20.5 km (12.8 miles) Difficulty 6/10
A lovely walk following one of the best sections of the North Downs Way with fine views for nearly the whole walk.
A short detour before Wye Down’s Memorial Crown, would take you to Collyershill Wood where, at this time of year, there should be a magnificent display of flowering wild garlic.
Trains
The cheapest option is the 9:16 Ramsgate train from Victoria, direct to Sandling, arriving 10:41.
For a faster but dearer journey, take the 09:37 Dover Priory High Speed from St Pancras (Stratford International 09:44) changing at Ashford International onto the same Ramsgate train (10:30 platform 5).
Sandling and Wye are on different Southeastern lines out of Ashford. A return to Sandling, the dearer destination, is suggested. In practice this is usually accepted to return from Wye. But.....today, the short stretch from Wye to Ashford is a bus replacement so it may be prudent to also buy a single from Wye to Ashford.
Bus leaves Wye station xx::05, arrives Ashford xx:17 to connect with either….
- the xx:27 to Victoria (platform 1). Overall journey time from Wye 2hrs or
- the pricier xx:43 High Speed to St Pancras (platform 8). Overall journey time 1hr:16.
Lunch
The Tiger Inn (01303 862130) in Stowting has reopened. Possibly more upmarket than before. 9.2km (5.7 miles) into the walk. Open all day from noon.
Alternatively 2.2km (1.4 miles) further up the road you have the Five Bells Inn (01303 813334 in Brabourne. (This requires a detour, adding 800 metres (0.5 miles) to the walk length).
Tea
The Tickled Trout (01233 812227) in Wye is a popular pub stop, with a garden beside the River Stour. It is just across the bridge from Wye station. Other options include the Kings Head in Church Street (no garden), or the New Flying Horse, in Upper Bridge Street (has a garden).
Walk Directions here
The detour to Collyershill Wood starts about 750m into the 1 km stretch described in point 70. Go through a metal kissing gate on your right, (with a yellow circular walk sign) and across a field to reach the wood (this is on the route of SWC’s Wye Circular at point 18). Afterwards, retrace your steps to the main route.
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| That wild garlic (previous year) |
T=swc.24
3 comments:
What is the best Return Ticket to get and ask for as I am a little bit confused there?
There isnt a simple answer Marc.
I would say the best option is a return to Sandling plus a single back from Wye to Ashford..
On balance Id say its better to get the Hispeed from St Pancras plus a single from Wye to Ashford '......But read on.
Its cheaper to travel out from Victoria but Its faster on the Hi Speed, particularly coming back to London
A return from Victoria to Sandling is £30 .10 (£19.90 with Travel card) plus £4.60 /£3 with card from Wye to Ashford
A return on the High speed from St Pancras costs £37.10 (24.40 with travel card) plus £4.60 / £3 from Wye.
The reason I think its best to get that single from Wye is because you cant be certain they'll accept a Sandling return on the bus at Wye . This could cause further.delay. to your journey. But it is only what I tnink. I haven't got a degree in trainology.
If you got Advance tickets (which are still available ) You could get a single from Victoria to Sandling for £5.70 plus a single from Wye to London for £5.10, There are also reduced advance tickets on the High Speed( about £11 each way)
The difficulty with advance tickets is you have to say what time trains you're going to get - easy to say going out,- not so not easy coming back
A select band of #6 exited the train at Sandling, others perhaps put off by adverse weather forecasts (inaccurate) or reports of rail replacement buses (on time and swift - if a little crowded.) Having all asked each other "where is everyone?" and discovered that two of our group had the same forename (what are the odds?) we set off on this beautiful, airy, high-level walk along the North Downs under #high-cloud-and-warm-breezes, first tackling the climb up from the long-disused Sandling branch line to the top of the tunnel portal and then an equally steep but longer ascent of Tolhurst Hill to be rewarded, as always, with views right across Romney Marsh to the vague outlines of what's left of Dungeness nuclear power stations. Now being decommissioned. And to think, I remember them being built.
Miles of glorious hilltop walking were interrupted by a picnic stop just before Stowting (pronounced "Stowting") for four of us and then a leisurely pint at the newly-revamped (and very popular) Tiger Inn with the other two, who had declined lunch (probably having seen the prices on the menu.)
A short, steep climb took us back up to the Downs (whose name, incidentally, derives from the Celtic "Dun" meaning fortified place) and more long views over the Kent countryside, with markedly less oil-seed rape apparent than in previous years. A comparatively gentle stroll was only slightly marred by a missed (unmarked) 90 degree turn off a country lane, mainly because we were all chatting among ourselves, but, soon rectified, we approached Wye under #soft-and-gentle-rain which soon eased off. The non-lunching two opted for a late lunch at the Tickled Trout, always a welcome end to this walk, the others caught the bus to Ashford and trains home. As always, a pleasant outing in good company.
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