A circular walk from Chipstead heading towards Otford, then up the Darenth valley for a short section. We will then climb up towards Polhill Bank for some fantastic views where I plan we will have our lunch stop. From here we will walk along tracks and paths past Fort Halstead (a former MOD research site) then through Chevening and back to Chipstead.

Some facts and history of sights on this walk:

Although small in size, Chipstead has various attractions and features, including traditional southern English village architecture and a large lake. The village has two public houses: the George & Dragon, a 16th-century coaching inn on the High Street, and the Bricklayers Arms on Chevening Road opposite the lake.

Chipstead Lake (also known as Longford Lake) is man-made, the result of gravel extraction during the 20th century. It has an area of 30 hectares (74 acres) and is used for angling by the Holmesdale Angling Society, and sailing by the Chipstead Sailing Club.  The Chapel of the Good Shepherd is an Anglican chapel of ease to Chevening parish church. A 19th-century Grade II-listed former chapel (now a house) in the village centre was used by the Bible Christian Church.

Chipstead was served by Chevening Halt railway station on the Westerham Valley Branch Line running between Westerham and Dunton Green; it opened in 1881 and closed in 1961.

Fort Halstead was a research site of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), an executive agency of the MOD. It is situated on the crest of the North Downs. Originally constructed in 1892 as part of a ring of fortresses around London, Fort Halstead was to be staffed by volunteers in the event of a crisis.

Chevening is what’s known as an ‘estate village’; it was built by the lord of the manor to house his workers and tenant farmers. The grand house, Chevening House, tucked behind the high brick wall, is the reason the village exists. It’s home to a lake, maze, kitchen garden, parterre, farmland, and extensive mixed woodland. The house is now more famously known as being the country residence of the incumbent Foreign Secretary.