Keston Common, Leaves Green and Holwood House

A Rural Walk Free from the Hustle and Bustle of the Nearby Metropolis

It was on Keston Common that William Wilberforce resolved to start political action to abolish slavery in the British Empire. This area, on the very edge of south London, might be in deepest Dorset, offering quiet byways abounding with wildflowers. The route passes the site of a Roman villa, Leaves Green, Biggin Hill Airfield (a key Battle of Britain fighter station), and the historic Holwood estate.

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Start Point

Keston Common

Grid Ref: TQ 41619 63751

Total Distance

4.9 miles (7.9 km)

Total Climbing

180 metres

Estimated Time

3 hours

Difficulty Grade

Moderate

Trail Navigation Files:

💾 Download GPX Route Google Earth (KMZ) 📖 About Keston

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25,000)

Essential paper map for exploring London South:

161 London South →

The Walk Report

The route passes through Furze Bottom, Leaves Green, and across the edge of Biggin Hill Airfield (a crucial fighter station during the Battle of Britain in 1940). Continuing through the Holwood estate, you reach the historic site where William Pitt and William Wilberforce discussed the abolition of slavery in 1787.

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.

Keston Common, Leaves Green and Holwood House

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25,000)

The Walk Report

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