The Tudor Trail (Sustrans route 12)
The Tudor Trail runs mainly off-road between Penshurst Place and the Motte & Bailey castle in Tonbridge . This stunning cycle route passes through the scenic Penshurst Estate, heads on along the Medway river, around the lakes at Haysden Country park, and on to the playing fields at Tonbridge before reaching the castle. A great family day out, the route is mainly off-road with a short stretch on a quiet lane before reaching Haysden Country Park. We have partnered with a number of wonderful venues along (or nearby) the route where you can just turn up and hire our bikes using the App. Alternatively if you want to travel to the area and hire bikes for the day, we can arrange to deliver and collect bikes to Tonbridge station. Tonbridge bike hire, Penshurst bike hire, Chiddingstone bike hire…Tudor Trail bike hire has never been so easy.
Type of route: Mainly off-road cycle and walking path
Suitability: All ages and family
Difficulty: Easy. Mainly flat but one steep hill just outside Penshurst. Off road (bar small stretch on a quiet lane near Haysden Country park). Reasonable surface along the whole route but can get muddy after heavy rain on the stretch just past the road to Leigh.
Tudor Trail bike hire is made easy with Countrybike.
Tudor Trail route – please download our handy guide that you can also reference whilst out and about – Tudor Trail Map
Countrybike venues along the route
At each of these venues, if you download and register on the Linka Go app, you can just turn up and hire one or multiple bikes on a pay as you go basis using the App. For more information on each of the venues, where to find the bikes and location specifics, then just follow the links to our web pages below.
Penshurst Place – bike hire from Penshurst
Set in the beautiful Weald of Kent, Penshurst Place and Gardens has stood on the banks of the river Medway since the 1341. It is surrounded by 11 acres of beautiful formal gardens. Visitors to Penshurst Place enjoy nearly seven centuries of history, heritage and horticulture. There is also bundles of fun to be had with the Adventure Playground, Woodland Trail and Toy Museum.
Our bikes are located directly outside the main entrance / gift shop and Porcupine cafe (a great place for a quick bite to eat or drink either side of your bike ride). Simply pick up the bikes and the trail runs directly from the end of the carpark and across the estate. You can access the bikes on the platform any time regardless of whether the trains are running. Penshurst bike hire is made easy with Countrybike.
Other venues nearby
These are venues in the area which we have bikes located although may be a little distance from the route. You are able to connect through to the route via country lanes which we have carefully chosen to recommend although we recommend you are comfortable with cycling on country lanes if planning to do so.
The Plough – bike hire from Leigh
This is a great pub found in Powder Mills (near Leigh) which about two thirds of the way along the route between Penshurst and Tonbridge. A new cycle route has just ben opened in 2019 that connects the Tudor Trail with the lane about a hundred meters up from the pub. Simply turn left or right out of the pub and work your way through the new housing estate before picking up the off road cycle route off about 4 minutes cycle away. Haysden bike hire is made easy with Countrybike.
Chiddingstone Castle – bike hire from Chiddingstone
Chiddingstone Castle can be traced back to the early 1500s. After the war, it was home to the Long Dene School until 1955, when Denys Eyre Bower bought it to house his diverse antique collections. We say it is a simply wonderful and fascinating gem in the heart of the Kent countryside. Chiddingstone Castle is a wonderful base for the day and venue for our bikes. Why not head out for a cycle ride to explore the nearby Bough Beech reservoir, or perhaps cycle to Penshurst Place (partly off-road) and then along the Tudor Trail tick off 3 castles in a day! Chiddingstone bike hire is made easy with Countrybike.
Bore Place – bike hire near Bough Beech reservoir
Bore Place is a truly magical setting a stones throw away from the magnificent Bough Beech Reservoir. Set in 500 acres of countryside Bore Place is simply a place that has a huge heart.
As a venue hosting for our bikes, there are a number of local rides available whether it be taking in the beautiful Bough Beech reservoir in an easy 3 mile circular route, or heading out to visit the local castles and villages at Chiddingstone, Hever or Penshurst. With free parking and ample space, Bore Place is a great base to explore from. This is countryside at its most glorious. Bough Beech bike hire is made easy with Countrybike.
The Poacher & Partridge – bike hire from Tudeley
Set about a couple of miles to the east of Tonbridge is this ever popular pub with amazing beer garden. From here you can head out along the lanes to see the famous Chagall stained glass windows at the local church or beyond to explore the wonderful scenery around Pembury woods. It is also possible to connect through to Tonbridge (dismounting for sections of footpath) before then joining on to cycle paths in Tonbridge and onto the Tudor Trail if you want to make a day of things. Tudeley bike hire is made easy with Countrybike.
