Events

British artist Samuel Palmer immortalised the beautiful landscape of the Darent Valley and its precious river nearly 200 years ago. Follow in his footsteps and find your connection with the land that inspired Palmer so many years ago. This Audio Visual Guide of the Samuel Palmer Trail can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home with images and voice overs guiding your virtual journey through the Darent Valley.

This self-paced activity is the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors, appreciate the landscape, and learn about some of the rich cultural and artistic heritage of the Darent Valley. With the climate and natural world changing rapidly because of human activity, reconnecting with landscapes has never been more important; art can be an excellent way to explore and connect with the places you love.

The Samuel Palmer Trail has been devised by artists Victoria Bathurst and Sarah Newman.

An 8 mile circular walk through stunning landscapes around Shoreham and Otford, offering panoramic views from the valley top, a tranquil riverside walk as well as impressive historic buildings and features in Shoreham and Otford. Start at Shoreham Station.

Palmer and Villages

• Explore the attractive riverside villages of Shoreham and Otford
• Enjoy a series of fine views across the Darent Valley from the west
• Visit Polhill Bank Nature Reserve
• Follow a section of the Darent Valley Path

Whether you have an hour or a whole day, the Darent Valley Trails app, downloadable free from the App Store and Google Play, will take you on a magical tour through a rich heritage of history, meadows, valleys and streams, lavender fields, mills, and wildlife, along waymarked paths, with a distance to suit everybody.

There are 17 new new Rail Trails in West Kent, with the choice of both circular and linear routes ranging from 2.5 to 9 miles. All the routes start and end at mainline train stations, so you can go green and leave the car at home. Once you’ve downloaded the app, the trails can be used offline as you explore the remote and tranquil countryside.

A 5 mile circular walk around stunning countryside to the east of Shoreham, through a network of dry valleys and woodland with panoramic vistas across the landscape from the valley tops. Start at Shoreham Station.

Ridges and Valleys

• Explore hidden dry valleys that cut deep into the Downs and enjoy fine views of rolling countryside
• Pass through an abandoned golf course reverting back to nature
• A chance to visit a monument to the aviation pioneer, Percy Pilcher
• Pass through a former military firing range

Whether you have an hour or a whole day, the Darent Valley Trails app, downloadable free from the App Store and Google Play, will take you on a magical tour through a rich heritage of history, meadows, valleys and streams, lavender fields, mills, and wildlife, along waymarked paths, with a distance to suit everybody.

There are 17 new new Rail Trails in West Kent, with the choice of both circular and linear routes ranging from 2.5 to 9 miles. All the routes start and end at mainline train stations, so you can go green and leave the car at home. Once you’ve downloaded the app, the trails can be used offline as you explore the remote and tranquil countryside.

You can still watch and listen to the Samuel Palmer Curator’s talk held in Shoreham in July 2022. Explore Samuel Palmer’s rich, visionary artwork inspired by the unique landscape of the Darent Valley with one of Britain’s foremost curators on Palmer – Colin Harrison, Senior Curator of European Art at the Ashmolean, Oxford.

Why not walk the Samuel Palmer Trail to learn more about Palmer’s work and enjoy the stunning landscapes that inspired him during his Shoreham years.