Length: 17.5km (10.9 miles) or 23.8km (14.7 miles) T=swc.19
For walk directions click here. For GPX click here. For a map of the route click here.
I must go down to the Weald again, to the lovely hills and the sky.
And all I ask is some early spring flowers, and some sun to see them by....
Famous last words: but I make so bold as to think that we can now go back to the wood and pastures paradise of the Weald and find the paths once more dry underfoot... I am also hoping for primroses, celandines, newborn lambs, carolling chiffchaffs and other signs of spring.
There are two walk options here, but both remain together until lunch at the Nevil Crest and Gun, a capacious pub with a large garden about six miles in, which usually manages to accommodate us. Earlier pub options (3 miles in) are available in Frant.
After lunch the main walk (10.9 miles) crosses the wooded RSPB reserve of Broadwater Warren, but I highly recommend the longer 14.7 mile walk via Groombridge. This passes Harrison's Rocks, which is a prime site for wood anemones - they won't be at their best yet, but cross fingers there should be some. There are then possible pub/tea options in Groombridge and you pass Groombridge Place, which usually has a fine display of daffodils. The option ends with one of my favourite spring walks down the valley to Tunbridge Wells (with more wood anemones possible near the end)
Both options end in Tunbridge Wells, which is groaning with tea options, either in the scenic Pantilles or the High Street.
Trains back from Tunbridge Wells are at 09 and 39 past
5 comments:
The website at the Nevil Gun and Crest shows there are no tables available at 1pm. Worth booking some tables for 12.45 or 1.30 in advance?
In the past we have always been able to sit in the garden, which is nicer if the weather is fine. But I suppose they might not be serving food there at present, so I have booked for eight people on the “covered terrace” for 1.30pm. Note that in order to book they ask for a credit card and charge £10 per person if you don’t show and don’t inform them in advance (!!!), so if anyone wants to indicate in the comments that they definitely do plan to attend and want lunch, that would be nice….
For those living on the Northern Line, Bank Branch: you can also take the 9.30 Southbound Thameslink train direction Brighton at St Pancrass and change at London Bridge. 9min for platform change.
Lunch for me please, thank you.
Mina
Well, we had our w=lovely-sunshine. There were plenty of signs of spring, including at least a dozen chiffchaffs, a scattering of butterflies, and bright green grass thrusting eagerly towards the sky.
N=26 assembled at the start. Having been forced to give my credit card details to guarantee a pub booking @ £10 per person in the event of no-shows, I took particular care to establish how many wanted a pub lunch. The count came to 12, and we adjusted the booking accordingly (another walker had also booked a table for eight, so she halved that booking).
We had also been told tables were not available at 1pm, and so had booked for 1.30pm. We got to the pub at 1pm nevertheless, and found it fairly empty. The “covered terrace” where we had booked was completely empty apart from us. Several more than twelve of our group had lunch.
All of this was a bit bewildering to my aged brain. Who are these people who have pub lunches when they have been repeatedly asked if they want one and said no? Why deny us the right to book for 1pm when the terrace was empty? If staffing was a problem, why were so many flitting round behind the bar? If the pub was half empty why insist on credit card guarantees for no shows?
The pub redeemed itself, however, by letting us order at the bar (yay!) and because the food came with reasonable speed. It was a bit cold under the covered awning, notwithstanding some roof heaters, and I cast longing glances at the sunny garden, where we could have just sat at unbooked outside tables. One or two of our group did decide to do this. But mostly we had a nice congenial lunch, so no complaints.
After lunch I tried in vain to interest the majority in the longer afternoon walk. Instead the standard walk won out. I understand many of this contingent had tea at the High Rocks pub terrace and saw a steam train go by. It was one of those days when it was chilly in the breeze but summery when sheltered from it: the terrace was in the latter category, apparently.
Only three of us did the long walk - or perhaps a fourth, but if so she went on ahead and we never saw her. I have to say that pleasant though the whole walk is, I do think this long afternoon is the loveliest bit of it. There were fairly good displays of wood anemones at Harrison Rocks, lots of enthusiastic young rock climbers on it in the sunshine, and Groombridge Place was a sea of daffodils. I was footsore and weary by the end, though.
We met two of the main party for craft beer in the Pantilles and then had some wine on the train. So all in all a lovely spring day, and hopefully the first of many.
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