Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Leave the Upper Pantiles car park by the main entrance and cross the road to take the footpath opposite. Shortly after turn left onto the tarmac footpath leading you gradually uphill into Tunbridge Wells Common. Keep straight ahead and you will soon see a cluster of large rocks ahead of you (Wellington Rocks [A]) . Bear right to explore the ancient rocks and then take the path leading behind them, heading away from the common and up to a main road overlooked by grand Georgian townhouses. [A] Wellington Rocks - one of a number of natural sandstone rock formations which can be found in and around the town.

Turn right at Mount Ephraim and follow the path running alongside the road. You soon pass more large sandstone rocks towering over the common to your right. Cross Church Road and continue straight ahead. Views begin to open out over rooftops of the town centre below. Just past a detached house (Belleville) take a footpath, right, leading down to a zebra crossing. Once across continue on the same path which bears slightly left. At the corner by Thackeray’s (a house where the famous author once stayed, now a restaurant) turn right into Mount Ephraim Road.

Walk to the end of Mount Ephraim Road then cross Fiveways passing the Millennium Clock Tower and turn right to follow Mount Pleasant Road. This main road leads you past the Amelia Scott building which houses the museum, library, an art gallery and tourist information centre and is well worth a quick visit. Continue along the main road to reach Crescent Road, then turn left. Walk past the Assembly Hall Theatre and continue on to reach a large stone gateway leading into Calverley Park.

Once through the gate walk straight ahead then soon turn right to take the main path down through the park grounds. Follow the path down a set of steps then turn left and walk through the sunken gardens. Climb some more steps and turn right to follow the path out of Calverley Park and into Mountfield Gardens. At the end of this road turn right then immediately left into Meadow Hill Road.

At the end of this road you come to another park, The Grove, a small area which has been used as an urban green space “to be preserved for a grove and shade, and walks for the use of all inhabitants” since 1703. Pass the playground to your left, then turn right, taking the footpath leading gently downhill. At the corner by a huge old tree turn left to follow Belgrove, then at the end turn right and follow the cobbled Warwick Road down to the High Street. Turn left.

Follow the High Street past the shops then cross Mount Sion and take the paved street opposite. Descend some steps past a church and turn right. Cross over and take the pedestrianised street opposite into The Pantiles [B]. Follow this elegant shopping street to the end (thankfully walking wherever you choose) then turn right. At the main road turn right and cross with care, then take the path opposite leading back to the car park. [B] The Pantiles dates back to the 17th century when the spring waters of the Chalybeate Spring (the Wells) were first discovered. The colonnaded walkway has an upper area and a lower area, originally created so the upper classes could walk on the higher walkway above everyone else who were required to take the ‘Lower Walks’.