Tonbridge to Penshurst leaflet - Sustrans

This guide features a fantastic, mostly
traffic free cycle route from Tonbridge
Castle to the magnificent buildings and
Gardens of Penshurst Place, easy going
cycling with terrific views and open
spaces on route.
Tonbridge is also the perfect staging
post for those wishing to Cycle Kent
further afield. There are good road and
rail connections to the National Cycle
Network around the county and this
guide will direct you to the best spots
and help you make the most of your
visit.
History
Tonbridge has been a market town since the
middle ages and boasts Kent’s best example of a
Motte-and-Bailey Gatehouse, among the finest in
England. The story of the castle is interwoven with
that of kings and archbishops, tyrants and heroes,
murderers and mercenaries who have helped write
900 years of English history.
The fascinating history of Tonbridge Castle starts
with the famous battle of 1066, when William
of Normandy invaded neighbouring Sussex to
seize the crown from King Harold. A massive,
fortified stone castle eventually replaced the
original wooden structure. Within the remains of
the castle today, visitors can experience the sights
and sounds of medieval times, and explore nine
centuries of dramatic history. Tonbridge Castle
stands in 14 acres of spectacular grounds that are
open free of charge to the public
Penshurst Place and Gardens has been the home
of The Sidney family and their descendants for
more than 450 years. Penshurst’s most famous son,
Sir Philip Sidney, the chivalrous soldier poet, was
a symbol of loyalty and bravery in the Elizabethan
era and was born there in 1554. Upon his death
in 1586, so greatly was he admired, that he was
accorded the honour of a state funeral at St Paul’s
Cathedral. He was the first commoner to receive
such a tribute, not to be repeated until the death
of Lord Nelson and Sir Winston Churchill. The great
hall, with its vast arching roof has been described
as one of the world’s grandest rooms.
Cycling
The recent construction of Regional Cycle Route
12 between Tonbridge Castle and Penshurst Place
provides an excellent, almost entirely traffic-free
ride from the heart of Tonbridge alongside the
River Medway, out into the countryside as far as
the glorious buildings of Penshurst Place, some 5
miles to the west.
This wonderful cycle route takes you past playing
fields on the edge of Tonbridge and into Haysden
Country Park, running around the edge of Barden
Lake with its wide variety of birdlife. Shortly after
passing beneath the A21 you enter a delightful
secret kingdom of lush broadleaf woodland
carpeted with wildflowers in the spring and a
delight in autumn as the colours change.
The one noticeable climb of the day comes
between the bridge over the River Medway and
Well Place Farm giving you wide-ranging views of
the surrounding countryside and setting you up for
a fine descent past two lakes to arrive at Penshurst
Place, the finest and most complete example in
England of 14th-century domestic architecture.
Cyclists can also access the National Cycle Network
at Groombridge - Route 21, The Forest Way and
enjoy nine and a half miles of mostly traffic free
cycling to East Grinstead along a disused railway
line.
Serious off road fans can indulge at Penshurst off
Road Centre (PORC) where there are miles of trails
to enjoy, a road cycle race track and wonderful
views of the Kent Countryside. Cycle hire is
available on site.