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Keston Common

0.9 miles (1.5 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This area of common land in Bromley covers 55 hectares and includes some nice footpaths. You can start the walk from the car park at the south eastern corner off Westerham Road. On the site you'll find woodland, heathland, dry acid grassland and three pretty ponds. There's also lots of interesting flora and fauna to see on the way.
The common once formed part of the Holwood Estate, owned by the 19th century Prime Minister, William Pitt, the younger. Keston is also only two miles from Charles Darwin's home, Down House, and he often visited to study the plants and animals here.
After exploring the common head to the commonside Fox Inn (postcode: BR2 6BQ) for refreshments. There's a nice large beer garden to relax in during the summer months here.
To extend your walk pick up the London Loop and head short distance west to the nearby Hayes Common. There's more nice trails here with woodland and good dog walking opportunities. High Elms Country Park is a little further east along the London Loop trail but still within walking distance of the common. Here you'll find woodlands, a nature centre, ice well, formal gardens and wildflower meadows in a 250 acre space. If you head west along the trail you'll soon come to Addington Hills where there's a nice viewpoint to climb to. The Cudham Circular Walk and the Farnborough Circular Walk also pass through the area.

Postcode

BR2 6BP - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Keston Common OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Keston Common Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Pubs/Cafes

Next to the common you'll find the Fox Inn. (postcode: BR2 6BQ). The pub sits in a great spot on the common and includes a nice large beer garden to relax in during the summer months. There's also The Greyhound pub here which does a great Sunday Roast and is dog friendly.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

You could continue along the London Loop to visit High Elms Country Park is a little further east along the London Loop trail but still within walking distance of the common. Here you'll find woodlands, a nature centre, ice well, formal gardens and wildflower meadows in a 250 acre space. If you head west along the trail you'll soon come to Addington Hills where there's a nice viewpoint to climb to. The Cudham Circular Walk and the Farnborough Circular Walk also pass through the area.
The Nash Circular Walk also passes through the common. It starts in the nearby hamlet of Nash and follows trails to Hayes Common and Keston Common.
For more walking ideas in the area see the London Walks page.

Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby

Photos

Keston Common

Woodland on Keston Common

Clearing in Keston Common

Clearing in Keston Common

Ditch of a linear earthwork on Keston Common

The ditch that is part of a linear earthwork on Keston Common.

Keston Common Lower Lake

Keston Common Lower Lake

Keston Common middle lake

Keston Common middle lake

Drinking fountain at Keston Village BR2 - geograph.org.uk - 43872

Drinking fountain at Keston Village BR2. The Fox Inn is the building with cream-coloured walls, and to the left, behind the cars parked on Commonside, stands the Greyhound Inn. The inscription on the drinking fountain in the foreground reads; "This fountain stood opposite the Royal Bell Hotel, Bromley Market, for over 60 years. It was re-erected on this site in January 1937."

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Keston Common.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Keston Common.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)