Length: 18.25 km (11.3 miles) or 17 km (10.6 miles) to Tattenham Corner Shorter options available
Toughness: 4 out of 10
London Victoria: 10-09 hrs Southern service to Reigate CJ 10-16 hrs, EC 10-28 hrs
Arrive Merstham: 10-44 hrs
Return
Epsom to Victoria: 01, 23, 31 and 53 mins past the hour
Epsom to London Waterloo: 19 and 49 mins past the hour
Tattenham Corner to London Bridge: 09 and 39 mins past the hour
Rail ticket Merstham and Epsom are both one stop beyond the travelcard zone. Depending on the travelcard you possess, your best option is probably a single to Merstham from the boundary of Zone 6, and a single from Epsom to Ewell East / West (the boundary of Zone 6). If returning from Tattenham corner, this station is within Boundary Zone 6.
Covid-19 Compliance: please note the current guidance on this website and observe social distancing. You should all come prepared to exchange contact details for track and trace purpose. You can either pre-register for this walk (not essential ) by e-mailing me at swc-marcus@walkingclub.org.uk or, if you prefer, please write your name, e-mail address and contact 'phone number on a small piece of paper for handing to me on the train or when we assemble at walk start. Thank you.
This enjoyable walk not far from London takes you through Gatton Park, landscaped by Capability Brown, and now a boarding school, and on to Reigate Hill to enjoy some lovely views. Its cafe should be open for elevenses, where service hopefully is more efficient than that at Leith Hill Tower. You walk along the ridge of this Hill which continues as Colley Hill before dropping down to Banstead Heath, where you can take lunch at the Sportsman pub, Mogador. I am told the cuisine on offer by the new landlord is more basic than that offered by his long-term predecessor, but it is probably worth a try - with dining back indoors, too !
Shortly before Mogador you pass the first of many coal tax posts on this walk. I leave it to you to work out what they were all about and why they are to be found on this walk.
From the Sportsman you head over Banstead Heath and beside a golf course, then through woodland to Walton-on-the-Hill, where alternative lunch options, pubs and restaurants can be found (but please note - the Blue Ball pub did not survive Covid lockdown). From Walton-on-the-Hill you head towards Epsom, first along a long bridleway, then up onto Walton Downs then onto Epsom Downs and its famous racecourse. You cross over the expansive racecourse and head for Chalk Lane which goes downhill to the outskirts of the town. On through Rosebery Park and you are in the centre of Epsom, with its shops and refreshment options. The railway station is close to the town centre.
Whilst up on the Downs you might like to take the diversion to Langley Vale Centenary Wood, a newly planted wood created by the Woodland Trust to commemorate World War One.
T=swc.4
Walk Directions are here: L=swc.4
3 comments:
Oysterfares.com/fare-finder lists an Oyster off peak fare of £1.45 available from Coulsdon South to Merstham, which is about £1 less than the alternative paper ticket from Boundary Zone 6.
I *think* that to access the lower fare you'd need a standard oyster card (ie not 60+ or freedom card) which TFL have linked to your Railcard and obviously you'd need to touch in at Coulsdon South.
9 of us assembled outside Merstham railway station, later to be joined by a local SWC walker on top of Reigate Hill, then 2 others at lunchtime at the Sportsman's pub, making a total of n=12.
The weather forecast was predicting rain in the afternoon, but once again we were lucky - it was w=mostly-sunny-with-a-light-breeze-and-pleasantly-warm, all day.
The countryside was green and lush with some good displays of late bluebells, lesser celandines, cowslips and cow parsley in the morning -and some wonderful carpets of buttercups covering horse paddocks in the afternoon. Arriving at the cafe on top of Reigate Hill, we stopped for elevenses whilst enjoying the panoramic, clear views from this viewing point. Onwards then over Colley Hill towards the musical accompaniment from the M25. On into Mogador where 4 of us dined at the Sportsman and the picnickers stopped for drinks. As it was warm enough to sit outdoors we released our indoors table (the pub looked fully booked indoors) and sat under a parasol in the pub's garden. Our food when it eventually arrived was very good, as was the Harvey's beer, and a very pleasant time was had by all. By the time we left the pub our picnickers were some twenty minutes ahead of us on the afternoon leg of today's walk. Of the 4 diners, 3 said goodbye to me at Walton-on-the-Hill as they were heading for Tadworth railway station. I met-up with the picnickers at the end of the long bridleway below Walton Downs and together we ascended the Downs and up onto the Racecourse. If it was going to rain today, it would have been now, on the most exposed part of today's walk, but the weather Gods remained kind to is. On top of the Downs 4 headed for Tattenham Corner railway station, leaving 4 of us to take the route down into Epsom town. Luckily for me no-one had a camera to hand to snap me being assisted/ yanked / forced over a fence at the end of the racecourse. Then down Chalk Lane, but we could not resist stopping at the Amato Grumpy Mole pub for refreshments and snacks, taken in the pub's lovely garden. It was a struggle forcing ourselves to leave this most comfortable spot, but leave we had to - so on through Rosebery Park into the centre of Epsom. We only had to wait three minutes before a fast Southern train took us back to London : I hope our fellow walkers travelling home from Tadworth and Tattenham Corner railway stations experienced similar excellent service.
A most enjoyable day out not far from London.
I forgot to mention we were honoured and privileged to have the walk author with us on this walk. Hence we wandered off piste less often than usual.........
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