SWC Walk 238 - Tunbridge Wells to Hildenborough via Bidborough
Length: 17.7km (11 miles), with shorter option 14.3km (8.8 miles)
Toughness: 2 out of 10
9.30 train from Charing Cross (9.33 Waterloo East) to Tunbridge Wells, arriving 10.39.
Buy a day return to Tunbridge Wells.
For walk directions click here.
This walk had its debut last September and has not, I think, had an outing since. It is a gentle ramble north from Tunbridge Wells into delightful Weald territory, coming to the village of Bidborough after 7.3km (4.5 miles), where the Kentish Hare will probably be the best pub lunch stop for most, though there is a later option 12.9km (8 miles) into the walk that speedier walkers may just be able to get to.
In the afternoon you descend into flatter territory, crossing the pleasant Haysden Country Park and following the River Eden for a way. Here there is a possible short cut into Tonbridge which reduces the walk length to 14.3km (8.8 miles)
Otherwise you end the walk Hildenborough, where a cafe run by Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes is one of the tea options if you can get here by 5pm.
Trains back from Hildenborough are at 28 and 58 past till 19.58, then hourly at 58 past till 22.58
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2 comments:
Intend going and doing the full walk.
n=13 on this walk. The lunch time pub was a bit expensive, £18 per person, crisps £1.50 etc. Everyone seemed to have a good time despite it being muddy and a bit cold. Got to Kelly Holmes tearoom before the dreaded 5 o'clock closure, and everybody subsequently enjoyed tea and cakes. Kelly wasn't there though, probably getting ready for work in Rio.
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