Rusthall Common and Toad Rock
Rusthall, West Kent
Rusthall Common, on the western edge of Tunbridge Wells, mixes woodland, meadow and ponds with a cluster of wind-carved sandstone outcrops, the most famous being Toad Rock. The Victorians gave many of the rocks names, and today the area is a protected geological site that families enjoy exploring on foot.
Highlights
- Toad Rock, a sandstone outcrop shaped like a crouching toad and fenced since the 1880s
- More named rocks around Denny Bottom, including the Loaf and the Lion
- Happy Valley, with its rocks, caves, the 101 steps and a well-loved viewpoint bench
- Marlpit ponds, home to great crested newts, dragonflies and damselflies
- Bull's Hollow, an old quarry that is good for scrambling
Good to know
- The rocks are part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest
- Adults should supervise young children on the rocks; climbing is at your own risk
- No cycling, barbecues, drones or vehicles on the Commons
- A downloadable map and a short Rusthall walk of about 30 minutes start near St Paul's Church
Getting there
Rusthall Common and Toad Rock, Rusthall Common, Denny Bottom, Rusthall, Royal Tunbridge WellsParking: No car park; parking is on local roads in Rusthall, so be mindful of residents. Coordinates are for Toad Rock.
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More things to do in Tunbridge Wells
Nearby
Photo of Royal Tunbridge Wells: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0Hurst Wood
Hurst Wood is a 17-hectare Woodland Trust wood tucked into a valley between Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall, with a winding stream crossed by many small bridges. Oak, birch, chestnut and big beech trees make it colourful in autumn, and it is carpeted with bluebells in late spring.
Photo of Royal Tunbridge Wells: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0Tunbridge Wells Common and Wellington Rocks
Tunbridge Wells Common is a large stretch of heath, woodland and grass running right up to the town centre, with the sandstone outcrop of Wellington Rocks as its best known landmark. Children scramble over the rocks, families picnic on the slopes, and walkers can follow the line of an old racecourse that was used until 1851.
Friezland Wood
Friezland Wood is a small Woodland Trust wood near High Rocks on the west side of Tunbridge Wells, with a stream, spring flowers and unusual sandstone outcrops on its western edge. Near its south-west boundary are the remains of an Iron Age hill fort.