The Countryside Walk Our Guests Keep Coming Back To: The Bishopsbourne Circular

The trail also passes St Mary’s Church and the former home of author Joseph Conrad, small details that add a quiet sense of history to the route without it ever feeling like a heritage tour. The views across the parkland and valley below are some of the best in this part of Kent, and in late spring and early summer, the light stays golden until around 9pm. If you can, go in the evening. It is worth it.

A note for dog owners: dogs are very welcome and will absolutely love this walk. Do keep them on leads in sections where there is wildlife and livestock nearby, and be aware there are short stretches where the path runs alongside a quiet road. Nothing difficult, just worth knowing before you go.

Only a short stroll from the walk itself, The Pig at Bridge Place is one of those places that earns its reputation without ever feeling like it’s trying. Set within a beautiful hotel, it manages to feel both special and completely relaxed at the same time.

In spring and summer, the garden comes into its own. You can pull up a chair outside, order a pizza or flatbread, and spend time wandering around the kitchen garden where they grow the vegetables that end up on your plate. It is a lovely detail, and it shows in the food. Inside, the restaurant is equally worth a visit for something more considered, with a menu that leans into seasonal and local produce in a way that feels genuine rather than performative. The cocktails deserve a mention too; all freshly made, thoughtfully put together, and the kind of thing you find yourself ordering a second of before you’ve quite finished the first.

Two very different pubs, both brilliant in their own way. Between them and the walk, you have a perfect afternoon or evening in this little corner of Kent.