Oldbury Hill Fort and Styants Wood Circular
Kent
Oldbury Hill rises from the Greensand ridge between Sevenoaks and Ightham, and its top is ringed by the ramparts of an Iron Age fort built by the Wealden people around 150 to 50 BC, with wide grassy banks that give dogs plenty of scope to roam off lead. The banks run for 2.5 miles and enclose 124 acres, and the fort was probably a refuge rather than a permanent settlement. The National Trust looks after the hill and neighbouring Styants Wood, 166 acres of oak, birch, rowan and beech that has been coppiced since Saxon times. This 6.8km circuit from the Styants Bottom car park follows the rampart ditches around the fort, drops through sandstone outcrops on an old holloway, crosses the A25 and climbs through woodland past a Greensand cliff, returning on sandy paths through Fishpond Woods. Allow about two hours, with roughly 110 metres of climbing and some steep, muddy sections.
This is a dog friendly walk that stays under trees almost the whole way, so it is shady in summer, and there is no grazing livestock on the hill, which gives a dog with good recall real off-lead freedom. The one hazard is the A25, which the route crosses: put dogs on a lead well before you reach it. Horses use the bridleways, and there is horse pasture on the edge of the route. The ponds are marshy, so carry water. Parking is free, and the Amherst Inn and the Ightham Mote cafe are both close by.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 6.8 km (4.2 miles)
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Duration
- 2 hr 5 min
- Walk Type
- Woodland, Historic
- Route Type
- Circular
- Off Lead Potential
- High
- Livestock Risk
- Low
- Facilities
- No facilities at the car park; the Amherst Inn and the Ightham Mote cafe (National Trust) are nearby.
- Parking
- Styants Wood car park off Styants Bottom Road, National Trust, free.
Dog Friendly Stays Nearby
Make a weekend of it. These are the closest dog friendly places to stay to Oldbury Hill Fort and Styants Wood Circular, each one checked for its dog policy before we listed it.
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All dog friendly stays in KentFrequently Asked Questions
Is Oldbury Hill Fort and Styants Wood Circular dog friendly?
This walk scores 8 out of 10 for dog friendliness, and it's easy to see why. The 6.8km circuit through Styants Wood and around the Iron Age ramparts of Oldbury Hill stays under tree cover almost the entire way, and there is no grazing livestock on the hill itself. Parking at the Styants Bottom car park is free, and the Amherst Inn and Ightham Mote cafe are both nearby if you fancy a stop afterwards.
Can dogs be off lead at Oldbury Hill Fort and Styants Wood Circular?
Dogs with reliable recall have real freedom here — the hill has no grazing livestock, and the wide grassy rampart banks enclose 124 acres, giving dogs plenty of room to explore. The route does cross the A25, so leads are essential well before you reach the road. Horses use the bridleways and there is horse pasture on the edge of the route, so it's worth keeping that in mind too.
What should I know before visiting Oldbury Hill Fort and Styants Wood Circular with my dog?
The walk is around two hours with roughly 110 metres of climbing, and some sections are steep and muddy, so it's worth wearing appropriate footwear. The ponds along the route are marshy rather than accessible, so bring water for your dog rather than relying on them to drink there. There are no facilities at the car park itself, but the Amherst Inn and the Ightham Mote National Trust cafe are close by.
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Styants Wood Car Park, Styants Bottom Road, Seal Chart, Sevenoaks TN15 0ET
51.2852, 0.2602
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