Ightham Mote's circular walk to Wilmot Hill
Enjoy the Kentish countryside from the Ightham Mote estate as you walk the periphery of a large part of its 580 acres. The walk incorporates Scathes Wood, the Greensand Way, Wilmot Hill and Broadhoath Wood. Choose from two options when you near the end of your walk.
Map
Start:
Ightham Mote visitor reception; grid ref: TQ584535
1
With visitor reception behind you, walk through the walled car park and up the entrance driveway to a five-bar gate and stile on the right, which is the entrance to Scathes Wood. Cross the stile and follow the footpath ahead, ignoring paths to the right and left, until the path ahead begins to turn left. At this point, look for a path to the right, with a stile leading to a parallel path.
2
Take this path and cross the stile to turn right down a slope into a field. Continue on along the edge of the field with the hedgerow on the right, mostly downhill to a T-junction and a National Trust sign. Turn right onto the bridleway and continue on ahead, walking past Ightham Mote house. The bridleway bears to the left, up to the rear entrance gate and Mote Road. Turn right onto Mote Road and walk a short distance to the entrance track to Mote Farm on your left.
View across Kentish countryside
This is the view that awaits you as you leave Scathes Wood and is just one of the wonderful views that you will see on your walk.
3
Walk up the track past the farmyard, bearing right to follow the track in a westerly direction to Wilmot Cottage, ignoring a track forking to the right on the way. Proceed past the cottage (formerly a blacksmith's and pack horse station) and an old brick filter house or spring, to steps up on the right, turning left to head west again. Continue on for approximately 87yd (80m) to a footpath on the right. Now leave the Greensand Way and follow the green walk at this right turn, bearing right up steps then turning 180 degrees to head west again on up a narrow path up a steep incline (there is a steep bank sloping away on the left-hand side). At the top of the path, cross a stile with a National Trust sign.
Walk up to Wilmot Hill
This tree-lined pathway leads you up through this Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) towards Wilmot Hill.
4
Having crossed the stile, turn right and step under or around the permitted footpath timber barrier and proceed downhill to a cross path. Continue on over this cross path, stepping between points at the side of a timber barrier, to follow the path ahead with the tree line on the right.
5
Carry on down this path, which bears right, before heading down to another timber barrier. Beyond is a bridleway that sweeps down from Broadhoath Wood on the left, which you carry straight ahead on. Some 55yd (50m) before this barrier there is a narrow path between trees, leading to two springs flowing out of the hillside. (These springs feed the pond below by the barrier, which is the main water course that flows through Ightham Mote, serving the north and south lakes, and of course the moat). Pass between the posts at the barrier and continue on with a stream on your right, past the hopper huts (one-room houses that were used by hop pickers on their working holidays) and silt trap to Moat Road.
Wilmot Hill
The woodland at Wilmot Hill consists of mature coppice and is dominated by sweet chestnut trees.
6
From here, you can cross the road and walk up the footpath at the north end of the Ightham Mote garden, up a few steps to the entrance driveway to Ightham Mote. Turn right to enter the car park and complete the walk.
Alternative end of route
Alternatively, at direction 4 turn right by the silt trap and follow the road for a fine view of Ightham Mote across the apple orchard. (This was probably the first glimpse of the house by the American Charles Henry Robinson when he was studying in England. Later, in 1953, as a successful businessman, he was able to buy the property and save it from being demolished). You can either continue on to the cottages and the rear entrance of Ightham Mote or retrace your steps to the silt trap.
End:
Ightham Mote visitor reception; grid ref: TQ584535