Description
This route is over 70% off road going through Swanley Village, Hawley and along the hopefully waymarked, and mostly riverside, Darenth Valley Path. It avoids the busiest and most (sub)urban road walking sections at either end. If you travel north, from Swanley to Dartford, do cross the A225/Hawley Rd straightaway, it soon becomes an un-crossable dual carriageway.
Breakpoints
Swanley Village has two pubs, Red Lion (on route) and a few hundred metres east is the Lamb Inn. Near Hawley there are a few other options: the Garden Centre cafe, a separate eat-in bakery next door, or The Chequers in Darenth (head backwards on Darenth V Path about one mile round trip). The Papermakers Arms in Hawley seems to be permanently closed. For completeness I've uploaded a map showing public footpath routes to the Hawley Optiions.
Central Park in Dartford apparently has public toilets. There may be a bus service in Hawley or if you leave the route early in outer Dartford.
Access
Most of the route is pretty flat, and the road sections seem to be either very quiet lane/tracks or within village/town boundaries. Shirehall Rd through Hawley is, unhelpfully, very patchily pavemented. Street view shows someone pushing a kid in a semi-motorised wheelchair, must be a nightmare. There are multiple stiles and some concrete steps
This route is over 70% off road going through Swanley Village, Hawley and along the hopefully waymarked, and mostly riverside, Darenth Valley Path. It avoids the busiest and most (sub)urban road walking sections at either end. If you travel north, from Swanley to Dartford, do cross the A225/Hawley Rd straightaway, it soon becomes an un-crossable dual carriageway.
Breakpoints
Swanley Village has two pubs, Red Lion (on route) and a few hundred metres east is the Lamb Inn. Near Hawley there are a few other options: the Garden Centre cafe, a separate eat-in bakery next door, or The Chequers in Darenth (head backwards on Darenth V Path about one mile round trip). The Papermakers Arms in Hawley seems to be permanently closed. For completeness I've uploaded a map showing public footpath routes to the Hawley Optiions.
Central Park in Dartford apparently has public toilets. There may be a bus service in Hawley or if you leave the route early in outer Dartford.
Access
Most of the route is pretty flat, and the road sections seem to be either very quiet lane/tracks or within village/town boundaries. Shirehall Rd through Hawley is, unhelpfully, very patchily pavemented. Street view shows someone pushing a kid in a semi-motorised wheelchair, must be a nightmare. There are multiple stiles and some concrete steps
Status
This route has been reviewed by 3 people.
There are no issues flagged.
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Information
Route status - Live
Reviews - 3
Average rating -
Is this route good enough? - Yes (3)
There are currently no problems reported with this route.
Downloads - 5
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Geography information system (GIS) data
Total length
Maximum elevation
Minimum elevation
Start and end points
Swanley
Grid Ref
TQ5099368237
Lat / Lon
51.39309° / 0.16891°
Easting / Northing
550,993E / 168,237N
What3Words
boats.making.loudly
Dartford
Grid Ref
TQ5428574340
Lat / Lon
51.44705° / 0.21884°
Easting / Northing
554,285E / 174,341N
What3Words
rails.term.dices
| Swanley | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | TQ5099368237 |
| Lat / Lon | 51.39309° / 0.16891° |
| Easting / Northing | 550,993E / 168,237N |
| What3Words | boats.making.loudly |
| Dartford | |
|---|---|
| Grid Ref | TQ5428574340 |
| Lat / Lon | 51.44705° / 0.21884° |
| Easting / Northing | 554,285E / 174,341N |
| What3Words | rails.term.dices |
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