Length: 19½ km (12.1 miles). Four hours 45 minutes walking time. 5 out of 10.
Longer, after lunch option, via Chartwell: 22¾ km (14.1 miles)
"Much of this walk is on the wooded Greensand Ridge running parallel to and just south of the North Downs. At various points in the walk there are views across the valley to these downs, contrasting with far-reaching views out to the High Weald from the southern escarpment.
The outward route is across the National Trust's Limpsfield Common, the High Chart and Squerryes Park. This brings you to Westerham, described by Daniel Defoe as a “neat, handsome, well-built market town”. Quebec House owned by the National Trust' is open Wed–Sun afternoons from mid-March to October; admission is £7 (2022).
The afternoon route climbs onto the wooded Crockhamhill Common, from where an optional extension loops out to Churchill's family home Chartwell, also owned by the National Trust. The garden and restaurant are open throughout the year, but the house is only open from March to October; admission is £20 or £14 for the garden only (2022). "
Trains: With another strike day, there is only an hourly service, but it was running last weekend and there is a pub next to the station to while away the time on your return. Get the 0950 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham 0957, East Croydon 1010) arriving 1032. Return trains to Victoria xx27.
Lunch: In Westerham after 9km (5.6m), various options. The Kings Arms Hotel (01959-562990) is a Greene King pub and the Grasshopper on the Green (01959-562926) is a free house advertising local beers, and the George & Dragon has been revamped (01959-928414).
1 comment:
Not a bad day at all. W=Variable-sun-and-cloud I call this type of weather. Often sunny, sometimes quite grey. Once after lunch drizzling a bit, but we’ll overlook that this time if it promises to try harder in future.
A very apostolic N=12 of us. Good group cohesion in the morning, apart from yours truly stopping at Limpsfield Chart to enjoy a buddleia bush covered in red admirals, peacocks and commas, thereby also separating my companion from the group. We later got a bit….creative, shall we say?…. with the route.
Despite our tardiness, the others very nicely saved us two places in the not-at-all busy George & Dragon for lunch. (Are any pubs busy these days?). Eight of us ate there and very pleasant it was too. Nice service. The sandwichers waited patiently for us, but not that patiently as all but one had gone on when we finally emerged.
Two left after lunch to go to France. The rest of us carried on, in the aforementioned slight drizzle. I got left behind - not due to butterfly watching, but just because I was slow. Not expecting to catch up with the group and realising I was not that far from Chartwell, I went there for tea (scone, jam and cream - 745 calories: thanks for telling me that, National Trust).
I had a largely sunny walk to Hurst Green by my own route, getting the 18.22 train. The others apparently got to Oxted about 4.30pm, went to the cinema cafe for tea and got the 17.27. Another good rail strike day out….
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