Tunbridge Wells Common and Wellington Rocks
Royal Tunbridge Wells, West Kent
Photo of Royal Tunbridge Wells: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0Photo of Royal Tunbridge Wells: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0
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.
Highlights
- Wellington Rocks, a sandstone outcrop that is popular for scrambling
- A circuit of the old racecourse, now a footpath and bridleway
- Brighton Lake and Fir Tree Pond, home to frogs, newts and dragonflies
- Royal Victoria Grove, an avenue first planted in 1835
- Downloadable maps and suggested walks of 45 to 75 minutes
Good to know
- Toilets near Wellington Rocks are run by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
- No cycling (except on the byway from Cabbage Stalk Lane to Major York's Road), no barbecues and no drones
- Adults should supervise young children on the rocks; climbing is at your own risk
- Keep dogs in sight and off the cricket outfields
Getting there
Tunbridge Wells Common and Wellington Rocks, Tunbridge Wells Common, Fir Tree Road and Mount Ephraim, Royal Tunbridge WellsParking: Free parking area on Fir Tree Road for Common users, limited to four hours and beside a cricket ground. There is also a pay car park, known as the Fairground car park, at the bottom of Major York's Road. Coordinates are for Wellington Rocks.
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More things to do in Tunbridge Wells
Nearby
Photo of Royal Tunbridge Wells: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0The Forum
The Forum is a small, independent live music venue in a former public toilet block on the Common, a few minutes from Tunbridge Wells station. It hosts touring bands, local acts, tribute nights and club nights, and runs a second room in the basement of the Sussex Arms on The Pantiles.
Photo of Royal Tunbridge Wells: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0Tales of Tunbridge Wells audio trail
A free app that guides you round 30 historic sites in Tunbridge Wells, from the Chalybeate Spring to the Forum, using short recordings made by historians, shopkeepers, clergy and residents in 2019. It follows the town's story from the spring's discovery in 1606 to today, and works just as well from your sofa.
Image: The PantilesThe Pantiles
The Pantiles is the Georgian colonnaded walk at the heart of Royal Tunbridge Wells, created after the discovery of a chalybeate spring in the early 17th century gave the town its name. Today it is lined with boutique shops, cafes, restaurants and bars, and is known for its jazz nights. It is free to wander and makes an easy couple of hours on any visit to the town.