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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.

Sunday 25 October 2015

Sunday Walk 1 Balcombe Circular

Balcombe Circular, Book 1 walk 16
Length 17.6 km.  10.9 miles
Difficulty 5/10

Clocks went back today (that's if we remembered to put them back). It will get dark an hour earlier.
The clocks are ticked off about it. Their complaint has been seconded and gone in the minutes.

Features of this High Weald walk include a ruined manor house, a churchyard with a 600 year old yew and 17th C fake Roman ruins. You also pass Nymans gardens (as featured on TV). You can visit if you've £11 to spare (NT members free). From the footpath, you get a view of the Japanese Garden and lake and then go through a woodland section that can be impressive in autumn.
Good news: For years, this walk was blighted by a dangerous road crossing that required a diversion. There's now an underpass and the old route's been reinstated (point 37). Also, a tricky rail crossing near the end (point 63) has been replaced by a footbridge - see comments page.
Take care on the stone steps just after the start (point 1). They are slippery when wet and hard if you fall on them. Use the handrail. (Poor Mr Tiger hurt his own front paw here a few years ago and had to wear a sling. For ages.)
Trains: get the 9:27 Brighton train from Victoria (Clapham Junction 9:35, East Croydon 9:46) arrive Balcombe 10:15. It'll feel later, you've had a lie-in, remember. Return trains xx:30
Lunch: Your early lunch stop is the Red Lion in Handcross 01444 400292 or later on you have the Victory Inn 01444 400463 and  Jolly Tanners 01444 400335, both in Staplefield. Visitors to Nymans could avail themselves of the garden's cafe. Sadly, the Chequers in Slaugham has closed
Tea: You got the Balcombe Tea Rooms 01444 811777, open till 4 and the Half Moon 01444 811582.
Walk Directions: Available in book 1 but best to use the updated on-line version.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

If the tea room has closed by the time you arrive, the Half Moon pub sometimes serves cakes which they buy from the Balcome Tea rooms.

Anonymous said...

Planning to do this walk.

Anonymous said...

Dear M Tiger,

I've often wondered what does the initial M stand for in your name?

Anonymous said...

Oh I know what the M in Mr M Tiger stands for

Mr M Tiger said...

It stands for Moon. Something I like to howl at occasionally. Well, more of a yowl, really.

Nick said...

I heard more than 30 people took part in yesterday's Balcombe walk - a large group! I started at a different time, so missed most of the other walkers.