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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Thursday 5 November 2015

A (slightly later) Midweek day walk - Lewes Circular

A Lewes pyrotechnic extravaganza

A Circular Walk around Lewes, culminating with the street parades, fireworks display and bonfires there in the evening

Based on Book 3 Walk 47 (counter-clockwise variant)

Length :  23 km or 15 miles  ( 18 km or 11 miles if you finish at Glynde station)  

Toughness : 7 out of 10 ( 5 out of 10 if you finish at Glynde station) 

Getting there : Catch the 9:46 am train from London Victoria to Lewes

Meeting point :  Lewis Station at 10:50

Tickets : Suggest you buy an advance day return to Glynde from Southern Railways ASAP (there's some good deals as of mid-October)

Brief Description

Robin has asked me to post this Bonfire Night walk.

I am proposing we do the walk counter-clockwise calling at Rodmell, Southease and onto West Firle (as possible minor extension) and then Glynde.
You may leave the walk at Southease or Glynde which both have stations connecting with Lewes.
Full details of the walk may be found here and a printable PDF here.

The street parades, fireworks and bonfires in Lewes are spectacular and you have the following options ...

Evening Options:
  • Return home after the walk
  • Watch the Street Parades and return home.
  • Book a Firework Display ticket and accommodation.


General info: 
The parades finish around 9:00 pm. If you want London, you should head smartly to the station then where there is crowd management and a separate channel for London bound. You need accommodation locally in order to go to one of the firework displays - start about 9:45 or so. 
Trains run one after the other to Brighton until everyone has gone with crowd control to only let the right numbers for each train onto the platform. You should buy tickets in advance for the fire work displays. The Southover Display is probably nearest to the station, Cliffe the most anarchic.

More information from Robin  segulem at virginmedia full stop com

You will need to bring a torch if you intend to come!  it will be dark at the latter part of the walk.

Lewes will be very busy!

Suggested Lunch stops

Abergavenny Arms t: 01273 472 416 in Rodmell

Suggested Tea stops

The Ram Inn at West Firle or the Trevor Arms at Glynde

Maps

OS Explorer : 122

Return train times

Trains will be busy and you will probably have to queue after 9:00pm


3 comments:

PeteG said...

Good idea. It might be helpful to have some agreement in advance as to which parades to watch, and which if any bonfire society to get tickets for?

Marion said...

Last year a few of us ladies decided to watch the parade which started at the War Memorial in the centre of Lewes 20 mins earlier than advertised (5.40pm instead of 6pm) which caused considerable confusion and a major crush on the pavements. The police community support officers had no information on directions as most had been bussed in from other divisions and had never been to Lewes before!

We had a £10 a head carvery dinner afterwards at the White Hart hotel opposite Pizza Express as everywhere else was booked for dinner. We then went home. Tickets for the Bonfire societies are usually sold well in advance to the locals but I seem to remember there were some tickets being sold at Tesco at around 4.30pm. The fireworks are not usually lit until 10pm at the adult bonfires but the children's parade and family bonfires start earlier. Trains run after midnight sometimes till 1am or later to Brighton but not to London so so if you want to spend the evening here its a long night and you really should stay overnight.

Every shop and cafe closes after 4pm and boards up its windows so the town looks like a war zone until the parades starts around 5.30pm and the crowds are really challenging.

Maybe Robin can help with further advice but I've found it impossible to keep together as a group especially after a strenuous walk its too crowded and too long an evening for most people.

I would recommend the walk and the early fancy dress parade then eat and return home. Otherwise buy a ticket for the Bonfire society fireworks in advance have a meal then stay overnight as it won't finish til after the last train to London has departed at 10.40pm. Later trains go to Brighton ONLY and once there you might get a later train to Gatwick then change to the Gatwick Express-Not recommended!

I've done both options but won't be going this year as my knees are not up to hilly walks.

Anonymous said...

Was it last year the Abergavenny Arms closed for "Deep Clean" as it was their quietest day? I am sure they will feed SWC if they are given advanced notice.