Kemsing, sandwiched so to speak between Otford and Sevenoaks could be overlooked by the motoring visitor who would be tempted to visit The Chequers at Heaversham for lunch but for the walker the hills above Kemsing have much to offer. Park behind the Wheatsheaf pub and take a break at the tearooms - run by the pub or go inside and be made welcome. The walker has a choice between The Wheatsheaf and The Bell or walking to The Chequers, but we can recommend the The Wheatsheaf as it is most convenient and dog friendly, we had Zoid with us, and that was the decider.
As for a walk we explored the village realising the centre was about the oldest and noting much of it was modern houses, well built and attractive as were some of the older more established places making in all for an attractive village. Centre is the unique St Edith's Well and the gardens surrounding them giving the village a picture postcard look that is very pleasing. The Village itself has other treats and one was an ivy covered outhouse pictured, an old school, converted farm buildings including an excellent barn conversion and the shingle tiled church steeple.
So, apart from the quick look around the village we started from the church crossing the playing fields to find a public footpath cutting across the Pilgrim's Way leading up the hill to the North Downs Way. The day was humid making the climb for us older citizens a bit rugged but once on the top we were cooled by the wind and walked along the top at first discovering the path led back down again.
Retracing our steps we walked along to the standing cross and there at the top of the paddock we found the North Downs Way and followed it crossing a path leading down and up across the ridge toward the lower ridge where we found the newly designated Kemsing Downs reserve. As we had lingered a long time on the hill - all right - staggered up the hill full of lunch and a pint of Harvey's - we were getting a little short of time so we took the next downward path through the woods. Note that the woods were coppiced with steps for the path and opened out to a laid out woodland with paths leading around the area and through. we chose a path that took us back to the Pilgrim's Way and then down again on a paved footpath that led back to the village centre.
Kemsing, sandwiched so to speak between Otford and Sevenoaks could be overlooked by the motoring visitor who would be tempted to visit The Chequers at Heaversham for lunch but for the walker the hills above Kemsing have much to offer. Park behind the Wheatsheaf pub and take a break at the tearooms - run by the pub or go inside and be made welcome. The walker has a choice between The Wheatsheaf and The Bell or walking to The Chequers, but we can recommend the The Wheatsheaf as it is most convenient and dog friendly, we had Zoid with us, and that was the decider.
As for a walk we explored the village realising the centre was about the oldest and noting much of it was modern houses, well built and attractive as were some of the older more established places making in all for an attractive village. Centre is the unique St Edith's Well and the gardens surrounding them giving the village a picture postcard look that is very pleasing. The Village itself has other treats and one was an ivy covered outhouse pictured, an old school, converted farm buildings including an excellent barn conversion and the shingle tiled church steeple. 
Retracing our steps we walked along to the standing cross and there at the top of the paddock we found the North Downs Way and followed it crossing a path leading down and up across the ridge toward the lower ridge where we found the newly designated Kemsing Downs reserve. As we had lingered a long time on the hill - all right - staggered up the hill full of lunch and a pint of Harvey's - we were getting a little short of time so we took the next downward path through the woods. Note that the woods were coppiced with steps for the path and opened out to a laid out woodland with paths leading around the area and through. we chose a path that took us back to the Pilgrim's Way and then down again on a paved footpath that led back to the village centre. 
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