Length 16.8km (10.4 miles)
Toughness 3 out of 10
Trains: Take the 10.01 Dover Priory train from Charing Cross, 10.04 Waterloo East, 10.09 London Bridge changing at Paddock Wood (10.48) to catch the 11.00 Strood train, arriving Yalding 11.07.
Return trains from Borough Green and Wrotham: xx:29 to London Bridge and Charing Cross, xx:45 to London Victoria
Buy a day return to Yalding.
This is an easy walk through the woods and fields of the Kent countryside, without too much in the way of hills. The walk starts beside the River Medway, follows the Greensand Way to Roydon Hall and then heads gently uphill to East Peckham and St Michaels Church. The route now takes you to the village of Mereworth, Mereworth Woods, the village of Crouch, then through woodland to Basted and on to Borough Green.
Lunch: For a pub lunch, there are two possibilities each requiring a diversion from the original walk route:
The Swan on the Green, West Peckham (tel 01622 812 271), some 6.8 km into the walk
The MoodyMare, Mereworth (tel 01622 813 038), some 7.1 km into the walk
Picnickers might find benches at the church in Mereworth or near the pubs if they choose to follow either of those routes.
Tea: Melias Place coffee shop in Borough Green or other options mentioned in the walk directions.
L=1.50
2 comments:
#12 set off from Yalding Station with 1 more joining the group after lunch so #13 in total. The morning was dissapointingly #wet and overcast, and recent rainfall meant that the paths were very muddy, but manageable. I was very excited to spot my first bluebell of the year in the morning as we passed through Peckham Fields Wood.
As we approached Mereworth, 3 diverted to visit the Swan on the Green for a drink and some lunch, whilst the remainder found shelter at the Church of St Lawrence, where we were able to eat our picnics inside. The rain eased off as we set off after lunch into the very pleasant Mereworth Woods, and there were even one or two glimpses of the sun as we made our way towards Borough Green along more very muddy paths. Several of us had hot drinks and cake at Melias Place (carrot cake was delicious!) when we arrived in Borough Green, before hopping on the 4.25 back to London.
Thanks to Wanderer for posting.
Minority report (or should that be a report from the minority) from the 3 of us who diverted to the Swan-on-the-Green in West Peckham, where we were lucky to squeeze into this very busy pub and be served. If our normal group size had turned up expecting lunch it would have been disappointed. A good lunch for two of us and a drink for our companion who joined us after consuming his sandwiches nearby. Our onward route was very muddy and slippery - but I suspect less muddy that the route taken by our companions after Mereworth Village then through Mereworth Woods. Where our routes converged in the woods, their joining path was a series of large puddles and deep mud ! Maybe they had to wade or swim in places !
Plenty of daffs in churchyards and along verges, and some primroses, cheered us up in the morning's steady drizzle and afternoon cloud. The sun, in the main, took the day off. Plenty of bluebell shoots were to be seen after we exited Mereworth Woods along the section to Crouch, and later in the valley just before we reached the village of Basted : very promising signs for a good bluebell display in five week's time.
We just missed the main group at the railway station at walk-end. Noting Boonster's walk report, my companions caught the 16-29 hrs service to Blackfriars (4 mins after the main group's departure) and I was on the service to Victoria at 16-45 hrs.
A veritable mud-fest today which made progress hard work at times and the walk seem longer than the stated 10.4 miles. But it was an enjoyable walk in good company, and after my recent absence from mid-week walking, it was good to be back.
Post a Comment