{"id":24889,"date":"2023-04-06T12:57:18","date_gmt":"2023-04-06T10:57:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=24889"},"modified":"2023-04-06T13:06:09","modified_gmt":"2023-04-06T11:06:09","slug":"kent-ranscombe-farm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2023\/04\/06\/kent-ranscombe-farm\/","title":{"rendered":"Kent Ranscombe Farm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
SOUTH EAST<\/strong><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

03.<\/span> Kent Ranscombe Farm<\/h2>\n\n

Distance: 5.8\/9.3km | Time: 3.5 hours | Grade: Moderate | Total ascent: 165m<\/p>\n\n

Walked by Abigail Hamilton-Thompson<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"\"
Revel in wildflowers at Ranscombe Farm Reserve <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Ranscombe Farm is a tenant-farmed nature reserve on the edge of Cuxton. The mosaic of farmland, grassland and woodland is a haven for rare wildflowers, which in turn support an array of other wildlife. <\/p>\n\n

Look out for fallow deer, skylarks, six species of orchid and signs of dormice. This 5.5-mile circular walk explores the key areas of the reserve before passing through the adjoining Cobham Park, with the striking Darnley Mausoleum and ancient trees. <\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n
1. START <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

From the car park, follow the lane uphill; this soon levels out. After 250m, turn left on the North Downs Way. The path drops down to a kissing gate; here, turn sharp right into a large field and follow the path uphill, listening for the song of the skylark. The track soon bends left to reach a woodland.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

2. 1.8 MILES <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Go left along the edge of the woodland, keeping the trees on your right. Look out here for woodpeckers and carpets of bluebells. After 700m, turn right at a T-junction at the far end of the field. Shortly, fork right uphill. At the top, ignore the kissing gate and turn left on a path. Soon go right through a gate to reach the mausoleum. <\/p>\n\n

3. 2 MILES <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Turn left at the mausoleum along the track beside the building. Cross a cattle grid and, after about 500m, turn right through a kissing gate. For a cosy pub lunch, divert by keeping ahead on the track and subsequent lane to the historic village of Cobham. <\/p>\n\n

Back on the walk, cross the footbridge and fork right across the golf course. Soon re-enter Cobham Woods and follow the left fence line. After 750m, go over a crossing of paths through a kissing gate. Proceed through a squeeze stile on the bend of the path and cross a field to a stile in the corner. <\/p>\n\n

4. 3.8 MILES<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n

Turn right on the track and fork right uphill through a gate, keep an eye out here for signs of fallow deer. <\/span><\/p>\n\n

At a cross tracks, turn left on the track signed for Albatross Avenue. Just before some metal fencing, turn right at the noticeboard. Follow a track and soon keep ahead through a white gateway. <\/p>\n\n

Turn left here to skirt around a field. After 400m, bear left following the signs for Merrals Shaw. Continue on this path, ignoring any turns off. <\/p>\n\n

Soon descend into, and then climb out of, a dip. The main path will then bear round to the right to reach the lane that you were on earlier. Turn left to return to the car park. <\/p>\n\n

<\/div>
\n

USEFUL INFO <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Starting point <\/strong>
The main car park is just off the A228 on Sundridge Hill, Cuxton ME2 1LA. Buses 140\/141\/151 run nearby. The nearest train station is at Cuxton. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terrain <\/strong>
Mostly footpaths and tracks. Can be muddy when it\u2019s been rainy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Map <\/strong>
OS Explorer 163 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eat\/drink <\/strong>
Cobham has several walker-friendly pubs, including the Leather Bottle, built in 1629 and once frequented by Charles Dickens. It also offers accommodation. theleatherbottle.pub<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

Photo: Alamy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SOUTH EAST 03. Kent Ranscombe Farm Distance: 5.8\/9.3km | Time: 3.5 hours | Grade: Moderate | Total ascent: 165m Walked by Abigail Hamilton-Thompson Ranscombe Farm is a tenant-farmed nature reserve on the edge of Cuxton. The mosaic of farmland, grassland and woodland is a haven for rare wildflowers, which in turn support an array of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":25247,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"85","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"85","purple_seq_number":"1","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"1","purple_source_article":"article_85-1.xml","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"article_85-1.xml","purple_source_issue":"May-2023","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"May-2023","purple_external_id":"May-2023-85-1","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"May-2023-85-1","purple_issue_code":"|0000084068||","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084068||","purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.202","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.202","purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.202","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.202","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"91da22fd-9e7f-40d1-a93f-fc46e9516d91","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-04-06T10:57:26Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"ee34182d-96db-4385-9588-d20cc72a3b8c","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-04-06T11:06:14Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAw==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/A7jQYLZbbQ4WViNIMxyo7jA","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[135],"tags":[14],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/C4JTXB-1_preview-scaled.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"3","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/C4JTXB-1_preview-scaled.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/C4JTXB-1_preview-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/C4JTXB-1_preview-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/C4JTXB-1_preview-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/C4JTXB-1_preview-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/C4JTXB-1_preview-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/04\/C4JTXB-1_preview-2048x1366.jpg",2048,1366,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"SOUTH EAST 03. Kent Ranscombe Farm Distance: 5.8\/9.3km | Time: 3.5 hours | Grade: Moderate | Total ascent: 165m Walked by Abigail Hamilton-Thompson Ranscombe Farm is a tenant-farmed nature reserve on the edge of Cuxton. The mosaic of farmland, grassland and woodland is a haven for rare wildflowers, which in turn support an array of…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24889"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24889"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24889\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26397,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24889\/revisions\/26397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}