Difficulty 2 out of 10. The 9 mile short walk omitting Oare Marshes: is proposed, but feel free to do the 12 mile version if you want.
Start with a loop around Ham Marshes, an isolated area between two creeks. After a lunch stop in either Hollowshore or Oare, continue to Oare Gunpowder Works, where remains of that industry can be seen in what is now a country park. Its Visitor Centre (open 10–4) tells its story and details the local wildlife.
Then, a quiet country lane leads to the hamlet of Luddenham, and its medieval church., where our shorter ending goes back through Oare and Faversham.
Faversham is an attractive market town with many historic buildings. Print out this history trail to find a few.
Lunch: First up, the recommended, tumbledown Shipwright's Arms (01795-590088) in Hollowshore. Oldie worldie, like something out of Dickens, it has a limited menu (burgers, jacket potatoes, sandwiches, etc.), but it does have an interesting range of drinks. It doesn’t take bookings. Not unless your name's Peggoty or Sykes.
Twenty minutes later, in Oare, there’s The Castle (01795-533674) and the more upmarket Three Mariners (01795-533633). Lighter fare is available at The Cafe by the Creek (01795-537985) Advisable to book for all of these.
Tea: There are many possible refreshment places in Faversham, such as The Refinery at 122 West Street open to 9pm .and on Court Street:, Café Guild at #48 open daily to 5pm, and Havishams Caffè at #47 open to 5.30pm . Nearby is Faversham's oldest surviving pub, the quaint old Bear On the way to the station, there’s a Wetherspoon's, the Leading Light (01795-535075) and, nearer it, the Railway Hotel (01795-501550).
Trains:
Get the cheaper, slower Ramsgate train from Victoria, the 09:40 arriving Faversham at 10:49. (You could get the 09:20 from St Pancras arriving at 10:26, but it’s not much faster. And it costs more. And you’d have to wait for the others - you would wait for them, wouldn’t you?)
Trains return at xx:37 and 03 to Victoria and xx:00 to St Pancras. You’d need a Highspeed ticket or supplement for St Pancras.
Directions: here T=swc.420.a
3 comments:
I know it is a late start but I cannot find a net earlier train.
Minded to do the longer version.
@Austen: it looks like there are plenty of earlier trains. The 06:40 from Victoria gets in at 07:49, three minutes after sunrise. Enjoy the dawn chorus!
A select (for a Saturday) group of #11 gathered outside Faversham station in #bright-sunshine-but-it-clouded-over-later. Somewhat slippery muddy conditions were encountered on the Faversham Creek embankment. Seven of us stopped for drinks in the historic Shipwrights pub. One managed to swipe the barmaid's mug of tea,thinking it was their tea order. Hilarity ensued when the real tea arrived. Despite that and a long wait for some to be served, we had a friendly welcome and an enjoyable stop.
Cohesion was good amongst this group. Quickly on to the Castle where two had an efficient lunch of soup and chips, and I think all others, having picknicked outside, had another drink there. Then we pottered around the gunpowder works and continued to the closed Luddenham church. All did the short route back to Faversham, some citing evening engagements.
We were just in time to miss the 1537 train so most had tea or a first mulled wine of the season in the Refinery and caught the 1603. On the platform we met one of those who hadn't stopped at the Shipwrights - he had done the full route. Presumably the remainder had sped ahead for an earlier finish. A fun and sociable day out, thanks for posting!
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