cudham Circular Walk - This circular walk takes you through the woodland and farmland around Cudham and Downe in Bromley
- Halstead - This Essex based town has some nice trails through the Colne Valley and some attractive local woods to visit.
- Lullingstone Country Park - Explore 460 acres of parkland in this large open space in the Darenth Valley of Kent
- Shoreham to Eynsford Walk - This walk follows a lovely section of the Darent Valley Path from Shoreham to Eynsford in Kent
- Castle Hedingham - This walk explores the Essex based village of Castle Hedingham and its historic castle grounds.
- Broaks Wood - This walk explores Broak's Wood near Halstead in Essex
- Kemsing - This rural Kent village is located in an attractive area of the North Downs , just north of Sevenoaks.
- Gosfield Lake - This walk visits the village of Gosfield in the Braintree district of Essex near Halstead
- Betsoms Hill - This circular walk explores the area around Betsom's Hill and Westerham Hill near Biggin Hill in Kent.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
To the east there's the popular town of Sevenoaks where you can pick up the Sevenoaks Circular Walk and visit the lovely Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve and the deer at Knole Park.
The Otford Circular Walk and the Kemsing Walk are other good local options. Here you can explore the attractive Kemsing Downs Nature Reserve. It's a lovely place for a walk with ancient woodland, wildlife, bluebells and more tremendous views from its elevated location.
To the west is Betsoms Hill, the highest point in the county of Kent. This area also includes Westerham Heights, the highest point of Greater London.
For more walking ideas in the area see the North Downs Walks and the Kent Walks pages.
Photos
Road junction, Knockholt Pound, Kent. Knockholt Pound and its near neighbour Knockholt are not on the M.o.T A and B road network, but are served by a tangle of minor roads and lanes. In this photograph, taken from the steps of the Harrow public house, the fork to the right leads to Pratt's Bottom and Chelsfield, while the left-hand road goes to Biggin Hill and Westerham.
The Three Horseshoes. One of two pubs in Knockholt Pound, the records of landlords here date back to 1869. With thanks to John Trimmer for the following additional information: "This pub is on a Drover's route and would have been frequented by the Welsh Drovers in the 16th and 17th centuries, when moving their cattle down to London from Kent. The Three Horseshoes is the heraldic sign of the Worshipful Company of Farriers, suggesting a nearby forge. The pound would have been used to corral the cattle at night. The Bull at Pratts Bottom (Spratts Bottom on the 1810 map), would also have been a stop-over point." For a photo of the Bull at Pratts Bottom (presumably the Bulls Head).
Chevening House. The prime minister has the responsibility of nominating a person to occupy the house privately as a furnished country residence. This person can be the prime minister, a minister who is a member of the Cabinet, a lineal descendant of King George VI or the spouse, widow or widower of such a descendant. The usual nominee is the secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs.
St Katharine's Church, Knockholt. The church was consecrated here in 1281, and it is thought that much of the original building exists in the present structure, although with various additions over the years, including the tower, and in 1881 the building of the north aisle.
Footpath junction on the North Downs Way near Knockholt. The long distance path heads from Brasted Lane towards Sundridge Lane. Another path leads left (through the field) towards Main Road.
View from the North Downs Way. Looking Southwards from the long distance path over Roughletts Wood towards Sundridge and Brasted.
North Downs Way south of Knockholt Pound
Portlands, Cudham Lane South, Kent. Single small round kiln oast house. Early-mid c19. Unusual flint and brink coursed walls. Grade II listed.