On the way to our short break in Canterbury we stopped off at Knole park - a
National Trust property (well part of it as the rest is still occupied by the
Sackville-West family.
Getting to the car park was complex as one of the
roads in Sevenoaks was closed and the entrance was through a narrow gateway that
did not look right at first (so we had to circle around and come back). Having
got in we were allowed to park in the coach park being that we were so long!
A large set of buildings approached from the car park in a couple of ways, and
set off for a tour of the buildings. As NT members we could see the gatehouse
tower as well as those rooms that were open (several were closed for winter
cleaning as well as the residency ones).
Back to the van for some lunch then aroudn the grounds for a walk.
There were a number of "marked" walks around the deer park, however a toilet
break start gave us the opportunity for an alternative start - going around the
house the unmarked way and meeting up on the opposite corner.
It is also a shame that the maps do not show the public rights of way as well
as this would give a better indication of which markers are general and which
specific, as well as where they overlap.
Around the corner of the house gardens (not generally open to the public) and along the edge of the golf course to meet the opposite corner. Here we started off on the marked trails - initially following blue, but somehow this mutated into the red as we missed a turning!
The red route followed a metalled track through the undulating heathland to the edge of the estate.
A herd of deer ran across the track behind us - chased by a couple of stags - oblivious to us around.
At the edge of the estate we turned onto what was presumably a carriage drive across the end - very straight and less undulating - this was called Chestnut walk (presumably because it was lined with old chestnut trees).
We turned the corner and cut back along another straight track that would take us back to the same corner of the house we had left - seeing more deer hiding in the trees. This was Broad Walk.
Back at the corner where we had started the woodland/ heathland walk at the edge of the golf course.
Here we turned along the side of the house gardens we had not covered and returned towards the car park.
Along the side of the house was a lonely old stag, having a rest - ignoring all the people taking pictures (or just posing)
Back to the start of the walk and the van we had donee a circumnavigation of the house and gardens, before exploring the deer park. Where we set off for Cambridge and our camp site for the next four nights.
