New Beating the Bounds of Westerham Parish

and Annual Rotary Fair

Monday 6th May 2024 from 8am 

There are plans to change the walk this year (2024) 

Watch this space!

See photos and video from 2023 here

The remainder of this page is from 2023

Download poster here

Walking routes, map and route for mobile app- download here 

Fair on the Green – details here

Beating The Bounds

The Westerham Society and Westerham Town Partnership are delighted to welcome families, groups, friends and visitors to join the residents of Westerham in checking our boundaries are still in place! Residents and visitors can explore our wonderful countryside, enjoy the views and the spring weather. The Scouts make a welcome return with their Family Section and fun Quiz (on the north east part of the the trail) Join the community for a Maypole Dance by the children of Churchill School, with food from Westerham Scouts and Westerham Sea Cadets.  Live entertainment and refreshments on the Green  after 11am organised by the Town Partnership, with stalls coordinated by Edenbridge and Westerham Rotary, who are joining us again with their annual Rotary Fair. 

Walking starts any time after 8am.    The day is free to enjoy.

Of course, anyone can download the route cards (see below) and follow much of the route of the old parish boundary at any time, but spring will truly be in the air and it will be a chance to invite friends and relatives to Westerham for an unusual day out. Everyone taking part in any of the activities or walking groups does so at their own risk. Here is a very rough diagram of the main sections of the walk.


All the way round…

A group from Westerham Ramblers led by Richard Gadd will leave Charmans Farm (aka Westerham Brewery) checkpoint/parking spot (just off Beggars lane) at 8.30am and will go anti-clockwise (to get the “up” of Westerham Hill out of the way early in the proceedings.  They welcome anyone who’d like to join them to tackle the whole circuit, (about 12 miles or so) and friendly dogs are also invited!


The Family Section

The Scouts make a welcome return with their Family Section and fun Quiz (on the north east part of the trail, from the top of the North Downs) Download the 2023  quiz questions here

Anne Planche will lead a clockwise escorted walk on the Family Section. Her group will get the 9.23 bus at the Green.  The 246 that takes you up Westerham Hill to the start of the walk at The Avenue. On bank holidays, 246 buses leave the Green at 23 minutes past the hour and you can get off at The Avenue, where you cross the road and walk the clockwise route to Charman’s Farm (aka Westerham Brewery).  You can walk back into town across King George’s Field.  (3.5 miles altogether, takes about two hours) This section from Westerham Hill to Charman’s Far the Squerryes Winery and Westerham Brewery has some wonderful views from the North Downs.   

Elaine Merrylees will take the same 9.23 bus up Westerham Hill and lead an anticlockwise walk to Chartwell (via the Old Grasshopper, about 6 miles) and catch the 246 bus back to Westerham.


Old Grasshopper to Chartwell…

This is a very pretty walk and takes you over some of the fine views in Kent.   Follow the anticlockwise route. And you can always walk to Chartwell and get the bus back,  The walk is abut 3 miles. Enjoy bluebells and the views from Mariners Hill that inspired Octavia Hill.  The Grasshopper Pub is closed and the car park is not accessible, so please park in the lay-by further west.    There are buses back to Westerham from Chartwell every hour from 1019 to 1719.


Chartwell to Charmans Farm, via Dunsdale

This section of the walk passes over private land and is only available “on the day”.  It’s a chance to see woodland, bluebells and familiar views of Westerham from unfamiliar angles.

One option would be to get a bus to Chartwell and walk this section following the “anticlockwise”  route back, via Dunsdale to Charmans, where you can cut across King George’s Field, back into town.  Buses leave the Green for Chartwell at 10.07, 11.07, 12.07 and 13.07

Maypole from Churchill School

maypoleMaypole and Morris Dancing from Churchill School children, will be performed at 2pm and again at 3pm, under the expert eye of Liz Scholey.  Our Westerham Town Crier, John Scholey, will be leading the music, assisted by Mike Lambert on the accordion.



Rotary Fair on The Green…

We will be joined again this year by Edenbridge and Westerham Rotary, who are bringing their own annual fair to the Green from 11am. For more information please contact Zena Belton at zbelton@live.com

Live music will begin at 11 am .

Punch and Judy will be here again at noon and one o’clock.   Mr Punch was born in 1662, did you know that?

The Rotary Fair has invited more than 20 stalls.  Lee Sherwood will be there with his traditional funfair.


 
8.00 Walking begins
8.30 Westerham Ramblers leave at Charman’s Farm (aka Westerham Brewery) to walk the whole circuit (about 12 miles, friendly dogs welcome)

9.25 Anne’s group catches 246 bus to The Avenue to walk The Family Section to the Brewery (aka Charman’s Farm) and then back to the Green (see above).  Elaine’s group catches the same bus and walks the anticlockwise direction to Chartwell.   
11.00 
Fair opens

11.15- 11.45 Music from Los Carreteros Guitar Duo
12.00 Punch & Judy 1
12.30 Ukrainian Band Podolyane 
1.00   Punch & Judy 2
1.30  Westerham Sea Cadets parade
2.00  Maypole & Country Dancing from Churchill School
2.30  Jeanie White
3.00  Maypole & Country Dancing from Churchill School
3.30  Pete and James – Guitar Duo 
4.10  Ukrainian Band Podolyane 

Westerham Groups

The organisers are keen for others in the community to join in the festivities and we’d like to invite your group to bring a small table, notice, or just a person for our marquee on The Green in the afternoon. The aim is to showcase your group’s activities to our visitors, and perhaps sign up new members. If you’d like to join in, please reply and we’d be delighted to reserve a space for you.

If you have any questions please contact Zena Belton at zbelton@live.com or Stuart Merrylees at info@visitwesterham.org.uk.


Walking Routes, Documentation and Parking

 The Westerham Society and Westerham Town Partnership hope you enjoy the walk, but cannot be held responsible for any loss, injury or damage arising out of, or connected with the Beating of the Bounds event.

Route Cards.

Choose any part of the route, clockwise or anti clockwise – the choice is yours!

Detailed notes for walking in either direction can be downloaded by clicking here for clockwise directions or here for anticlockwise directions.

These have been updated for 2023 and if you have not done the walk for a few years, please note:

1. There is a new permissive footpath through the Squerryes Winery, courtesy of the Squerryes Estate.
2. From Charmans to French Street, the route goes over private land in the Valence/Dunsdale estate, rather than over a stile into Park Farm and up Pipers Green Lane.  We regret that this particular variation of the regular BTB route will only be available on the day, as it is not a public footpath, but there are alternative routes across Westerham Golf Course, via Pipers Lane.

Click to download a printable map, courtesy of Savills Sevenoaks office.

VIEW INTERACTIVE MAP ON YOUR PHONE with walking app like OSMAND (Open Street Map), Outdoors GPS and Topo GPS, using our GPX file.
Unfortunately, gpx files cannot be used with Google Maps or Apple Maps
(map unchanged since 2022)
Click here to download gpx file

DOWNLOAD GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR WALKERS


Our BTB Log Book:
Please drop by the Westerham Society Tent on the Green if you’d like to see our historic log book.  We’d love you to add your own entry.


MARSHALS

Subject to availability, we hope to have volunteer marshals on the route from 8.30 am to 12.30p.  The marshals are volunteers from the Westerham Ramblers and the Squerryes Winery parkrun 2.20pm. They will have some printed maps for you.  Please say hello as you pass them.

PARKING

• King George’s Fields, Westerham Main Town Carpark (P&D) – This is around 15 mins walk from the route as it crosses the A25 east of Westerham. This is the best carpark for also attending the events on The Green

• Chartwell National Trust property (P&D – NT members free) – The route passes the entrance to this carpark

• Westerham Brewery / Squerryes Winery (Charmans Farm) (free) – The route crosses this carpark

• Layby beyond the Grasshopper Hotel (closed for redevelopment) – On the A25 at Moorhouse west of Westerham (free). The route is around 200 yards from this parking area

• Hosey Common – Approximately ½ mile south of Westerham. Join the route at French Street which is around ¼ mile east of the carpark

REFRESHMENTS / TOILETS

On route, there are toilets and a café at Westerham Brewery / Squerryes Winery (Charmans Farm) and at Chartwell. Westerham has several pubs, cafes and restaurants, and public toilets in Fullers Hill.

 

Please send us your photos!

The Westerham Society, Westerham Town Partnership and Edenbridge and Westerham Rotary thank all the volunteers, musicians and organisers for their efforts. We hope it is a fun day out for all the family.  Photos from previous years come with  thanks to Pete Anstock, April Richer, Darren Hayes, Beth Mullings & Jane Bowes.  Please email photos to info@visitwesterham.org.uk

View Westerham’s  albums from previous years by clicking on the links below…

Photo Album 2018  Photo Album 2017  Photo Album 2016,  ITV’s News coverage 2016Photo Album 2015Photo Album 2014 here and Photo Album 2013 here.


A bit of History

Beating the Bounds of a Parish is an ancient tradition, based on the need for inhabitants to know the extent of their land, before the days of maps. The people, led by the vicar and choirboys, would walk round the boundary, checking that the boundary stones were in place, and making sure that everyone, particularly the young, knew where the boundary lay. The Vicar would also bless the land in the hope of a fruitful harvest.

The earliest record of this in Westerham is on 22nd May 1718. Trees and posts were marked with the letter W.    Again in 1758 and again in 1805, mentions are found in the parish archives. Read more…