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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.

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Wadhurst Circular via Bewl Water

Wadhurst Circular via Bewl Water

The Sussex Border path to Bewl Water, then along its banks back to Wadhurst for tea. Gentle gradients but never flat.

Book 3* Walk 5      *online only

Length :  17 km or 10½ miles

Toughness :  5 out of 10

Getting there :  Catch the 10:15 am train from London Charing Cross to Wadhurst
Calling stations:

  1. Waterloo East: departs 10:18
  2. Orpington:     departs 10:39
  3. Sevenoaks:     departs 10:49

Meeting point :  Wadhurst Station at 11:19

Tickets :  Buy a cheap day return to Wadhurst

Brief Description

If you've still some energy left after the many walks on offer over the Bank Holiday, then this stroll might be the one for you. It's a little different to the walks on the west of Wadhurst, this "east side stroll" visits Bewl Water and part of the Sussex Border Path.
It's a bit of a trek from the tea stop at Wadhurst to it's station, 2 miles/3 km (nothing unusual there!). However 4 can share a cab (about £6) or you may catch a 254 bus at 4 minutes past the hour at the bus stop just outside The Greyhound.  (The walk notes suggest continuing on the bus to Tunbridge Well station where there are more frequent trains).
You may find full details of this walk here and a downloadable PDF here

Suggested Lunch stop

The Old Vine, Cousley Wood t: 01892 782271

Suggested Tea stops

The White Hart  Wadhurst, TN5 7AP t:01892 782850
The Greyhound  Wadhurst, TN5 6AP t:01892 783224
Wealden Wholefoods Café Wadhurst, TN5 6AA  t:01892 783065 (Closes 3:30pm Wednesday, but mentioned for the hares)

Maps

OS Explorer : 136

Return train times

Trains return from Wadhurst at the following times ... 16:00 | 16:25 | 16:57 | 17:24 | 17:59

Too much detail ? Every half an hour at about 25 past and 5 to the hour :-) 

7 comments:

Marion said...

At last I can get my connecting train to join the Waterloo East departure. Anyone interested in the short walk to experience the unusual cakes on offer from the owner of the whole foods cafe? He did stay open later than the advertised 3,30pm when I was last there on a Wednesday but only because I promised him some trade from the late walkers.

Anonymous said...

Hope to walk jfk
Richmond Boro Commander suspended for alleged mis conduct .alleluia at last.

Marc Ricketts said...

If you go from London Bridge then you need to change at Orpington. Train departs from London Bridge at 10:07am.

Marc Ricketts said...

If you go from London Bridge then you need to change at Orpington. Train departs from London Bridge at 10:07am.

Marion said...

8 on walk-Sunny all day. Great route. No mud and a fab lunch served with record speed by the really efficient staff managed by Sarah the new owner. We did book however for 6 and were glad we did . A large party of vintage car owners were also present but did not impede the service. Excellent prices too. Does B and B too.

The whole food cafe was open til 4.30pm where 4 of us spent a sunny sojourn in the garden with homemade cakes and leaf tea. One walker spent £20 on provisions here. Another having walked the short cut bought a Paramo jacket at the shop across the road from the cafe so Wadworth did quite well today. The cottage cafe closed at 3,30pm instead of staying open til 4pm as advertised on the door! Another sampled 2 pints in the pub and we all travelled back on the 5.28 train. Arthur Dent and our lunch monitor stayed on the longer walk and were not seen again!

Anonymous said...

n=8 w=sunny

Anonymous said...

This truly was a delightful day out. The recent cold wind had subsided and it was w=sunny_all_day.
n=8 of the train at Wadhurst, peeling off layers as the temperature rose.
The Sussex Border Path was adorned with blossom and the whole countryside had become decidedly verdant.
The Old Vine at Cousely Wood (under new management since late 2015) had copious dining space, were well organised, unflustered, efficient and cheerful, bliss!
Car enthusiasts would have enjoyed the MG car club cars in the car park. (Overlooked by the owners who had tucked themselves on a corner to keep an eye on them!)
One walker disappeared after lunch (did she join the MG enthusiasts?) and the remaining 7 headed off to Bewl Water for the afternoon leg. One took the short cut back to Wadhurst to sample Wealden Wholefoods Café's finest cuisine and the remaining six continued alongside the waters of Bewl. Two dallied behind to enjoy the vistas and chose the longer route back to Wadhurst enjoying further stretches of Bewl Water, soft fruit orchards and fields of blackcurrants. All in all a great day out for everyone.