Otford to Shoreham Walk

This walk from Otford to Shoreham takes you across the Darent Valley countryside, mostly flat with one hill, and an oast house (I love an oast house) along the way.

Looking across a green meadow with a hill rising up the other side, partway through the walk from Otford to Shoreham. There are cottages at the bottom of the hill, and trees covering the top of the hill. Across the meadow it is split with a fence and a few leafless tree.

A road leading ahead and giving to the left around an oast house with a cone shaped roof, on the walk from Shoreham to Otford. The road is lined with buses and trees with green leaves.

Looking across a large grass field towards a mass of trees and a few hoses and a church poking through. There is a hill past the trees with a white cross on it. There are trees at the top of the hill.

Otford and Shoreham are both medieval villages, with Otford being a Heritage village which basically means it preserves the history, traditions, and culture. Some buildings date back to the 14th century.

A path cutting diagonally through a green with an old cottage on the other side, with white framed windows.

Otford has another unusual claim to fame. It is home to one of the largest scale models of the Solar System in the world. Apparently.

Shoreham is famous for Samuel Palmer, a 19th century English painter who lived there. It’s also where you will find the chalk hill cross. This is another lovely walk you can do around here.

A pub on a road corner, with three barrels with plants next to it. There are wooden picnic benches to the left. There is a chimney coming out of the roof.

A black timber framed old cottage with a red brick chimney up the side. There are hedges around the left side of the cottage, and a wooden fence to the left. The cottage sits next to the road.

What to expect

The walk takes you through Otford village first, it’s only brief, so feel free to have a wander around a bit longer, before heading onto the trail.

Looking over a steam of water lined with a stone wall, and a green and cottage partially hidden by trees on the other side.

It’s super easy to navigate as you basically walk in a straight line across a series of fields, with a view to the chalk hill cross in the distance.

Looking across a large grass field, with a hill in the distance. There are trees lining the bottom on the hill, and along the top.

Looking across a field to a mass of trees leading to a hill, on the walk from Otfdord to Shoreham. There are some cottages partially hidden by trees up the hill.

There is then a bit of woods alongside a golf course, before the route cruely takes you downhill, to then walk straight back up the big one.

It’s a big uphill, but once you make it, everything is easy the rest of the way. Following a nice level path, with a view down to Shoreham below. When you reach the cross, you make your way down to the village, where there are a few pubs waiting for you, or a nice tea room.

Looking down the valley filled with a mix of fields, trees, and cottages dotted about, when walking from Otford to Shoreham.

A white walled pub with a black sign on it saying 'Kings arms shoreham'. There are black picnic benches in front of it, and a black gazebo to the right.

Logistics

Start: Otford, Kent.
Finish: Shoreham, Kent.
How to get there: Both Shoreham and Otford have a train station. London Bridge to Otford, journey time 30min. To return from Shoreham it’s 35min with a change. See tips below for more info.
Coming by car: There is a car park in Otford, pay and display. Then you can get a train between the two villages.
Distance: 3.5 miles.
Time: 1.5h.
Difficulty: I would say this is an easy walk, despite the hill.
Dog friendly: Yes
Phone signal: A bit patchy in Shoreham, but otherwise, yes.
Amenities: Public toilets in Otford station. Places to eat in both villages. See below.
Time of year: I walked this in winter.

Tips

I would wear hiking boots for this one.
It can get a bit muddy in winter months.
Now for the trains, I think you can get any of the trains back from Shoreham. The Otford return ticket says valid for all permitted routes (except the high speed service, which is irrelevant for this journey as we don’t go that way) between origin and destination station. And as Shoreham is between the origin and destination it would seem they are all valid. What does confuse this a little is one of the trains back from Shoreham takes you in the opposite direction to London passing by Otford first. So it makes me wonder if that train is valid.

Where to eat

As mentioned, both Shoreham and Otford have places to eat, but the ones in Shoreham are more highly rated.

In Shoreham you have the Honey Pot Cafe and Tea Rooms, and The Mount Vineyard. For pubs you have The Kings Arms, The Crown, and The Samual Palmer. Each are dog friendly. There is also a village store.

In Otford you have a few options, including Sally’s Cake Emporium, The Woodman Pub, The Bull Pub. Both pubs are dog friendly.

Map for the walk from Otford to Shoreham

Route Description: How to walk from Otford to Shoreham

Out of the station, head through the car park, and on the right about halfway along, you will find the path which takes you to the village.

A narrow path leading straight ahead, lined with green leafed hedges on the right and a wire fence and fill to the left. There is a cottage just visible ahead on the left.

You are now going to walk straight through, but will pass lots of interesting buildings along the way, with information boards telling you about the history of what you are seeing.

Looking across a neatly cut green to an old cottage with white framed windows. There is a neatly cut hedge to the left of the cottage. There are a couple of leafless trees on the green.

A strip of green with a path running from left to right, and cottages on the other side of the path. The cottages are surrounded bye hedges and bushes. There are leafless tree branches hanging into frame from the left.

Straight ahead you will see a roundabout with a pond. This is a grade II listed duck pond. It’s actually the only listed pond in the country.

Looking across the otford pond, on the way to Shoreham. There is a white walled house on the other side. there are a couple of large leafless trees on the other side.

Continue straight across the roundabout, and stay on the main road, all the way to reach Pickmoss, which stands out with its Elizabethan facade. Turn right here, alongside the stream.

The facade of an Elizabethan cottage on the right and a white walled cottage on the left with a black door.

A neat path leaden g ahead, with a strip of green to the left, and a stream to the left of it. The road leads to an orange cottage ahead.

A short way along, take the trail to the right.

A dirt trail, lined with hedges. There is a wooden fence to the left, and white sign saying 'the chalet'.

Walk from Otford to Shoreham

This trail starts off lined with bushes, to reach the field. Continue along the left edge of the field.

Looking across a large field with more fields surrounded by trees in the distance.

A muddy dirt trail leading ahead, with a field to the right and bushes to the left. There are leafless trees ahead.

You will now walk in a straight line for the next mile-ish. Through some fields, and gates, with a view to the Shoreham Cross ahead in the distance, and then through some woods, with the golf course to your left.

A dirt trail leading to a metal gate partially hidden in the bushes and trees.

A large green field, with a hill rising up on the other side, on the walk from Otford to Shoreham. The hill has a mass of trees on top.

A dirt trail covered in fallen brown leaves, and lined with trees with green leaves.

When you reach the road past the golf course, turn left on the road. There are actually two lefts. So make sure to take the road left and not the golf course left.

A track leading straight ahead, lined with green leafy trees.

It’s a pleasant road, without much in the way of cars, and lined with trees. Unfortunately it takes you downhill. Which means an even bigger uphill soon.

The good news is, at the bottom, you pass an oast house. Always a joy.

Following the road, you will be led onto a trail, and over a little bridge. Now follow the river.

A muddy dirt trail covered in fallen brown leaves leading ahead, with a river to the left. There are straggly trees lining the right side of the trail and left side of the river.

After the river, you will be on residential road again, which is where the uphill begins.

A narrow road leading uphill, lined with hedges to the left and a hedge and black timber framed cottage to the right.

When you reach the main road, cross straight over to pick up the trail slightly to the left.

And continue uphill some more.

A dirt trail leading uphill, lined with bushes.

When you reach the gate, go through onto the hill field. Now it’s one final steep uphill push to the top. Or at least almost to the top.

When you reach a bench, you can stop there. Make sure to look back at the views too.

Looking down the green grass hill to the valley below, near the end of the walk from Otford to Shoreham. The valley is filled with a mix of fields, trees, and barely visible cottages. There is a hill on the other side of the valley.

Just before the bench is a gate to the right. Go through it.

It’s all easy now, along a level trail and soon with a view down to Shoreham Village below.

A dirt trail leading ahead, lined with trees on both sides, and a bank on the left side.

Looking down the grass hill to a village bellow surrounded by trees, and a hill rising up the other side.

Keep going for about half a mile and you will reach an opening to the right with the cross just there.

Looking down the hill over the white chalk crosstown a village below surrounded by trees.

It dates back to the 1920’s, for those who lost their lives serving in WWI. You’ll get a better view of it a bit later though.

Walk to the village

You have two ways to get down to the village now.

Option 1: Continue down the hill passed the cross, in a diagonal. This will lead you to a gate. Through the gate you will be on a trail lined with hedges, and then alongside a green. Keep going and you will reach the road and village.

Option 2: Stay up here, following the trail. You get to enjoy the views for a bit longer up here. When you reach the road (not the track after the gate, keep going past this to reach the road). Then turn right to walk along the left edge of the field. When you reach the gate, go through it and it will take you all the way down to the village.

Walk to the station

After you have finished exploring the village (or a pub), to get to the station, follow the main road through the village and over the bridge.

For directional purposes, when you arrived in the village off the hill, turn right on the road, then turn left after the Honey Pot Cafe and Tea rooms. Now follow this road, as it curves over the bridge, to reach the church.

A river on the right, and road on the left. The right side of the river is lined with bushes and trees, the left side of the road is lined with houses.

Go through the arch and along the path lined with trees next to the church.

Looking towards a path through the stone wall, leading under an A framed arch. There is information boards on the right, and part of the church visible to the left.

Through the black gate at the end, turn right, then follow the path as it then turns to the left. It’s along here you get the best view to the cross up the hill looking back.

When you reach the end, walk along the road, and just a few meters ahead are steps on the left. These will lead you up to the station.

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Otford to Shoreham 3.5 mile walk in the Kent downs.

3.5 mile easy walk, Otford to Shoreham in the Kent downs.