Loose to Tovil (Maidstone)
A 3 1/2 mile bus walk from Loose to Tovil finishing the walk at Maidstone. The walk is covered by the Ordnance Survey Explorer Map no. 148 “Medway and Maidstone”.
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Take the Arriva bus no 5 from Maidstone and get off at the top of Old Loose Hill. Cross the road and walk back a few meters and take a left turning down towards the village of Loose. At the bottom of the hill cross Loose stream where it goes under the road.
Walk past the Old Chequers Inn and take a right turning into Church Street. On the left is the village cemetery and War Memorial
and on the right is the Baptist Chapel built in 1888
Note the foundation stone laid by C H Spurgeon.
Continuing up Church Street you will see on your left a grade II listed building Church House
In the Churchyard opposite lies the remains of Mary and Thomas Bourne, former residents of Church House.
Turn right after the Church and go down the hill to the stream. Take a little detour to the right to see the back of the Church,
and another listed building Tylers
Retrace your steps and turn right passing the front of Tylers.
Take a left turn down the lane after the row of houses and through a gate into open country. On reaching a mill on you left you can go through a gate past the mill and up the hill to see a medieval barn in the hamlet of Pimp’s Court.
Walk back down the lane to the mill.
Go back through the gate and turn left onto the footpath. You may catch a glimpse of Woodlawn on the left through the trees.
Further along you will see a small bridge where the residents of the house could cross the stream.
Continuing along the footpath you reach another mill and some mill cottages.
The footpath turns into a track as you approach Bockingford Lane where you turn right
Looking back behind the mill on your right you can see the mill stream.
on the left the stream goes behind a row of cottages.
Turn left into Hayle Mill Road past the front of the cottages
Continue down the road past the chimney of Hayle Mill
and past Upper Crisbrook Mill with a mill pond.
Go past the mill and look back to see the water wheel to the right of the building
Close by you will see the memorial to two Boy Scout leaders killed in the first world war.
The stream goes under the road
A metal dam has been used to create a pond
Go past Crisbrook House
Continue up the road, now renamed Cave Hill, and turn right into Straw Mill Hill. Cross Tovil Hill and follow the footpath opposite. The stream is more confined as it goes through Tovil.
Turn right into Lower Tovil and left into Wharf road, crossing the river Medway by a footbridge. Turn right and follow the towpath to the centre of Maidstone
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