9.00 train from Waterloo, arriving at Haslemere at 9.53.
From Clapham Junction take the 8.57 to Woking, changing there for the above train (arrive 9.15, depart 9.25)
Buy a day return to Haslemere
I am in loco Stargazeris this week, so here is one of her walks. The early train is due to there being an 8 mile walk to lunch.
If you like, this is also a Scotland training walk, since it climbs to the Temple of the Winds, one of the south’s airiest heights. However a shortcut in the afternoon, reducing the length to 12 miles, means non-training types can do it too.
If you are not all bluebelled-out by now, there are some nice woods late morning, which along with the blue stuff are flecked with other spring flowers.
Lunch is (hopefully) in the deservedly popular Duke of Cumberland pub, with its idyllic garden. It is always busy. In the past garden tables were on a non-reserved basis. Food is served till 2.30pm and you can expect to get there at 1.15-1.30pm. The King’s Arms, the earlier alternative mentioned in the walk details, seems to be permanently closed.
Before the end of the walk you come to the Cowdray Park cafe, a wonderful tea stop, with outside tables and excellent cakes. It is open till 5pm. Midhurst also has various pubs etc.
At the end of the walk you have to get a bus back to Haslemere. These leave at 16.05, 17.05, 18.10 and 19.15.
Trains back from Haslemere are at 00 and 32 past, with a slightly slower one at 37 past.
1 comment:
13 braved the somewhat early train for this one. I spent the morning mentally preparing clichés about baker’s dozens and it being lucky for some, but then another turned up at lunch, having inadvertently got a later train for some reason I did not quite understand. She claimed to have passed three other late starters en route, though no one else saw any sign of them the entire day. After rigorous cross-examination the report was accepted as valid, however, making 17 in all. Then at the end of the walk there were two more who it turned out had parked at the lunch pub and done the afternoon. So N=19. (Phew! I am worn out already and this is only the first paragraph.)
This made a grand outing. A pity its author could not be with us. A good long climb to the Temple of the Winds to train up the Scotland trip aspirants. Then lovely ancient woods on the approach to Henley. The bluebells are over really, but there was pignut and lots of yellow pimpernel. Also a veritable army assault course of fallen trees to climb over at times.
Three of us did a slight diversion into the heart of Verdley Wood, just before Henley, to see the very rare (in these parts at least) pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly. (If I told you exactly where it is to be found, I would have to kill you...) We were grateful to an enthusiast with a long lens for showing us the location of one, which sadly soon flew off. But one is better than none, that is my motto.
At the Duke of Cumberland one of our number had booked a table for five. It was a sad business to be sat inside on such a lovely day (actually sometimes cloudy, but w=mostly-sunny, and unexpectedly hot towards the end). The waiting staff took pity on us and suggested we might like to move to an outside table. I seized on this suggestion with alacrity and shanghaied my companions into doing the same. So we dined in the garden with a lovely view across the valley to the Temple of the Winds. Others joined us for drinks.
After lunch we set off, passing a horse having a shower. (Or being hosed down at least: I was specifically asked to mention this.) Many or all of us elected to do the shorter afternoon route. We turned too early onto this and went astray, so had to do some “bushwhacking” to get back onto the correct path. Also good Scottish training no doubt.
This got us to the Cowdray Park cafe for tea at 4pm. Thence to the ruined mansion and on a loop around the castle that was even bigger than the one recommended in the walk directions.
We got to the pub in the square by the church in Midhurst at 5.30ish, and sat outside it for the next hour and a half, eventually swelling to a party of nine. There was some defeatist talk of the 6.10 bus but that was swiftly squashed in favour of the 7.15. And talking of swifts, a shrieking band of them flew overhead, heading north west: the first I have seen this year.
Despite what seemed like a long bus ride we surprisingly got to Haslemere to see the delayed 19.32 train just pulling in. Even more surprisingly two bottles of wine were pulled out once we were on it. This too, I understand, could considered training for the Scotland trip, and we had a very diligent session of it.
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