Length: 26.4km (16.4m) / 13km with one of the shortcut options
Toughness: 9 / 10
Transport: Take either the 9:37 from London St Pancras to Ashford and change there to the train to Winchelsea arriving 10:52, or take the 8:38 from London Charing Cross to St Leonards Warrior Square and change there to the train to Winchelsea arriving at 10:43. Return trains from Hastings at xx:25 to London St Pancras and London Victoria, xx:21 and xx:46 to London Charing Cross.
This is a great summer walk. Instead of following the coast to Fairlight as some other walks do, it turns inland to follow the edge of the River Brede valley. Lunch is at the delightful Three Oaks pub before the walk winds its way through woodlands and across undulating hills to the coast. There, you keep to the usual exhilarating coastal route with steep climbs and descents along the cliffs to Hastings. You should pass the beach at Fairlight Glen at about high tide for a refreshing swim.
You can shortcut the walk by either finishing it at the station at Three Oaks (13km) and missing out on the coastal scenery, or starting the walk at Three Oaks (13.5km).
3 comments:
5 assembled at the start of this walk and doubtless enjoyed a fine morning in pleasant scenery. 4 of them arrived at the lunch pub in Three Oaks at around 2pm (??)….where they met us, just leaving. We were 4 people who got the 10.38 train from Charing Cross (10.47 London Bridge) and then changed at St Leonard’s for a train to Three Oaks, arriving 12.35. We did a short circular “appetiser walk” and then enjoyed a fine lunch, with huge portions.
When the long walkers turned up, we decided, in time-honoured SWC tradition to “wander on ahead”. We set out across flowered-filled (though in places a bit drought-parched) countryside in w=blazing-hot-sunshine to climb the mighty ridge to Fairlight. The weather forecast had suggested cooler temperatures on the coast. Reader, it was wrong.
Having reached the snow-flecked pastures at the top of the ridge, we eschewed tea in favour of the short cut to the coast path, and jostled our way down the naturists’ path to Fairlight Cove. The tide here was at the full and the beach fairly packed. Two swam, the others paddled. We also met a Brighton-based SWCer here who had done the full walk but started an hour early. So n=10 on this walk in all.
I had expected a brief cold swim. But the hot sun had done its work and the water was gorgeous. I went further out than I have been all year and there encountered what I first thought was flotsam, then a wet-suited diver, but finally realised was a seal. Moments later it resurfaced about 30 metres away from me and gave me a curious stare. A lovely moment.
We lingered on the beach for an hour, hoping the long walkers might turn up. I had a second swim and the seal came in quite close to the shore. Eventually we left. The others turned up shortly afterwards, I guess, and four of them swam.
In Hastings we short walkers found a quiet pub in the back streets of the Old Town. Despite having walked “only” nine miles, we felt very adequately exercised. One left to get the 19.46 train. The remaining three surveyed the seafront chippies and found the Codfather had an offering we couldn’t refuse. We met two of the longer walkers, one of whom joined us on the 20.21 to Charing Cross. The journey flew by, aided by two bottles of cool white wine.
2 more got the posted train but started from Three Oaks, so that's #12 if we are counted. We got to the beach at Fairlight about three and had a paddle - I see what you mean about the rocks making it tricky to get in the sea at mid-tide. Then we repaired to the Royal Standard in Hastings for drinks with a friend of my companion, fish and chips and the 1825 train (jam-packed from Ashford). it was a bit too hot for me but all in all, a really nice alternative to the more well-trodden walks to Hastings.
PS I’ve since heard that one other started from 3 Oaks an hour earlier than us, making #13 altogether at 5 different start times/points!
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