Hucking Woodland Estate – Nr Hollingbourne, Kent

Area Information:

The Hucking Woodland Estate has a mixture of woodland and grassland that covers around 573 acres. With a network of permissive footpaths, bridleway, two way marked trails and information boards located around the site its easy for you and your dog to start exploring.

Located near the village of Hucking and only 2 miles from Hollingbourne, the Hucking Estate is sat high up on the Kent Downs in an area of ‘Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and provides amazing view’s across the Weald of Kent.

Away from busy roads Hucking is a great place to exercise dogs with fenced woodland and grassland areas most of which are accessed via kissing gates. For owners of inquisitive or playful dogs please note sheep can normally be found in the valley field but this is fenced and gated. However please make sure your dog is under control when near the sheep and your dog is on lead when walking through any field with sheep.

Access to the car park is fairly straight forward but does involve driving along some narrow country lanes. Car parking can be found either in the small woodland trust carpark or for those who fancy a drink or some food after their walk the Hook and Hatchet Inn also allow the use of their car park.

If your planning on following the way marked trails then the shorter blue trail starts from the Hook and Hatchet Inn and the longer red trail which takes in the view starts from the woodland trust car park.

N.B – The footpaths are not solid and therefore do become particularly slippy and mudding during the winter months

The Woodland Trust have their own website where you can find out more information on Hucking woodland Estate and download maps and information leaflets.

Click here to visit the Woodland Trust website

Click here to go straight to the walking Maps and leaflets from Woodland Trust

Location:

Facilities

– Free Parking in either the Woodland Trust car park or the Hook and Hatchet Inn car park.
– The Hook and Hatchet Inn is dog friendly and offers a wide range of food and drink
– Toilets available at the Hook and Hatchet Inn

Walk Information:

Distance: Blue trail 3.1 km. Red trail 5 km. OWTD Circular walk 6.1 km.

Time: Blue trail approx 30min walk. Red trail approx 1.5hrs walk. OWTD Circular walk approx 2hrs

Terrain: The walk takes you across the grassland fields and through woodland. Footpaths are fairly flat with some inclines and are unmade resulting in muddy conditions during winter months.

Stiles: None. Only kissing gates.

Dogs on leads?: Dogs allowed off lead. Most of the fields and woodland are fenced but not necessarily dog proof. Most of the year sheep are kept in a couple of the fields so please keep your dog under control and on lead when using the footpaths in these fields.

Dog Bins: Yes. One near the Woodland Trust Car Park.

OWTD Circular Walk Route:

Dog Walk:

Hucking Woodland Estate is away from main roads and is partly fenced making this walk ideal for dogs that want a good run. This walk is more or less the Blue and Red way marked trail combined.

Start your walk from the Woodland Trust carpark and head down towards the woodland following the Red way marked trail signs. Head through the woodland and turn left at the footpath cross roads and out onto the byway. Turn right and follow the byway up until you reach the entrance into the large grassland field. Head through this field keeping to your left and you will be presented with an amazing view across the Weald of Kent and a large wooden shepherd carving. In the summer this is a great spot for a picnic or to just sit and take in the view. Carry on through the field until you reach the five bar gate and kissing gate into the next field. This is where the sheep are normally kept so please check before entering into this field. Continue following the red trail signs and head back into the woods and then along the pathway the follows the edge of the sheep field. At the end of this pathway turn left rather than right and start following the blue trail signs back up the hill and into the woodland the other side of the field. Continue follwing the blue signs and cross the field behind the Hook and Hatchet inn where you can stop for a drink or a spot of lunch before finishing your walk. Then continue through the grassland fields and up to the kissing gate on the other side of the valley field. Head up along the edge of the woods and into the field at the top. Heading right takes you back to where you started the walk and back to the car park.