Shoreham - a village on the Darent

We took the dog with us to Shoreham to give him a treat and so it seemed a day for everyone else and their dogs to be out and about.  Spring weather, flowers not yet ready to pop out and the trees still bare of leaves but tentatively pushing out buds, Blackthorn showing its white flowers, Forsythia and Peach in bloom and the inevitable Daffodils.  Shoreham is emerging like the rest of us from the dull winter and as a first time visitor was a most welcoming place. 

Delightfully pretty, an unusual church and house that date back to Tudor times and a pub that claims to exist since 1500, it is a place that in summer is no doubt swarming with visitors.  The river is the attraction if only for its wandering clarity and at this time of the year the menace of flooding and of course the valley in which it runs.  Barely green the trees are still magnificent and as we walked up the hill to the cross on the bank we were delighted by the view that displayed the village including a clear view of a man wheeling a barrow to collect compost from the heap that serves the allotments.  Naturally I spoiled the illusion by describing the village as a super Lego display. 

Now spring is truly on its way we were delighted to see clumps of wild violets on the bank beside the woodland walk.   We met people with children and dogs and our canine companion, my nephew's dog Zoid, almost loved every moment of it - I say almost because he seemed a little nervous of other dogs when he was on the lead.  If we took him off there is no knowing where he would go so he had to subdue his feelings and put on a brave face. 

However, the village was a place we need to visit again.  There are no less than five pubs in Shoreham so this means that there should be another four visits plus another for the attractive Honey Pot tea room.

A View of the High Street and the Tea Room

The main attraction is the walk along the river which can be followed at least to Eynsford where there is the Lullingstone Roman Villa and the Lullingstone Country Park.  We walked the village and turned down into Mill Lane with some delightful houses to view and of course the river.  We took the footpath beside the river past the Old Mill Cottage to the bridge and weir and turned up toward the church from there.  It was a pleasure to walk the avenue of Yews past the church where a couple of artists were painting pictures of the porch and to the field beyond. 

We turned left out of the gate and walked back in a circular route back to Mill Lane via footpaths and then along the High Street to turn left again down to the bridge before which we stopped for lunch at the Kings Arms.  I would not say the food was excellent but for the price it was more than value for money and earned praise as good.  We sat outside with the other dog walkers as dogs are banned from the inside (must watch that in future) and enjoyed a chat with a group of people and their dogs and a young couple who had walked along the river from Farningham with their Spaniel.

After lunch we set off back along the High Street and chose the footpath leading up out of the village past the sports ground and play centre to the woodlands and hills above.  There, once we had staggered up the top using the dog to pull us up in turns - he hasn't yet learned to walk and not drag the lead - was a terrific view and the violets mentioned earlier.  We turned right at the top and walked past the cross, viewing it and then from there back down to the end of the village and back to the car park for the drive home feeling much better for the experience.