Broad Oak Brede between woodland and history

Broad Oak Brede can be explored for travel planning through its natural environment and local history. Topics include Brede High Woods with its signposted trails, historical traces in the woodland and local history dating back up to 1,000 years.

Woodland landscape and trails

Brede High Woods lies between Cripps Corner and Broad Oak Brede in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The area includes ancient woodland, open grassland and sandy heathland. Both wooded and open landscapes therefore form part of the area’s natural character.

Brede High Woods has a signposted 1.2-kilometre circular route and a longer 2.4-kilometre walking route. The circular route is half the length of the longer route. If you want to choose based on distance, these two figures offer a clear comparison.

The Broad Oak Walk is 3 miles long and rated easy. That is around 4.8 kilometres, or roughly twice the length of the longer walking route in Brede High Woods. As well as its distance, its easy rating is a useful point of reference. Check the route details locally if you plan to include it in your itinerary. An official 2005 leaflet also describes the Broad Oak Walk as a route that passes Brede Church.

Local history and historical traces

The history trail in Brede High Woods includes medieval woodbanks and the former site of Brede High Farm. Two distinct historical traces are highlighted here: the medieval woodbanks and the former farm site. The trail connects local history with the landscape and its past.

St George's Parish Church in Brede offers a glimpse of local history at this site dating back up to 1,000 years. Listed buildings provide a different historical reference: Brede Methodist Church is Grade II listed, and Reysons Farmhouse in Broad Oak is Grade II*. This lets you distinguish between the church’s long local history and the different listing categories of the two buildings. The church in Brede conveys the long timespan of local history; the trail complements it with specific historical traces in the woodland landscape.

Refreshments along the way

The Tangye Tea Bar at the Brede Steam Giants serves light refreshments and homemade cakes. Alongside the trails and historical topics, it offers a specific place to stop for a bite to eat. When planning your stay, you can consider these offerings as a separate focus alongside woodland and local history.

Discover more destinations: Woodnesborough, Romney Marsh, Goudhurst, Longfield, Sevenoaks Weald, Ide Hill, Charing, Marden

For the broader travel overview: Kent.