Distance: Something for everyone…..the full proposed distance is about 13.5 miles/22 km. However, you could do the book 1 walk as written (11.7 miles/18.8 km, with various options to shorten, including a short circular version of 8.5 miles/13.6 km) or for late starters, you could plan to arrive in Amberley about 12:30ish and do the afternoon leg of 9 miles/14 km….
Difficulty: 3-5 out of 10, depending on route taken….
Train: 9:35 AM Portsmouth Harbour train from London Victoria (9:42 Clapham), arriving in Arundel at 11:02. Return trains from Arundel are at 54 minutes past the hour. Please note that for some reason these trains do not stop at East Croydon today -- so plan accordingly.....Buy a day return to Arundel.
The Arundel and Amberley area provides a wealth of delightful walking options, both high along the hills and lower down along the river valley. Additionally, during the month of December, Arundel provides holiday cheer with pretty Christmas decorations and festive fun, making it an ideal place to start and/or finish a walk. I am not sure how many events will take place on Sunday -- but I believe the decorations will be up and lit....Options available today range from a long walk to much shorter options allowing you to spend more time visiting Arundel.
The main proposed route combines two walks from our repertoire for a “high road” circular from Arundel to Amberley for lunch (at the Bridge Inn) and back again on a mostly high route across the downs to Burpham and then along the river to Arundel. The full route is admittedly long for this time of year. However, the last two miles are mostly along the river which is easy to follow in low light.
The route starts with Book 1 Walk 32 on its route through Arundel and Arundel Park which you follow to point 24 where you take the short cut and turn left towards Houghton Bridge…..then pick up Book 2 walk 22 just outside the Amberley train station.
You can find more information about the walk(s), including the various options available, and download the walk instructions here and here.
Look forward to seeing you there!
t=1.32
7 comments:
Hi, I had planned to do this walk -- but will unfortunately now miss it.... I did make a booking for 4 at the Bridge Inn for lunch at 12:30 -- if no one confirms they plan to do the walk I will cancel it later today....
Hi Karen, I plan to do the walk, thanks for booking a table, best, Sarah
Me too, I’ll do the walk
Great! Hope you have a good day! Wish I could be there.....Pub booking is there under pseudonym of karen.....
I will join for lunch an walk afternoon section. Let me know if we need to add to Table for Four?
12 walkers off the delayed-and-also-via-the-slow-way-round (via Epsom) train on a w=sunny day, with a 13th met in Arundel's centre (driven in from Gomshall). We made good progress but split up in Arundel Park into 1 (taken photos), 4 (taken a less steep route) and the rest, before 2 turned right to walk the full version of the 'to Amberley' walk then go home. Walker n=14 was awaiting us at The Bridge Inn, where most found a place inside for lunch, some had to sit outside, and others chose to do that. Of the 3 that had finished food early (sat at the bar or outside), 2 then sped ahead, enjoying the far view from the rim of the downs on the long route. We dropped into the Arun Valley just as the sun was setting behind Arundel Castle, producing some photogenic pinkish sky bits. One other walker overtook us (jogging) to catch the 16.54, and most of the rest recovened in The White Hart, before the 17.54 train or a car ride back to Gomshall or London. (2 had finished from the lunch pub by doing a circuit around Amberley). Quite some mud on the riverside paths and in the woods...
Fun fact: the “slow way round” via Epsom and Dorking is the old main line route for this service. All Arundel and Portsmouth trains from Victoria went this way until Gatwick Airport became a thing, causing the trains to run via that route instead. The fact that it used to be the main line explains why the otherwise rather dozy Dorking-Horsham line via Holmwood and Ockley still exists - luckily for our walks. And it is not a slow way! If it had run to schedule, it would have taken the same amount of time as the normal service.
Didn’t anyone enjoy the moonlight??
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