A Walk on the Quiet Side

A gentle introduction to Autumn in the Woodland Trust Estate at Hucking on the North Downs.

The Woodland Trust area at Hucking covers 232 Hectares of land dedicated to the management of natural woodland. If this seems to be a contradiction in terms please forgive me because in fact this is what is happening here. The Trust has created a mixture of woodland that is integrated with grazing where the animals are allowed to wander through the paddocks with the occasional restriction, a natural woodland area suitable for wildlife and by copsing it creates a platform for natural regeneration and preservation of species reliant on the general deterioration of forests. The forest grows old or is burnt through fire, damaged by wind and species use the natural cycle to survive. In our modern day this has to be artificial in places because so much is in farmland and so much split by roads and urban development. The Woodland Trust at Hucking has done a wonderful job of combining all these points and at the same time created a place for people to walk end enjoy the changing seasons.

Park at the Hook and Hatchet ('ook and 'atchet at 'ucking) at Hucking and walk from there. In the picture above you can see rails for hitching horses and the open air eating area. Lunch is excellent with a variety of affordable dishes and more expensive meals but the quality is good so is value for money along with the friendly service. Maybe I like English pubs. The walks begin from where the photo was taken where a gate leads into the open paddocks.

Opposite are a pair of magnificent Beeches that can be seen along the Blue route which my sister and I walked before taking unch at the pub. The day began cold with sunny spells and wind that was fresh and made walking wrapped up as we were pleasant - the heat energy produced by walking was cooled by the wind yet there was none of that eye-watering bitterness that can be so unpleasant in cold weather. The pleasure was in the display of early Autumn colors and the sudden panoramic views of the Medway and Thames Estuary to the north and the splash of color of the woodland surrounding the paddocks. We met a number of middle-aged walkers as we wandered around and swapped banalities as you do realising that perhaps this is a middle-age thing - you go walking in the countryside. That was until we saw a family group walking in the opposite direction all enjoying the experience. Soppy and sentimental?
Maybe I am but the tranquility of the area and the beauty of the hills as they unfold in front of you although puncuated by the distant wail of the Euro-rail trains is worth avery footfall.


As usual we like to take a look at churches and so naturally after we left the pub to find Hucking itself we stopped at St Margaret's church and had a whale of a time looking at the gravestones (as you do) pleased by the attractive church building and the mundane police warning that the lead fitments were marked for identification. The warning to would be thives is obvious - like the oppressive menace of the TV licensing authority there is no doubt that You Have Been Warned and You Will Be Caught. Most reassuraing. Anyhow, imagine the church in sunlight as by now the day was getting dimmer.

The Woodland Trust area at Hucking can also be reached from the Pilgrim's way, or for those who want a good long summer or spring walk begin at Hollingbourne - park near the church and walk either left past the Manor House choosing the public footpath to the Pilgrims Way, or the Pilgrims Way itself to Allington Farm and the footpath which climbs the hill crossing the North Downs Way which will lead you into the Woodland Trust area. The routes are marked in Red and Blue with marker posts that are easy to spot.

If you want to lunch at the Hook and Hatchet then take the North Downs Way from Hollingbourne ( still parking at the church) which you will find crosses the Hollinbourne Hill above the Pilgrms Way to Broad Street Hill and then follow the road up the hill past Hucking Hill House and the Pub is on the right past the end of Scragged Oak Road. After lunch walk back through the woodlands to Hollingbourne. The fun is to try and find your way back and the pleasure is the magnificent views you get as you walk over the hills.

Walking on the designated pathways preserves the nature of the woodland and adss to the experience.