If you’re looking for a day trip out of south east London that’s within easy reach, Eynsford makes for the perfect spring adventure.

Located in Kent within the Darent Valley, known for its Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Eynsford is a quaint village surrounded by the Kent countryside and brimming with local history.

This Is Local London: Eynsford is in an Area of Outstanding Natural BeautyEynsford is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Image: Sevenoaks District Council)

Eynsford is estimated to date to 864, with Roman and Norman settlements found in and around the village.

With its quaint cottages, countryside pubs and views of the rolling hills of Kent, it’s easy to see why this area is so coveted by homeowners.

According to Rightmove, nine properties were sold in Eynsford in the last year, with the cheapest being a two-bedroom flat for £100,500 and the most expensive being a five-bedroom detached house for £775,000

This Is Local London: Eynsford has quaint cottages and countryside pubsEynsford has quaint cottages and countryside pubs (Image: Instagram user @emmaslittlewanderings)

Eynsford has easy and quick links with London via train and car, for anyone looking for a place to live within easy reach of the city but with the benefits of the countryside.

The village is a 30-minute drive from south east London off the M25, or by train via London Blackfriars and Sevenoaks, with links to twelve south east London stations including Bromley South, Catford and Peckham Rye.

A direct train journey from Bromley South lasts 18 minutes with single fare tickets costing £7.20.

The village is home to a ford crossable by bridge, along with a local sweet shop dating back hundreds of years along with four pubs.

This Is Local London: The village was a filming location for The LarkinsThe village was a filming location for The Larkins (Image: Instagram user @emmaslittlewanderings)

Eynsford was also the filming location for the popular ITV series The Larkins, in which the village served as the backdrop in a number of episodes, with locations such as The Village Hall, Castle Hotel and The Ford being featured in the series.

For visitors looking for an itinerary of things to do, Eynsford has a number of local attractions including Eagle Heights, Lullingstone Roman Villa and Lullingstone Castle just a short drive away from the village.

The village is also home to Eynsford Castle which, according to owners English Heritage, is considered to be a “rare survival” of an early Norman castle dating back to around 1080 when it was built by William de Eynsford.

Today visitors of the castle can still see its surviving walls, including the hall building where the inhabitants would have lived when it was first built.

This Is Local London: Eynsford Castle is an early Norman castle dating back to around 1080Eynsford Castle is an early Norman castle dating back to around 1080 (Image: Historic England)

A short way from the village you’ll find Lullingstone Roman Villa, now owned by English Heritage, this historical site is what remains of a Roman villa that dates to 100 AD.

Visitors will be able to explore the 4th century luxury home and see examples of Roman wall art and plumbing, along with artefacts depicting what life was like in Roman occupied Kent.

A short way from Eynsford is Lullingstone Castle, one of England’s oldest family estates dating back to the 15th century, with a manor house and vibrant gardens to explore.

Bird lovers can also visit the nearby attraction of Eagle Heights, which is home to a huge variety of birds of prey, along with other animals including meerkats and farm animals.

This Is Local London: Eynsford Viaduct is a nine-arch red brick structure built in 1859.Eynsford Viaduct is a nine-arch red brick structure built in 1859. (Image: Instagram user @emmaslittlewanderings)

Eynsford is also a popular spot for walkers and hikers, on account of the countryside walks offering scenic views of the Darent Valley and hills.

One popular walk is the eight-mile hike from Darent Way to Shoreham, taking walkers on a loop of Eynsford and touring Shoreham and Shoreham Lavender fields, which are fragrant with the scent of fresh lavender in the summer months.

The walk also passes through popular spots including Lullingstone Castle and Eynsford Viaduct, a nine-arch red brick structure built in 1859.

After all that walking, Eynsford has several country pubs to choose from, should you fancy stopping off for a drink, including the Plough Inn, offering dishes inspired by the seasons, or the Malt Shovel, a dog friendly pub with outdoor seating for the warmer months, and the Five Bells Pub, which was used as a filming location in The Larkins.

This Is Local London: The Plough Inn offers dishes inspired by the seasonsThe Plough Inn offers dishes inspired by the seasons (Image: Mitchells & Butlers)