Length: 17.2 km (10.7 miles)
Toughness: 6 out of 10 No steep hills but lots of ups and downs to keep you awake
Travel
Thameslink service from Cambridge to Brighton, with stops at:
Finsbury Park: 09-52 hrs with connections to LT Victoria and Piccadilly lines
London St Pancras: 10-00 hrs
London Bridge: 10-15 hrs
East Croydon: 10-29 hrs
Arrive Balcombe: 10-55 hrs
Return
East Grinstead to London Victoria : 06 and 36 mins past the hour
Rail ticket is a bit tricky: either separate singles, or - and the play safe option - try a day return to Balcombe plus a single from East Grinstead to East Croydon. The extra single ticket is required to get through the barriers at East Grinstead station. But if you possess the gift of the gab try sweet talking your way through the barriers at East Grinstead station with just your Balcombe return ticket - it has been known to work on the odd occasion.
It has been a little while since this walk was given an airing, so let's dust it off and give it a go today. Leaving the railway station we head up into Balcombe village then on to Balcombe Lake. We then cross farmland and drop down to Tilgate Wood before entering the grounds of Wakehurst Place - Kew Gardens outpost and seed centre. An early lunch can be taken here in its Seed Cafe in the visitor centre. Continuing on the walk, after leaving the extensive grounds of Wakehurst Place we drop down though woodland and head through woods before heading uphill to exit the woods close to a quarry. A section along a track takes us to the village of West Hoathly, where we find the (usually excellent) Cat Inn, popular with SWC foodies. Booking ahead is strongly recommended: 01342-810369 Your e.t.a is 1-20 pm.
Leaving the village after lunch, having first visited the church, the walk continues, soon through Giffard Wood before you cross the Bluebell Railway line. On then over fields and up to Stone Farm Rocks before dropping down to Weir Woods and Weir Reservoir, on the Sussex Border path. Having traversed these woods close to the edge of the reservoir you next walk up over fields and along a series of field edges to the outskirts of East Grinstead. You now walk uphill to reach the railway station.
T=1.34
Walk Directions are here: L=1.34
1 comment:
#5 of us set off from Balcombe Station, with rain threatening from the star. As the walk progressed light rain came and went, and it felt chilly compared to recent weather. Recent rainfall also meant that in places the mud was back! After an undulating morning, we reached West Hoathly where 3 had a picnic in the church yard, whilst 2 went to the Cat pub for a light lunch. 1 of the group had to abandon the walk at this point due to a broken shoe. The afternoon weather brightened up a little as we traversed fields full of cows and sheep, and crossed over the Bluebell railway line. We managed to miss the 4.36 train by seconds, so popped into Starbucks for some cake.
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