Length 17.2 km (10.7 miles), 3/10
An early posting because I will be away. This walk, not far from London, worked well in February last year. Kent countryside, villages and lanes with "brief glimpses into the past" along the way with a characterful lunch pub.
Travel: 0942 from Victoria (Denmark Hill 0952, Bromley South 1006), arriving 1021. Return trains hourly at 32 past the hour with an extra one at 1702. Get a return to Sole Street.
Lunch: The Ship Inn, Southfleet, Tel. 01474 833238, got a good reception previously. It is 9.5km (about 6 miles) into the walk. It's a 13th century building made from the timbers of a ship that ran aground in the river Fleet!
Tea: The Railway Inn, Sole Street is just next to the station and makes a good place to wait if you've just missed a train back.
For walk directions, map and GPX click here
T=swc.207
2 comments:
N=11 of us alighted from the train, and after introductions most set off the wrong way ! They soon realised their mistake and caught up with the four of us who (smugly) followed the written directions.
Today's walk consisted mostly of big fields and big skies, with some nice views. As for the weather, it was w=overcast-with-occasional sunshine-dry-and-very-mild, pleasant walking conditions. The mud was manageable and less than expected: the only challenging bit was on the Weald Way as we approached Sole Street towards walk-end.
Just two of us stopped at the Ship Inn at Southfleet, to enjoy a good lunch - and an excellent pint of Timmy Taylors. One of the sandwichers joined us for a pint, and the other sandwichers dined near the church. The sandwichers - apart from the pub visitor - set off well before the pub diners had finished their meals - presumably they caught the 16-32 service at Sole Street if they stopped for walk-end refreshments. The faster pub diner probably caught up with the others, but the two back markers took the afternoon more steadily and were in good time for the 17-02 service - except it was (eventually) cancelled after the usual shenanigans - posted as a few minutes late, then a few more, then delayed, and after another ten minutes - cancelled - and bollocks to the world ! So we retired to the Railway Inn, and returned to the platform for the 17-32 service, which arrived on time. It was full, but we found seats.
A pleasant day's walking. En route there were some excellent displays of wild daffodils, plenty of crocuses and some late snowdrops plus many more early Spring flowers to add to the pleasure of the walk. Nice company today, too ! But where were you all last week in the rain at Box Hill ?
As one of those who wrongly crossed over to the London platform, having misunderstood the first few words of the directions (exit the London train platform), I can fill in a few missing details. We (the picnickers) did indeed eat in the grounds of St Nicholas's Church. After lunch, we had a little difficulty finding our way to the "scrappy field" in Southfleet, so decided to walk along New Barn Road and down the hill to Brakefield Road, instead. Despite these navigational hiccups, we got to Sole Street at about 2.35 p.m. Thinking we had just missed a train, we were about to make our way to the Railway Inn, when one of our number noticed that the 14.32 train was in fact running 20 minutes late. Three of us waited for the train, while the other two, who had planned to do an extra 2½ mile loop, sought refreshments beforehand in said Railway Inn.
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