Length: 17.6km (10.9 miles)
Difficulty: 5 out of 10
Trains: With a tube strike planned from 7 - 12 January, I'm hoping the Thameslink service will be accessible to most people by means overground and Elizabeth Line intersections.
Catch the 10.05 from London Bridge to Balcombe. (This stops at St Pancras at 9.50, Farringdon 9.54, East Croydon 10.19.) It arrives in Balcombe at 10.46.
Return trains from Balcombe are at xx.25 and xx.55.
You could shorten the walk by taking Metrobus 271 to Crawley from Handcross (13.18, 15.29) or from Staplefield (13.15, 15.26).
Buses to Haywards Heath leave from Handcross (14.07, 16.17) or Staplefield (14.12, 16.20).
Lunch: The Red Lion and the Royal Oak in Handcross (5.6km into the walk). In Staplefield (12km into the walk) The Victory Inn and The Jolly Tankers are options.
For detailed directions, map and GPS L=1.16
8 comments:
For anyone who can get to Victoria station, there is a 10.54 train, changing at East Croydon (arriving 11.10, departing at 11.19, from the same platform, number 3).
@Hilary: that arrives an hour later than the posted train. Presumably you meant the 09:54 from Victoria.
The train leaving Victoria at 9.54(Clapham Junction 10.01) gets to East Croydon at 10.10 allowing time to connect to the Balcombe train.
Will this be muddy? I'm quite a slow walker and mud slows me down even more, so I'm not sure I could comfortably complete the ten miles before dark. Thoughts?
The Weald is known to be muddy in winter, to be honest. I can't remember offhand whether this walk has many tracks or harder surfaces, but bits of it are very likely to be gloopy. However, with the temperatures as cold they are, some of it might be frozen.
Seen from the train at 11am on Tuesday - a dusting of snow still evident in some areas around Balcombe.
22 off the train were greeted by w=sunshine_in_a_clear_blue_sky which warmed us throughout the walk. Another walker joined us along the way so n=23 in total.
I'd forgotten how lovely this walk is with lots of woods and streams in the morning. There were dustings of snow brightening shady spots. Patches of mud were manageable. The group stretched out over the morning. Some I believe went to a pub in Handcross for lunch. A large group picnicked in the churchyard in Slaugham and some set off ahead of others. I don't know if anyone took a bus from Handcross or Staplefield. four of us caught up with a fifth who had picnicked outside the Victory Inn in Staplefield which was open but not serving food. It would be nice to get reports from those who did manage to get a pub lunch. The afternoon section of the walk was not as dull as the directions suggest. There were some nice views and the lanes had very little traffic. And there was birdsong. We picked up some mud in a field but it was below ankle level. Three of our group headed for the pub in Balcombe, two went straight to the station where six others were waiting. We caught the 15.55 train and saw a dramatic sunset on the journey home. A perfect day.
Two of us had lunch in the Red Lion, bar staff seemed half asleep but food was very good and served promptly. Restaurant area was fully booked but we were able to order and eat in the bar area. After lunch I dropped my co diner at Coulsdon South and went on to the Dentist!
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