It's in our Nature...Sevenoaks

Green and growing

When it comes to keeping things green, the people of Sevenoaks certainly know a thing or two. We’re seeing more and more signs of dedicated, eco-conscious work, organically and naturally (pardon the puns) weaving itself into everyday life here. Like at Bore Place, a stunning 500-acre regenerative estate through which you can spend the day wandering, soaking in the surrounding Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and discovering the secrets of the landscape that’s been farmed and worked for over 1,000 years.

You can also stay the night at one of the cottages onsite, waking up to food grown right on site and refreshing views, having slept well knowing your retreat contributes to fantastic conservation work (after all, they didn’t get their Gold Award in Green Tourism for nothing!). Better yet, get stuck in with nature and sleep under the stars at Free Range Glamping, in your very own yurt or shepherd hut. 

For even more sustainable delights, Sevenoaks makes the most of its glorious landscape, meaning every corner you turn, you’re sure to find a day out filled with locally sourced, planet-conscious experiences. Coolings is the ideal spot for those of you with green fingers – a garden centre in the vanguard of the sustainability movement, nearby to the beautiful village of Knockholt. Supporting alternatives to single use plastics, harvesting rainwater to reuse, and reducing their carbon footprint by growing 80% of plants onsite are just a few things they’re doing to help reduce impact on the planet. 

With so much green space, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of farms to visit on your trip, each offering seasonal, excellent goodies - our favourites being Castle Farm and Stonepitts Farm. A day out to the former will leave you smelling of lavender after a walk in the fields and a stop off at the gift shop for some aromatherapy goodies (be warned, you might be too relaxed to leave!), and you can get your freshly-picked-strawberry-fix from the latter.

If you’re all set for your flora, time to move on to fauna at the Eagle Heights Wildlife Foundation - a conservation space home to beautiful birds of prey and magnificent mammals. Wearing its Silver Award for Green Tourism proud, you won’t find many other places better suited to learn about wildlife conservation, taught through interactive flying displays and workshops. And if you want to enjoy even more wildlife work in Sevenoaks, the Fawkham Bee Company - with 13 years of beekeeping experience up their sleeves – produce some of the most flavourful honey you’ve ever tried. Stocked in shops throughout the county, it’s safe to say you’ll bee truly treating your taste buds!

Get Outdoors

So, we’ve told you about just some of the people and places here that are working towards a more sustainable future. Now, it’s time to sit back and let the nature of the county speak for itself. 93% of Sevenoaks is a green belt, and it’s not just any ordinary green belt. Oh no, the natural landscapes, gardens, downs, and ways, are bursting with life and excitement, all waiting to be discovered on your next adventure and, even better, easily accessed by train. Pack a picnic, put on those walking boots, and get ready to be whisked away on your next journey through one of these unforgettably scenic routes.

Blessed with not one but two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Kent Downs and the High Weald, you can enjoy some of the most magnificent views and walks of a lifetime. The best way to explore the Kent Downs, an iconic area stretching from Surrey all the way to the most easterly point of Kent, is through walking the North Downs Way. This modern-day pilgrimage takes you through the stunning Sevenoaks villages of Knockholt, Otford, and Kemsing, all in which you can stop off and relax for a bite to eat in a quaint country pub, before carrying on with your journey through breath-taking countryside. Within the stretch of Kent Downs in Sevenoaks, you’ll find plenty of hidden gems like National Trust site One Tree Hill. The Darent Valley Path is the perfect opportunity to explore smaller routes along the Kent Downs, all possible to walk in a couple of hours if you’ve got an afternoon to spare.

The High Weald is equally as abundant and awe-inspiring as the Kent Downs, with the Wealdway being one of the best routes to experience its diverse landscape. And, while there are plenty of well-known walking routes throughout the area, what about those little hidden gems? Yep, you can find those here too. The Eden Valley Walk, passing through the High Weald, starts just outside the village of Edenbridge, taking you past historical sites such as childhood home of Anne Boleyn Hever Castle, Chiddingstone Castle in the local-beer-filled village of Chiddingstone, and Penshurst Place, where you can find events year-round in their jam-packed calendar.

Fuel up!

After all this exploring, we're feeling a little peckish...lucky for us, there's a place to replenish for any appetite you have. Whether it be at a restaurant by day and exciting venue by night at Life on High, or a locally made brew, it's in the people of Sevenoaks' nature to put on a real show for anyone who walks through the door. Local brews peak your interest? Why not check out Westerham Brewery, where art and science combine to make some of the most delicious tasting brews, with a side of amazing events in their taproom. For beers that evoke right, deep flavours of the earth, Larkins Brewery, opened in 1986 by Bob Dockerty and still family owned and run, produces some of the best beers in the county (you can practically taste the love and care!). 

And to get your fix of fruity flavours, Squerryes has been in the game for over 300 years, taking the spirit, heritage, and taste of their North Downs Estate and bottling it up into crisp, vintage sparkling wines. A visit to the vineyard will leave you feeling refreshed and content, having spent the day on a tour of the estate, and even treating yourself to a bite to eat at the farm to fork restaurant on site.