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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Saturday 20 June 2015

Walk 3-106b: Ham Street Circular

Length: 23.5km (14.6 miles), Toughness: 4/10 T=3.106.b

Trains: High speed 9:34 from St. Pancras International changing at Ashford International (arr. 10:11, dep. 10:33) to Ham Street arriving at 10:41. Alternatively catch the 8:52 from Victoria (Bromley South 9:09) arriving at Ashford 10:21 to transfer to the 10:33. Buy a day return to Ham Street.
Return trains from Ham Street are at xx:10 changing at Ashford for the high speed at xx:43 or slow at xx:35.

Options: It is possible to reduce the walk by 5km by finishing at Appledore.

Lunch: The suggested lunch stop is the newly reopened Woolpack Inn (01233 732 900) in Warehorne about 9.5km into the walk. An earlier stop is possible at the Blue Anchor in Ruckinge after 4km but that leaves nearly 20km to complete after lunch.

Tea: The Dukes Head pub in Ham Street.

Directions: For more information including directions, maps, GPS etc. see SWC.106

1 comment:

Sean said...

SWC Inspector's Report 2015/06/20/3/106b/Ham Street Circular. N=0 walkers. W=Gloomy.

Full marks to Mark R for spotting that Warehorne's Woolpack Inn had reopened in May (the previous landlord having allegedly decamped with the Christmas money in 2013), making this walk on the fringes of Romney Marsh viable once again.

Not for the first time, this inspector failed to make it up in time to do the full walk but belatedly made his way to Warehorne, arriving at 12.40. Hopes were briefly raised at the cheering sight of 20+ walkers milling about, but all seemed to be on a local outing and inquiries about the Saturday Walkers elicited only blank stares of non-recognition. Were any hiding away in a back room?

In the interests of research I diligently sampled the craft beers and a couple of courses (excellent food, freshly prepared, promptly served), but no-one else appeared in the next hour. A desultory stroll across the marshes to Kennardington church and back alongside the canal almost tempted me to do some further research, but I decided instead to head for the tea stop on the Tonbridge-Hadlow walk. I can confirm Walker's report of a healthy attendance on at least one SWC walk.

PS. As one pub rises from the ashes, another bites the dust. Locals told me that the early lunch stop on this walk (the Blue Anchor in Ruckinge) is closed and up for sale.