Backup Only

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 27 February 2016

Balcombe Circular or Walk Research from Balcombe to Horsham

t=1.16 Length: 17.6km (10.9m)
Toughness: 5/10
Transport: Take the 9:42 from London Bridge to Balcombe arriving at 10:22
Return from Balcombe at xx:22 until 19:22, then xx:59

From the walk description:
This is a walk full of small delights: a nature reserve and lake with Japanese pavilion down by the stream below the gardens and park of Nymans with its part-ruined manor house; a churchyard in Slaugham (pronounced 'Slaffam') with a 600-year-old yew tree some 10 metres in circumference; the ruins of Slaugham Manor; then a walk down to the River Ouse – with the incongruous sight of a Roman arch and columns in the middle of nowhere – and later up through fields and woods to the fine old village of Balcombe.

I would like to offer the option to continue the walk to Horsham by map after lunch instead of returning to Balcombe. This option does not seem to exist yet for this walk but could be added to the walk instructions.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Anyone doing this one?

Anonymous said...

I'm keen to do the Balcombe circular. The return fare to Balcombe is only £8.50 from any London Thameslink station, very good value.

Unknown said...

I will joining in.

Anonymous said...

Looks like The Chequers has closed but the Red Lion in Handcross is open

Anonymous said...

From London Bridge with network card only costs £5.6.

Thanks for posting this book one classic, not too far, not too long, not too tough, not expensive fare, what not to like!

I am in.

Anonymous said...

n=25 ish, w=cloudy_with_sunny_intervals, This first book classic never fails its attraction. Some mud in various places but not too demanding. 12 had lunch in Red Lion, food was delicious and fish & chips barometer was 8/10 but fish cake was in tiny portion. At least 3 had lunch in Royal Oak, report was also good. I found lunch at Handcross was a bit early in the walk, we got to the pub just after 12pm. This left 2/3 of the walk in the afternoon. Thankfully, more refreshment opportunities on route. At least 10 stopped at the pub in Staplefield for further fuelling (Others pressed on and caught earlier train). Another deserving drink in the pub at Balcombe (as the tea room was long shut) before catching 5:22pm train back to London. Two GPSs registered 12 miles instead of advertised 10.9 miles. With mud underfoot, it felt 12 miles plus. Three more walkers who did the walk independently appeared at the station. A great day out for all.

Dirk said...

Three walkers continued the walk from Slaugham to Horsham. The plan was to simply follow some public footpaths to and through the open access area to the east of Horsham. But with a surprising end of a path in the middle of the woods with no indication of any continuation the compass became the crucial tool to find our way out of the woods. After some stumbling through the woods (Horsham is due West !) we found some other path which lead us roughly in the right direction and ultimately out of the woods and on to Horsham. However, the open access area indeed proved to be an enchanting woodland with some attractive streams meandering through it and merits further investigation. The connection between this woodland and the walk to/from Balcome also requires further research in order to avoid a busy road and a long track along a tarmaced drive.