Stargazer is away
Length: 22.9 km (14.2 mi) or 17.8 km (11.0 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 423m or 396m
Net Walking Time: ca. 5 ¾ hours or ca. 4 ½ hours
Toughness: 7 out of 10 or 5 out of 10
Take the 09.04 Ramsgate train from St. Pancras
I’nal (Stratford I’nal 09.12, Ebbsfleet I’nal 09.23), change at Ashford
I’nal (09.42/09.56) onto the 08.22 Ramsgate train from Victoria, arrives Wye
10.02.
Return trains: xx.22 (56 mins to St. Pancras [change at Ashford], 81 mins to Victoria).
The normal length walk goes high up onto the North Downs and turns
north along the Crundale Downs (“crun” in Old English meant chalk, and ‘dala’
meant dell or valley), with breath-taking views and continues to an isolated
Norman church at Crundale, then on to a former gastro-pub, now quirkiest pub by
a country mile: The Timber Batts at The Compasses Inn. The walk then passes
Crundale House and the manor of Olantigh, crosses the River Great Stour and
returns to Wye through its churchyard, for tea at a pub or a teashop on Church
Street or at a pub next to the railway station.
Long Walk: this stays atop the North Downs for longer and passes the best
beer pub in the area en route to the The Timber Batts.
Short Walk: You can cut the 17.8 km version of the walk by 2.0 km by cutting the out-and-back to the lunch pub, or even by 3.2 km if taking the shortcut from the church in Crundale (i.e. cutting out the ascent to Sole Street). Picnic Lunch!
Lunch Long Walk : The Bowl Inn
in Hastingleigh (7.0 km/4.4 mi, multi-awarded by CAMRA, food from
12.00): simple food choices, excellent beer choices. Or The Timber Batts at The Compasses Inn (14.0 km/8.7
mi) in Sole Street: Pizze, Burgers and Cajun & Creole food. In an ex
gourmet pub. Think quirky. Think very quirky.
Lunch Normal Walk: The
Timber Batts at The Compasses Inn (as above, but after 8.6 km/5.3
mi).
Tea: The King's Head has been sold by Sheps but not
yet reopened (I think), Wye Coffee Shop & Kitchen (but closes at
15.00), No 4 Wine Bar and Tapas (closes at 17.00, run by the ex-manager of The King’s Head), The Tickled
Trout (open to 20.00, food to 17.00, pizze to 19.00).
For walk directions, maps, height profiles, photos
and gpx/kml files click here . T=1.53
3 comments:
To anyone thinking of boarding at Stratford I'nal and taking the Jubilee Line to get there (i.e. me), this here copied from the TfL website: "all day Sunday 19 January, no service between Green Park and Stratford." ===> Better go to St. Pancras or use the Lizzie Line to get to Straford.
7 alighted off the train at Wye, with one of those liaising with a friend who had driven to Wye from the coast and was somewhere in the village. Those 2 were intent on walking the 'normal' 18 km walk, so the other 6 strode off immediately, knowing that we'd most likely meet them at the lunch pub despite walking 5 km more.
The sky was w=overcast and that never changed. There was no wind in the valley but a fresh breeze on the downs, so it felt proper cold. The Bowl Inn wasn't open yet when we passed and a little while later a stoic herd of deer was passed in one of the many large arable fields. Later a donkey was spotted in a garden, just before passing the former Timber Batts pub (the building will be returning as the 'Kent School of Food', apparently).
Some beautiful dry valleys followed and eventually we reached the new Timber Batts, where indeed we encountered the other 2 walkers plus a number n=9, who had missed the train at Stratford and wisely decided to therefore only walk the 18 km version, contrary to his plan.
The Batts has indeed taken all the implements, framed signed Sex Pistols singles, axes as door openers and other weird paraphernalia from the old place to this one, but there was only one ale on the pump and the food was not very convincing at all: £5 for Mac & Cheese was decent value for money, but £19.50 for any main coure, mostly served with soggy chips and not much taste? Less so. Maybe just an off-day.
On then in two groups of 2 and 7, and all those that wanted to reach the 16.22 did so, while 3 hung out in the (busy) Trout until the next train.
#1 supplementary notes. The recommended train was fine but this walker still had a good day in the north downs whilst taking the 10:12 from Stratford Int due to unforeseen transport issues. N.B be aware Stratford underground to Stratford Int is walkable from street level. Unfortunately station staff told me it’s quicker via the DLR shuttle train. Taking their advice was wrong but do know for next time. From Wye a solo silent walk followed till the lunch stop (Timber Batts) where I was relieved to meet #8 other walkers who were on the correct train and some had tackled the alternative route. By some fate timings correlated (surprising me given the short lane climb which the text warned). Post lunch heading back into Wye as a group. 16:22 train back to London
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