The best places for a walk in Tunbridge Wells
It is January 2021 and we are in lockdown #3. Current guidelines allow us to leave our homes once a day for exercise. Thank goodness! There are many great reasons to schedule outdoor activity into your week, whether it is for a walk, a run or a cycle. Outdoor exercise is “associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement, together with decreases in tension, confusion, anger, and depression”.
Have you been doing the same walk since lockdown #1?
I hope I can inspire you to venture somewhere new (within guidelines of course) by sharing some of my favourite walks and places to workout in Tunbridge Wells.
Hargate Forest
This forest is on the south side of Tunbridge Wells and set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is a great place for walking and is very popular with dog walkers.
A warning, it can get exceptionally muddy so wellies are highly recommended!
Broadwater Warren
I love to take my dog running here. You really feel you are out in the wild, even though you’re only 5 minutes from the town centre. There are lots of different routes to explore. Once pubs are open again you can walk all the way to the Nevil Crest and Gun. There is a car park open every day. It can get busy, but you’d never know anyone else is there once you’re in the forest.
Friezeland Woods to High Rocks
This is a lovely walk which can take you through fields as well as forest depending on where you start from. You can walk from Eridge Road (opposite Broadwater Down), from High Rocks Lane or the Ramslye Estate. You will walk through a lovely forest and there’s a lovely stream for dogs and kids to have a paddle.
Hurst Woods
If you live on the St John’s side of town this is a great place to explore. You can do a lovely circular route here and it’s another dog walker's favourite. The main entrance is on Coniston Avenue, although I expect you can enter the woods from other places.
Happy Valley
There are amazing views across the valley from Happy Valley. It’s a lovely area of woodland and you can walk there from many parts of Tunbridge Wells. The Beacon restaurant is close by and will make a great pit stop, when pubs are back open again. I highly recommend their chips and a seat on their terrace.
Forest Way Groombridge
The Forest Way is an old disused railway track that stretches for 13+miles from Groombridge via Hartfield to Forest Row.
You can cycle, walk, horse ride and run here. It never gets too muddy and the trees that arch over you provide shade in the summer and protection from the rain when it’s wet. It is also a great place to go for a run or cycle if you want to avoid the hills around Tunbridge Wells.
What is your favourite walk in Tunbridge Wells?
Most of my walks are around the south side of Tunbridge Wells. I’d love to find more routes around the rest of the town, so please do comment and let me know your favourite routes.
Top tips to prioritise your walk time
Are you struggling to find the motivation to get out of the house at the moment? To be honest, on a cold wet January day it can be extremely challenging. Here are a few tips to help you prioritise your outdoor activity and make the most of your walk.
· Schedule your walk time. Put it in your work diary and agree with family members when you would like to go. You can then plan to overcome any barriers together.
· If you have a phone call to make, pick up your mobile and take the call outside.
· If you feel you can’t justify the time for a walk you could listen to a work related podcast and kill two birds with stone*.
· Going on a long walk? Then download the Ordnance Survey app to guide your route.
· Wear appropriate clothing. Please don’t let bad weather keep you inside, if you have waterproofs you’ll be fine.
*You will be so much more productive and focused if you get out in the fresh air for some activity. If you are sitting at your desk struggling to concentrate or focus that is the perfect signal that it’s time for a walk break. This is time well spent!
I’d love to know what more about your favourite walks and what tips you have for ensuring they happen?
Research: The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry. “Benefits of outdoor exercise confirmed.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 February 2011.