Connect Dartford with Slow Ways
We’re creating a network of walking routes that connect all of Britain’s towns, cities and national parks
more walks and reviews are needed to fully connect Dartford to the verified network. Can you give a hike and help?
Give a hike!Dartford
Kent
Slow Ways linking Dartford and Bexleyheath, Erith, Greenhithe, Hartley (Sevenoaks), Swanley
England / Kent / Dartford
Dartford’s five Slow Ways are 60% checked
Help connect Dartford
Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.
Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.
Give a hike and help get a for every one of Dartford’s Slow Ways.
Walk to Dartford from further afield
Slow Way | Route | To do | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bexleyheath—Dartford
|
Bexdar one |
|
|
U U |
|
Double check | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 83m | Descent 33m | |
Bexleyheath—Dartford
|
Bexdar two |
|
U U |
|
Review me | Distance 8km/5mi | Ascent 42m | Descent 91m | ||
Dartford—Greenhithe
|
Dargree one |
|
U U |
|
Review me | Distance 6km/4mi | Ascent 98m | Descent 95m | ||
Dartford—Hartley (Sevenoaks)
|
Darhar one |
|
|
U U |
|
Review me | Distance 11km/7mi | Ascent 126m | Descent 70m | |
Dartford—Hartley (Sevenoaks)
|
Darhar two |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 11km/7mi | Ascent 144m | Descent 93m | ||
Erith—Dartford
|
Eridar one |
|
U U |
|
Review me | Distance 7km/4mi | Ascent 43m | Descent 43m | ||
Erith—Dartford
|
Eridar two |
|
U U |
|
Verify me | Distance 8km/5mi | Ascent 56m | Descent 54m | ||
Swanley—Dartford
|
Swadar one |
|
|
U U |
|
Double check | Distance 9km/6mi | Ascent 62m | Descent 138m | |
Swanley—Dartford
|
Swadar two |
|
U U |
|
Survey me | Distance 10km/6mi | Ascent 70m | Descent 141m |
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Dartford and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Collective progress
56% of Dartford’s five route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified
9/9
9/9
0/9
2/9
6 people have contributed to Dartford’s Slow Ways
1 people have pledged to walk and review a route
0 people have surveyed a route in Dartford
76km out of 76km have been walked and reviewed
149km of reviews have been shared in Dartford
Latest Updates
Fly tipping (photo 4, as described by Daisy in her review) impeded but didn’t prevent access to the raised path at Crayford Creek, (photo 5), which is where you may encounter the rowdy dirt bikes....
Jane Taylor
Accurate and decent route. Not as scenic as Darhar 1...
Stephen Graham
It was quick to get off-road onto a shared cycle way, with a hundred metres or so on a cul-de-sac then a stretch on a back lane /alley next to the rail tracks, all very peaceful given the proximity of the busy A206. I didn't retest the residential roads between Cotton Lane (near London Rd) to Dartford station....
Daisy C
Daisy C added Dargree one, a new walk from Dartford to Greenhithe
Walk this routeAfter a little path through woods again (photo #4), you have to do some lane walking along Canada Farm Road and Rabbits Road (photo #5). The field between Rabbits Road and Wilson Lane was recently ploughed (photo #6), and it was hard to see were the path was (I basically had to compass it myself). On the other side was a little more lane walking along Wilson Lane and Gills Road (photo #7), but these were not busy either....
Derick Rethans
The first section of footpaths was great (photo #7, #, #9), but where the route goes towards "Clement Street" (the village, not the road), there were horses and farmers in the field. Not far south, the route directed me through a field full of medium tall grass (photo #10), with no discernable path. From Swanley the route goes over farmland, and then follows the railway for a bit along farm tracks (photo #12). After using the level crossing to get around the Chatham Main Line, the route went through a field of wheat (photo #13)....
Derick Rethans
This is a nice route, following field paths up and along a broad ridge from Swanley Village to Hawley and then close beside the River Darent (no H!) along the Darenth (with an H!) Valley Way. The two pubs in Swanley Village have promising writeups for a meal, although it is barely mid-route. I walked from Hawley to Swanley yesterday, looking out for the points raised in the earlier review. Elsewhere on the route are several more stiles, a few flights of steps, gates and a bit on the DVW where the path edge = riverbank was crumbling away. No cleared path, grass waist then chest height, looked like only one or two people had walked through it. If the grass is short then it's probably better but follow John's map, don't waste time on the short cut E-W path SD75A onto Goss Hill, from the road end there's no way up the steep bank or through the thick hedge. No trace of the farmer marking either path across the crop....
Daisy C
Coming out of West View Road, Swanley the route goes across a field to cross the railway. The next field is ploughed and it's only just possible to see the path across to Gildenhill Road (although following the clearer path left to Lower Road is possible and avoids the next problem - see map)....
JohnMyerson
This is the best combination with a good balance of green, (fairly) direct, easy to navigate, quiet roads and the reed beds along the River Cray creek and the riverside walk from where it joins the River Darent all the way into Dartford. As long as the dirtbikes aren't out this is a great walk in an upromising area, still good with them, particularly the peaceful approach into Dartford town centre along the river....
Daisy C
The Darenth Valley Path was lovely to walk along, and pretty good signage too....
Daisy C
Daisy C added Darhar two, a new walk from Dartford to Hartley (Sevenoaks)
Walk this routeIt starts with an detour north, which lets you have a(n inexplicably) short walk beside the River Thames (no photos sorry). At about 2km into the walk, between Betsham Rd and Slade Green Rd, new housing has moved the public footpath away from the train tracks. I noticed long shallow steps at Slade Green footbridge and the footpath down to Priory Rd, Dartford, plus steeper ones up to Dartford Station (latter avoidable if you go a bit further down the road)...
Daisy C
Beside busy roads, v awkward to follow the route, these roads are designed for traffic. Didn't do final footpath section given the route had already failed, in favour of certainty of the road alternative to catch the hourly Sunday train. I'dsubmit an alternative route, as it has 4 or 5 star potential, but think testing before uploading is prudent for the S Darenth section....
Daisy C
Daisy C added Bexdar two, a new walk from Bexleyheath to Dartford
Walk this routeIn early November it was muddy in places, particularly between Hall Place and Crayford and then on the footpath through the wetland (Thames Rd / Maiden Lane)....
Daisy C
Now there is a verified route for this Slow Way (SwaDar 2) I will flag this route - for accuracy - 200m out of sync is too much I'm considering testing a new route loosely based on this because a short part of road on SwaDar 2 isn't ideal - also worth noting that SwaHar 3 and HarDar 1 join at South Darenth and this would be a good, if long, route between Swanley and Dartford....
Daisy C
There's a 20p toilet half-way on Crayford Waterside, as well as a micropub....
Richey1977
Slow Ways added Bexdar one, a new walk from Bexleyheath to Dartford
Walk this routeSlow Ways added Darhar one, a new walk from Dartford to Hartley (Sevenoaks)
Walk this routeDartford’s Slow Ways starting point
Grid ref
TQ5428574340
Lat / Lon
51.44705° / 0.21884°
Easting / Northing
554,285E / 174,341N
what3words
Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?
If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Dartford and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?
This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!
Facilities
Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Dartford's meeting point
Public toilet
Wheelchair accessible toilet
Supermarket or convenience shop
Restaurant, cafe or pub
Accommodation
Accommodation for under £50 a night
Campsite
Bothy
Free wifi
Mobility scooter hire
Off-road wheelchair hire
Disabled Parking
Train station
Bus stop
Ferry
Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town
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