Length: 16 km† (9.9 miles). Toughness: 4/10
09:46 Hastings train from Charing Cross (Waterloo East 09:49, London Bridge 09:55, Orpington 10:11, etc), arriving Wadhurst at 10:49. Buy a return to Wadhurst.
Trains back from Tunbridge Wells are half-hourly at xx:11 & xx:40 until 20:40, then hourly.
† This walk has a new longer ending via Dunorlan Park, but the shorter ending of 13¼ km (8.3 miles) is still available.
This Wealden walk has become problematic since it makes use of a permissive path through Eridge Old Park where public access is no longer guaranteed. It's clear that people are still using it, but there are some unpleasantly boggy stretches which aren't easy to skirt around. As the landowner has no incentive to improve its condition I've added a shorter (but all-road) alternative route for anyone who'd rather not risk it. Anyway, I hope this doesn't turn out to be the ‘first and only chance to see’ this revised version with its new ending.
Frant's large village green makes a good picnic spot halfway through the walk. If you want to be sure of a pub lunch, call either the George Inn (01892-750350) or the Abergavenny Arms (01892-750233). You should reach the village at around 1pm; earlier if you take the alternative route mentioned above. Towards the end of the walk you'll go past a couple of park cafés in Tunbridge Wells and there are lots of other tea places in this elegant spa town.
You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.196 page.
1 comment:
N=9 on a w=hot-sunny day. At the top of the first climb, there were 2 more waiting. That made us n=11 There was buttercups. There was ups, there was downs, (at least one of which was vertiginous). There was big old trees, woods, meadows: There was scenery.
After a lot of this, decision time. Which way into Frant? Some took the quicker road route. It didn’t sound like they enjoyed it. The hardnuts opted for the traditional but no-longer-in-stewardship route through Old Eridge Park. The way was still passable. The much publicised boggy bits weren’t all that boggy today but Mr Tiger’s fashionable footwear was no longer pristine. He won’t be wearing them in London’s trendy discotheques any more. There was an unexpected burst of fast walking when the group attracted the attention of a herd of bullocks. But they were poppets. (When safely past the gate, they were poppets).
Then the Abergavenny. The short cutters were already tucked into posh looking food, when we arrived, which they said was good. No chips though. No benefactor today. Sigh.
After an afternoon of more of the same, 5 opted for the traditional ending. Of those, 3 caught the 15:40 and 2 hung around for refreshments.
The hardnuts, still hungry for more, tried out the new extension. It was generally well received. Grumpy old Mr Tiger, though, found the manicured parks and treks through suburbia a bit tame after the rest of the day.. !He cheered up a bit after coffee and a doughnut from a park caff.
Most caught the 17:10. One stayed behind to check out the Pantiles.
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