Length: 17 km (10.6 miles). Toughness: 4/10
09:51 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 09:58, East Croydon 10:09), changing at Oxted (arr 10:33, dep 10:38) for the Uckfield train waiting on the adjacent platform, arriving Eridge at 11:05.
If you miss this train and decide to take the one an hour later, consider getting off at Ashurst (the stop before Eridge) and doing the walk's Alternative Start from this station. It's 2½ km shorter than the Eridge start, so you should reach the Crown Inn in Groombridge from the other direction only about 20 minutes behind the main group.
Trains back from Eridge are hourly at xx:51, again changing at Oxted for East Croydon and Victoria.
This walk used to have a choice of two fairly short afternoon legs, but these have now been stitched together so that both the imposing Harrisons Rocks and the RSPB's Broadwater Warren reserve are included. This is actually the first outing for this extended version, although both of the original endings are still available if you want a shorter walk.
Other features on this walk are the steam locos and heritage diesels to be seen (and heard) on the Spa Valley Railway at Eridge and Groombridge, and a close-up view of Groombridge Place, a Jacobean manor house surrounded by a medieval moat.
Walkers who want a pub lunch in Groombridge usually go for the Crown Inn overlooking the green; the alternative is ten minutes away in the main part of the village, the Junction Inn. At the end of the walk you can unwind in The Huntsman pub, a stone's throw from Eridge station.
You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.120
3 comments:
#9 left Eridge station under #overcast-but-warm-not-to-say-humid-conditions. The essential and charming anarchy of SWC quickly manifested itself at Mott's Mill where we split into high-roaders and low-roaders into Groombridge where further division occurred between picnickers and those dining at either the Crown or the Junction, both reported to be serving very satisfactory food. Much discussion and poring over maps and walk directions after lunch led to the majority taking the longer route back whilst two set off to walk past Groombridge station, collecting another who was finishing a very leisurely lunch at the Junction. At this point one of our number, suffering from post-Covid fatigue, exercised a woman's right to choo-choos and decided to take the steam train back to Eridge. The remaining two then took their own route (all right, were too busy chatting among themselves to pay attention to the walk directions) back to Eridge, arriving in light rain in time for a quick drink at the Huntsman, whose garden was positively heaving with diners listening to a live band and singer. Not quite sure what that was in aid of!
I think you have won the walk report Golden Groan of 2022 there, Brian!
Couldn't resist it.
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