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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 1 February 2017

Wednesday Walk - Lenham to Hollingbourne

SWC Walk 1a - Lenham to Hollingbourne

Length: 14 5 km (9 miles)
Toughness: 3 out of 10

London Victoria: 10-22 hrs Canterbury West train (Bromley South 10-39 hrs)
Arrive Lenham: 11-35 hrs

Return: Hollingbourne to Victoria: 23 & 59 mins past the hour

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Lenham

I have little recollection of this walk (the only time I ventured out on it was in February 2009) other than during the morning our group of nine was knee deep in fresh, drifting snow. Otherwise, my notes just state it was a nice walk - so there you go - it must be worth another winter's outing.......

The original suggested lunch pub (the Blacksmiths Arms) appears no longer to serve lunch on weekdays (just Sundays) so your lunch stop today should be The Ringlestone Inn in Harrietsham, some 6 km into the walk which from write ups sounds good. Best 'phone ahead with numbers: 01622-859900.

Other than that, I leave it to you all to read the Directions and notes on what I hope is a pleasant walk in Kent.
T=swc.1.a
Directions here: L=swc.1

Next Week, Wednesday 08 February: Book 2, Walk 9a - Kintbury Circular

4 comments:

Marion said...

11 off the train 5 booked for lunch all hoping that the forecast would be optimistic for a break in the rain and mist. Sadly the ground was so sticky in the unrelenting drizzle we were glad to reach the lunch stop after 1.30pm and I for one refused to continue. 3 others set off before me to walk by road to Hollingbourne station but i was offered a lift by a couple who took pity on me and we 4 caught the 4pm train to Victoria. Quite the earliest i've ever returned from a Wednesday walk. How did the others get on who walked in the afternoon?

Marcus said...

I believe our 5 sandwichers continued the walk in the rain to Hollingbourne, with 2 others taking the road to Harrietsham (I hope they made it OK) and our independent walker doing her own thing, per usual.
I continued with one other on the main walk - open fields, some woods, and more large fields. Briefly, around 4 pm, the rain stopped and mist/fog descended, making route following tricky. The final descent from the fields above Hollingbourne was on nasty, slippery, muddy paths and I for one had difficulty remaining upright. My younger companion found this going easier. Our walk through the village was by now in the dark and we made the station in good time for the 17-59 hrs train.
The company today - eleven regular mid-week walkers - was, as always, most enjoyable, with plenty of good chat in the rain. We also enjoyed the cosy, quirky Ringlestone Inn which served nice, home cooked meals. And despite the weather, it was pleasant to breathe in clear, country air after London's recent polluted conditions. As for the walk, it is exactly eight years since I last did it, and I would be quite happy to leave it another eight years before venturing out on it again.

Anonymous said...

n=11 w=wet

Anonymous said...

In spite of adverse weather conditions the morning walk was enjoyable . After lunch at the lovely oldie worldy Ringlestone Pub with its roaring fires I departed by road for Hollinbourne in the mist. En route I encountered q full aniseed type hunt with the
collection of hounds and horses. It was a wonderful sight to see in the English countryside.
I had to get get back a bit earlier than some to attend my book club followed by my two hour Scottishcountry dance class. jfk

Saw 3 of the others on the train