Length: 16.3 km (10.1 miles), with longer options (see below). Toughness: 5/10
10:23 East Grinstead train from London Bridge (Norwood Jct 10:35, East Croydon 10:39), arriving Hurst Green at 11:03. Buy a return to Hurst Green, which will be valid for any of the return options. Note that there are no trains from Victoria or Clapham Jct to East Croydon.
Several new walks were added to the SWC site during the pandemic and it's about time we gave this one an outing, even though one of its banner photos appears to show the walk author being charged by a grumpy-looking longhorned beast. However, I'm reassured that at least one other brave soul has tried out the directions and returned to tell the tale, as there are a couple of helpful comments on its walk page which are worth noting.
In the morning there's a gentle climb up Pains Hill followed by a longer one onto the North Downs escarpment. After a couple of hours you'll reach Tatsfield with its village green, pond and The Old Ship, for those seeking a pub lunch. The afternoon leg is easier and where there's a choice of routes, I suggest taking the one into Warlingham Green. I doubt if the village's coffee shops will still be open but there are a couple of pubs for refreshment, after which you have three options:
- Continue with the main walk directions to Riddlesdown station (+5.3 km); trains at xx:12 & xx:42
- Follow the alternative directions to Upper Warlingham station (+2.7 km); trains at xx:08 & xx:38
- End the walk here and catch a bus from the stop on the green: either a TfL 403 to Croydon (every 20 mins, at around 07/27/47), or a non-TfL 409 to Upper Warlingham station (hourly to 17:55, connects with the xx:08)
You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.367
3 comments:
Hello there, just wanted to check if this walk is going ahead and where would be the meet up point. Thank you!
@Unknown: Hi there, if you haven't tried one of our group walks before, please click the FAQ button. Look around for fellow-walkers on the platform at Hurst Green.
A respectable turnout of n=12 (plus dog) for this new walk in w=autumnal weather. The walk lived up to its billing and I for one was pleased to discover some new paths in my local area. Half of us had some decent pub grub in Ye Old Ship and the whole group stayed together all the way to Warlingham. Two locals finished here at the White Lion, but the rest all carried on to Riddlesdown or Upper Warlingham.
Some of the features on the ground seemed to have changed since the walk was written mid-pandemic and there was one spot in the afternoon with some head-scratching from those of us following the text. However, the GPX track was reasonably accurate and a newcomer with her map and compass showed that the traditional way worked too.
Post a Comment