Otford Solar System Walk

This is quite an interesting walk, like a treasure hunt, around the Otford Solar System. It claims to be one of the largest scale models of the Solar System in the world.

The actual largest planetary Solar System model is in Sweden, however, the Otford one does have something which makes it a bit different.

Stretching beyond our solar system, the nearest star to our sun, Proxima Centauri, has joined in. There is a model for this star way over at the Griffith Observatory in LA. As well as the brightest star, Sirius, over in the Sydey Observatory, and then there’s Barnards Star in the Falklands Islands Museum. 

This is what makes the Otford Solar System truly unique, as it stretches across the globe. Making it the largest of its kind. 

Fun fact: It’s at a scale of 1:5 Billion. 

What to expect 

There isn’t a whole lot of information about how to do the solar system walk, or how to find each of the planets as you walk around Otford, and unless you know where to look, you won’t find them. 

It does start out easy though, as the sun and 5 of the planets are in the sports ground. For the rest you go on a sort of scavenger hunt, around the village of Otford, along residential streets, and across some fields. 

Apparently if you wipe a clean tissue on each planet, it brings good luck. So that’s what I did. 

One thing I enjoyed about this walk, was also learning a bit about then history of Otford. It’s a heritage village filled with medieval remnants of the past. There are informations boards all over, telling you about the history of everything you are seeing. I’ve been in Otford before, but never stayed long to properly explore.

I won’t go too much into the history in this guide, we will focus on the planets, but when you do the walk, it’s a fun little extra reading the information boards along the way.

Another thing to note. If doing this walk in the winter months, don’t wear your nice white trainers. It’s a bit muddy in the fields.

You can read more about Otford here.

If you want to add a bit extra to the walk, you could then head over to Shoreham. It’s about 4 miles from here.

Map for the Otford Solar System walk

Route Description: How to walk the Otford Solar System

From the station, head through the car park to find a path halfway along the right side. Follow this path, and it will lead you into Otford Village, through the churchyard. 

At the roundabout ahead you will see a duck pond. This is a grade II listed duck pond, and the only listed one in the country. It used to be the clean source of water for the village, in the olden times. Apparently, there also used to be edible frogs in there, but they disappeared once the ducks were introduced. 

Follow the road straight across the roundabout, passing by a couple of antiques shops, and turn right onto Park Lane. 

The sports ground is just ahead on the left. There will be a little path on the left to take you into it.

Now walk to the other side of the field and you will reach the sun. The Sun is obvious. It’s a pillar with a dome on top. 

Now, just beyond the sun is the information board. You can go and have a read to lean about the planets. It says there is a map on the leaflet, but this leaflet doesn’t seem to exist.

Start the Otford Solar System Walk

Back to the sun, you will see little arrows pointing the direction to each of the planets. You can use that as a guide for some of them.

Venus, Mercury, and Earth are all obvious. They are all within a few meters of the sun.

For Jupiter and Mars, if you follow the arrows from the sun, you will find them.

So, if you stand at the sun, facing towards the village, Jupiter is on a diagonal left, on the edge of the field next to a bench. 

Mars is a bit trickier, as he is not a pillar like the others. He is flat. If standing at the sun, walk in a straight line looking down, and you should stumble across him. 

That’s 5 planets down. For the rest you leave the sports field.

Walk around Otford

Next it’s Saturn. Had back out of the sports field, and turn left to follow the high street. Turn left just after the Woodman Pub, onto Leonard Avenue. Walk right to the very end where you will find the GP Surgery, and Saturn is sitting next to the car park.

The remaining planets are further away now. Lets start with Uranus.

Head back to the high street and go back the way you came, passing the sports ground, staying on this main road. You will pass by Pickmoss, which is the very obvious old timber framed Elizabethan building. 

Keep going, now away from the main area of the village, and keep going some more. When you reach a bus stop, Uranus will be there just next to it. 

Notice a field and trail sign just past it to the right. Pluto is that way. But we will leave Pluto for the end.

Next it’s Neptune. Keep going along the main road, then turn left onto Telston Lane, following the North Downs Way sign. You will fine Neptune past a few houses on the right, nestled behind some steps. 

Now we do Pluto. Yes, I know Pluto isn’t a planet anymore. 

For Pluto, head back to Uranus to that field I pointed out earlier. 

Walk straight across the field to reach a fenced trail. Now follow this. I had no idea how far away pluto was when doing this walk, and did start to wonder if I had missed him. He is far. 

After about half a mile, look out for a almost hidden wooden pluto sign pointing right. I almost missed it. 

Now, right points to a gate. The gate looked suspiciously private to me, but I discovered that a little further ahead, is another right. This is where you go.

You will get a view to an oast house along here, and the Shoreham Cross in the distance. 

Walking along this bit, I actually wasn’t fully convinced this was the correct right, and started to wonder if I should have walked through that gate.

Then quite suddenly, an opening appears to the right, where Pluto stands. Mission complete.

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