Hemsted Forest stile free trail

This is a superb, accessible Wealden woodland route along generous paths. Hemsted Forest Country Park is very popular with cyclists and riders, as well as walkers and dog owners. Managed by the Forestry Commission, it is working woodland and as such, it is important to look out for warning signs about activities being undertaken.

A victim of the hurricane of 1987, Hemsted Forest has subsequently had many trees replanted by the local community. Areas were also cleared of mature conifers in 2000 and replanted in 2003 with Douglas fir. The dense foliage attracts numerous birds and dormice are known to thrive in this habitat.

The paths are wide, but with continual climbs and descents for the first half of the walk, including a 20% slope up from the car park entrance to the start of the walk.The nearby village of Benenden is one of the few settlements in the Weald to be mentioned in the Domesday Book. It is known for its thriving community, village green, historic buildings and pubs.

This walk is one of Explore Kent’s stile free routes.

Stile free routes are suitable for a wide range of users including those in mobility scooters and families with younger children. Please be mindful that these stile free routes are located in the countryside and the path surfaces can be adversely affected by poor weather conditions. Certain routes may be better suited for wheelchairs with wider wheels, as they can handle the terrain more easily compared to other wheelchairs. We encourage you to read about the trails, and to assess them if you feel confident in completing them yourself.

Click on the “Start & end” button on the map below to find the location of the walk.