The Greensand Hills and the Low Weald

Book 3 Walk 135

Oxted to Lingfield

Length 17.5km (10.9m); toughness 3/10.

Trains: 09.53 London Victoria (Clapham Junction 10.00, East Croydon 10.09)

 arrives Oxted 10.31 

Return trains from Lingfield to London Victoria at xx:19 and xx:49.

Buy a day return to Lingfield.

A gentle, undulating walk with some fine views which goes through Stafford Wood a local nature reserve and a site of special scientific interest. In the afternoon you will visit the village of Crowhurst with its ancient churchyard yew tree – so large and old you can stand inside it.

The Royal Oak Inn on the edge of Stafford Wood  is your lunch-time pub.  See here for more details about the walk and full walk instructions. Click on M - the main walk 17.5km for the instructions for this walk. Below this link there are options to shorten the walk

Gentle amble in the Chilterns

Book 3 Walk 36

Amersham Circular

Length 13.5km (8.4m); toughness 3/10

Trains: it is recommended you use London Underground Metropolitan Line from Baker Street and take the tube nearest to 10am to Amersham. This walk can be done with an Oyster Card or a Zones 1-9 travel card.

A pleasant and undemanding Chilterns walk with a number of lunch options in Chalfont St Giles.  See here for more information about the walk and full walk instructions.

Saturday Third Walk - Aylesbury Vale Hills: Haddenham Circular (w/o Brill)

SWC Walk 191a – Haddenham Circular (omitting Brill)

Length:  20.1 km (12.5 mi)  [longer walk possible, see comments below]

Ascent/Descent:  300 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 4 ½ hours

Toughness:  5 out of 10 

  

Take the 09.05 Oxford Parkway train from Marylebone, arriving Haddenham & Thame Parkway at 09.40

Return trains: XX.13 and XX.38 hours (53 and 40 minutes journey time respectively)

This is a walk through the pleasant rolling countryside of the north westerly parts of Aylesbury Vale, between the Chilterns and the Cotswolds, with some fine views. The walk first crosses the Thame Valley north of Haddenham and then passes through the area of the ancient Bernwood Royal Hunting Forest on a circular route to return south on a different route through the Thame Valley back to Haddenham. There are a few minor ascents throughout the walk at regular intervals, as the walk links some hilltop villages and crosses one other hill chain.

The lunch pub is the The Hundred of Ashendon (11.5 km/7.2 mi), which has just been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand 2016 for its cuisine. They also serve sandwiches and more traditional dishes from a Bar Snack Menu though. A table has been booked. For tea, the Little Italy Espresso Bar in Haddenham village is the café option (open until 16.30), while The Rising Sun en-route to the station is the pub option.

                                                                                                               

For walk directions, map, height profile, and gpx/kml files click here.

T=swc.191.a

L=swc.191

Saturday Second Walk - Hampshire-Surrey borderlands

SWC Walk 184 - Bentley to Farnham
Length: 18.7km, (11.2 miles)
Toughness: 3 out of 10

9.53 train from Waterloo (10.00 Clapham Junction) to Bentley, arriving 11.02

(If you miss this, get the 10.00 to Woking, changing there for the above train, arriving 10.24, departing 10.30)

Buy a day return to Bentley (Hants).

For walk directions click here and click here for details of lunch and tea places.

I have not done this walk and I am not even sure it has had a Saturday outing before. I was attracted to it by mention of heaths and sandy soils, hoping (possibly vainly) that these might be a bit less muddy.

The walk seems to offer a mix of woods, heaths and more normal terrain. The 11.7 mile version of it involves doing the short cut to Tilford and the standard ending: I would not recommend the longer options at this time of year.

It is a fair old walk (8 miles by my calculation) to the recommended lunch pub, the Barley Mow in Tilford (which serves food till 2.30pm, so at a reasonably brisk pace you should be able to make it) otherwise, earlier lunch possibilities (which may or may not be available or open) are mentioned in the walk details.

(If anyone fancies getting the train an hour earlier to be more sure of getting to the lunch pub, they could indicate in a comment. I agonised about this, but figured an 8.53 train would put people off).

The afternoon is short but hilly. Back in Farnham in addition to the listed tea places, walkers on the recently Farnham Circular recommended the Bush Hotel, which is a 3-400 metres down the main road into Farnham, on the left just past Sainsbury's (which is on the right).

Trains back are at 28 and 58 past

Leigh to Turnbridge Wells, omitting Smart's Hill

T=1.15.a Length: 14.9km (9.3m)
Toughness: 4/10
Transport: Take the 9:15 from London Charing Cross, change at Tonbridge to arrive at Leigh at 10:23
There are frequent trains back to London from Turnbridge Wells.

This is a pleasant walk through Kentish countryside entering the charming village of Penshurst through the grounds of Penshurst Palace. For this shorter version of the walk the recommended lunch stop is in Penshurst and not on top of Smart's Hill before the walk continues along the river Medway. Be aware that lunch is quite early and 2/3 of the walk are after lunch. There are various places for tea in the Pantiles in Turnbridge Wells.

Walk directions can be found here.

Update: It was pointed out to me that the walk before lunch is very short and arrival time in Penshurst will be about 11:15, too early for lunch. I would like to keep the train time, though and offer these options:

• Do the full walk up to Smart's Hill for lunch.
• Do the shortcut but have lunch in the George & Dragon in Speldhurst. A small detour along Barden Road is required for this.

Midweek day walk - Sunningdale to Windsor

Sunningdale to Windsor - a repeated Regal Romp in Royal Landscape

Virginia Water, Windsor Great Park, the Long Walk, and Windsor Castle

Book 1 Walk 18

Length :  16 km or 10 miles

Toughness :  2 out of 10

Getting there :  Catch the 10:20 am train from London Waterloo to Sunningdale.
Calling stations:

• Clapham Junction departs at 10:28
• Richmond departs at 10:36
• Twickenham departs 10:40

Meeting point :  Sunningdale station at 11:07

Suggested Tickets :  Buy a cheap day return to Windsor (all stations) and a single from Staines to Sunningdale

Brief Description

It'll probably be a bit of a squelch round Virginia Water, but there are quite a few firm paths which should make the walk a little easier underfoot.
You may find full details  here

Suggested Lunch stops

The Savill Garden Restaurant (cafeteria) t:  01784 485 402

Suggested Tea stops

Cinnamon Café t: 01753 857879 in Windsor and Eaton Central Station.  This is a suggestion by the poster.  However there are many other delightful eateries in the town centre. 

Map

OS Explorer : 160

Return train times

Trains return from Windsor and Eaton Central Station to Paddington ( Change at Slough ) at the following times ... 16:00 | 16:32 | 16:52 | 17:10 | 17:30 and may suit Ealing Broadites and small brown bears.

Trains return from Windsor and Eaton Riverside Station to Waterloo at 23 and 53 minutes past the hour and will suit Clapham Junctioneers

Second Sunday Walk - Essex woods and fields

Extra Walk 158a – Ingatestone to Wickford
Length: 18.8km (11.7 miles) Toughness: 3/10

10:02 Ipswich train from Liverpool Street (Stratford 10:09) arriving at Ingatestone at 10.36.

Return trains from Wickford to Liverpool Street are at xx:10 and xx:40 (journey time 49 mins). Buy an off-peak day return to Wickford, which should be valid for the outward journey too, though you might be asked to buy a single ticket for the one stop section from Shenfield to Ingatestone.

The full 25km version of this pleasant and rewarding Essex walk, goes from Ingatestone to Battlesbridge. This shortened version, finishing in Wickford, is more suited to a winter walk.. It is still moderately long, but not too testing, and the short journey time should ensure that you can comfortably complete it before dusk. The walk initially traverses the Wid valley before ascending to the lunch stop in Stock, later going through woods and fields to Wickford, in a reversal of the start of Walk 157 (Wickford to Battlesbridge). The diversion to Wickford occurs halfway through the afternoon, so continuing the main walk to Battlesbridge is an option at that point if you reckon you still have sufficient energy and daylight available.

The recommended lunchtime pub is The Bakers Arms in Stock (01277 841831) and there are also two other pubs in the village. These are all reached fairly early in the walk, but if you prefer to press on, a possible later lunch pub is the Beauvoir Arms (01268 711115) in Downham, close to where the afternoon routes diverge. This is not mentioned in the walk directions, but if you follow the Alternative Ending in Wickford directions, towards the end of the first paragraph turn left instead of right on the pavement to reach the pub in 350 metres Retrace your steps afterwards. From this pub there’s only another 5km to do, so you can afford to linger over lunch. There are several possible tea stops around the High Street in Wickford, but these have not yet been researched, so it would be helpful if someone could post a report on them on this walk’s Feedback page.

You will need to download the Walk Directions, and follow the Alternative Ending printed at the end of the main walk directions.

First Sunday Walk

Book 1 Walk 18 Sunningdale to Windsor
Length: 16km (9.9 miles) Toughness: 2/10

09:39 Reading train from Waterloo (Vauxhall 09:43, Clapham Junction 09:48) arriving at Sunningdale at 10:44. See the link below for ticket options, depending on your preferred return route.

Two options for return trains: a) from Windsor and Eton Central to Paddington, changing at Slough, at xx:02 and xx:22; b) slow stopping service from Windsor and Eton Riverside to Waterloo at 15:01, 16:01, 18:01.

The recommended lunch stop is a cafeteria in Windsor Great Park, the Savill Garden Restaurant.

You will need to take either Book 1 or the online Walk Directions.

Saturday Third Walk – Epping Forest

Extra Walk 241 – Leytonstone to Loughton
Length: 12.8 km (8 miles). Toughness: 1/10

Take a Central line tube to arrive at Leytonstone (TfL Zones 3/4) by 10:45. Turn left outside the station and meet on the pavement outside Le Parisien café.

Loughton (Zone 6) is also on the Central line. Buy a Zones 1-6 Travelcard or use your Oyster card.

From a cursory glance at the map you might assume that Epping Forest lies between Chingford and Epping, but a remnant of the original forest stretches much further south into London's urban sprawl, marked by the Epping Forest Centenary Walk. This walk picks up this waymarked route just north of Leytonstone tube station and follows its course through these green spaces to a lunch stop in Chingford. The shorter afternoon section goes through the more familiar part of Epping Forest before dropping down to Loughton. Although this is not exactly a country walk (with plenty of main roads to cross) there will doubtless be some muddy stretches, so wear appropriate footwear.

For lunch the walk author recommends Butlers Retreat, an up-market café, with the nearby Royal Forest for those preferring a traditional (Brewers Fayre) pub lunch. There are several pubs and coffee shops for tea in Loughton High Street.

You'll need to print the walk directions from the Extra Walk 241 page. T=swc.241

Saturday Second Walk

Extra Walk 57:  Guildford Circular – via Chantries Hill to Albury; returning via woods and the tranquil Wey navigation

Length:  12.8 miles (with options to shorten)

Difficulty:  4 out of 10

Train:  Take the 10:00 Portsmouth Harbour train from London Waterloo to Guildford, arriving at 10:40.  Return trains from Guildford are frequent, with regular faster services at 17 and 47 past the hour until 19:17 then 19:49; 20:17; 20:52; 21:17 and 21:49.  Buy a day return to Guildford. 

I was attracted to this walk by the following statement on the information page “While it is not mud-free, the sandy soils in the first two thirds of this walk means that it is drier underfoot in winter than many other walks” – so we shall see......  In more detail, this walk leaves Guildford along the river, then, heads up Chantries Hill with excellent views along the North Downs escarpment before dropping back into the valley for lunch.  After lunch, you encounter totally different terrain – the sandy heath lands around Blackheath with a final drop back down to the river to follow the Wey navigation back to Guildford.  Please note that this walk is totally different (opposite direction) from the Guildford walk done last Sunday.

Doing the full walk during daylight may be a push for some – so watch the clock at lunch – but the moon will effectively be full – so it might be nice to finish in moonlight..... Alternatively, the instructions include some short cut options and it would also be possible to finish in Shalford and take a train back to Guildford to cut off the last 2 miles or so (trains at 3 minutes past the hour) – if thinking of doing this option, please bring a print out of the OS map for guidance to get to the station.  More information and the instructions for the walk can be found here.

The recommended lunch stop is in Albury at the Drummond (01483 202 039), which serves food all day (with a slightly more limited menu after 2:30).   A reservation for 8 has been made at 1:00 PM, please call to update/cancel (as appropriate). Alternatively, if there are more people than the Drummond can accommodate, the Percy Arms (01483 561 765) in Chilworth is an option (however, note, that this requires a 0.9 mile diversion – so may necessitate some doing the shorter walk).       

There are a couple of pubs slightly off the route in Shalford for anyone requiring an afternoon refreshment; otherwise, Guildford has several tea options (including a self-service restaurant in Debenhams).

Enjoy the walk and watch out for werewolves!

Saturday First Walk Pangbourne Circular

TOCW1 Walk 4 Pangbourne Circular

This walk starts with a stretch of the Thames Path and then moves away from the river for an easy walk through Oxfordshire woods and fields. You will need the download instructions to get to the lunch pub, as the pub in the book is closed.

Length 8.5 miles (13.6km) 3 out of 10

Travel: Take the 0942 Oxford train from Paddington (0950 Ealing Broadway) for a direct train to Pangbourne (1101), or the 1003 Hereford train, changing at Reading for the 1053 Oxford train arriving Pangbourne at 1101.
Return trains are xx17 and xx47 with the option of changing at Reading for a faster journey to Paddington.

Lunch: is the Sun Inn at Hill Bottom. (Food 1200-2.30)

Tea: As well as the options in the instructions, the Ferryboat Inn has been recommended.

L=1.4

Midweek day walk - A Chilly constitutional around Chilham

Chilham Circular

A climb into the Kentish Downs and a descent to two historic houses

Book 3* Walk 138  *Online only

Length :  16 km or 10 miles

Toughness :  3 out of 10

Getting there :  Catch the 10:08 am train from London St. Pancras International (10:15 am from Stratford International) to Chilham change at Ashford (platform 5 to 6)

Meeting point :  Chilham Station at 11:15

Tickets :  Buy a cheap day return to Chilham

Brief Description

With the slightly longer days, I thought this was a good time to post something a little bit more adventurous. I was also looking for a walk where the mud quotient might be more manageable. We'll see !
The only Lunch time Pub stop is the lovely family run Compasses Inn. As I understand it, there may have been some friction between some walkers and the owners in the past. So a little bit of tact and diplomacy may come in useful for folks to get fed.  I would suggest someone phones from Chilham before the group sets out to check all is well for a lunchtime meal.

You may find full details of this walk here and a printable PDF here

It may be prudent to bring a torch to cover all eventualities.

Suggested Lunch stop

The Compasses Inn at Crundale t: 01227 700 300

Suggested Tea stops

Shelley's Tea Room t: 01227 730 303 (Open to 4:00 pm on weekdays)

The White Horse t: 01227 730 355 (Might be closed)

The Woolpack Inn t: 01227 730 351

I'd suggest you allow 15 minutes to get from the tea stop to the station.

Map

OS Explorer : 137

Return train times

Trains return from Chilham at 14 minutes past the hour. Change at Ashford for the High Speed train to Stratford and St. Pancras International ( Total journey time 1 hour 9 minutes ) or stay on the train to go to London Victoria ( Total journey time 1 hour 53 minutes)  

Sunday walk 2: Surrey woods and heaths

Haslemere Circular
Book 1 walk 22
Difficulty 4/10
14km, 8.7 miles
A beautiful walk through mixed woods and heathland offering fine views from Black Down, the highest point in Sussex. A bridleway shortly after lunch has a reputation for ..er.....what was that group sang Tiger Feet? What's the m-word, rhymes with "thud"? If you're wearing your smartest trousers and new xmas boots, you could try looking for the detour suggested by "Em" on the walk's comments page. (But see discussion below)

Trains: take the 10:00 Haslemere train from Waterloo (Clapham Jct 10:09,) arriving 11:06
Trains return from Haslemere at xx:17 and xx:42
Lunch: The Red Lion, Fernhurst (01428 643112). They like to be warned, so good idea to phone from the station.
Tea: Darnleys on Haslemere’s High Street or Hemingways across the road. There are at least two pubs on the High Street, The Swan and the White Horse. The station is 10 mins walk from the High Street.
Directions for Haslemere Circular can be found here or in Book 1.

Sunday walk 1: A chilterns variation

Saunderton  Circular via Lacey Green
Book 2 walk 2a + download
13.25 km.  8.25 miles approx
4/10
This hybrid of the Saunderton /Bledlow and Saunderton /Princes Risborough walks doesn’t go to either Bledlow or Princes Risborough. You follow the alternative directions along the east side of the Saunderton valley to lunch in Lacey Green. Later, you join the shorter version of the main walk for the return to Saunderton. This untried combination is not exactly rocket science but please let ‘Houston’ know how it went.

Trains: Get the 10:15 Aylesbury train from Marylebone arriving Saunderton 10:55.
Return from Saunderton at xx:50.
If any of you do end up in Princes Risborough, trains return from there at xx:20 and xx:45.
Lunch: The Whip in Lacey Green  01844 344060. Phoning suggested.
The Boot 01494 481499  is a later alternative. (Another late option would be to stay on the Princes Risborough walk for the Lions of Bledlow 01844 343345).
Tea: The Golden Cross is handy for Saunderton station. It’s on the main road, just past the station turn-in. It's a pub but does tea, cakes, and stuff.
The Boot is an earlier possibility but perhaps you ought to make the most of the available light. The sun sets at 16:25 today.
Directions:  available here.
You need two sets of directions: the main book 2 walk (the “download walk” button) and the alternative walk (the ”finish in Princes Risborough” button).
Start with the alternative directions (titled Saunderton to Princes Risborough). After lunch in Lacey Green, continue with these directions until they join the main walk. This is just before point [3] in the main text.  At point [3] itself, (literally the next gate), switch to the short walk directions at the end of the main text (i.e. turn left along a bridleway instead of going straight on through the “kissing gate with a three-armed signpost”).

Third Walk

SWC Walk - Wimbledon to Barnes Bridge
Length: 17.9 km (11.1 miles).
Toughness: 1/10

Catch the 9:42 from London Waterloo arrives Wimbledon station 9:58. Buy a zone 1-3 day travelcard (zone 1-4 if extending the walk to Richmond). Will meet at the main station entrance for a prompt 10:05 departure.

An easy London walk from Wimbledon through Wimbledon Park to pick up Beverley Brook and then through Richmond Park and Barnes Common to the Thames and Putney Bridge for lunch (12.2km into the walk). After lunch a straightforward walk along the Thames Path on the south side to Barnes Bridge, with various tea options in Barnes village. (Will be taking the opportunity to check the directions from Wimbledon to Putney Bridge - this section may possibly be published as a Short Walk.)

Longer options:

• Continue along the Thames Path to finish at Kew Bridge station: 21.6km (13.4miles).
• Continue further to Richmond: 26.4km (16.4 miles).

Walk directions and gpx route from Wimbledon to Putney Bridge. Map showing route

Saturday Second Walk - East Grinstead Circular with NEW MORNING ROUTE

SWC Walk 40 - East Grinstead Circular with NEW morning route
Length: 18.1km (11.2 miles)
Toughness: 4 out of 10

9.53 train from Victoria (9.59 Clapham Junction, 10.10 East Croydon) to East Grinstead, arriving 10.48.

For walk directions click here - you only need pages 1-10 since we will be doing the "winter walk".

The East Grinstead Circular has gained a terrible reputation as a winter walk in recent years due to fearsomely muddy fields near its start. I must be a bit touched in the head because back in the summer I set out to create a new winter start that would be drier underfoot. I stress "drier", not "dry" because this is the Weald and it is January, but I did my best to pick paths that were high and to use tarmac or gravel tracks as much as possible.

Will this actually work? The only way to find out is by giving it a test in full winter conditions. I am "cheating" a bit because if the forecast is right the ground may be partly frozen today. But we shall see.... C'mon. I appeal to your sense of adventure....

The other advantages of this new start is that it is a bit longer than the old one, and you pass the National Trust property of Standen quite early on, which amazingly is open today if anyone wants to visit it. (You could have a look at the house and grounds, have lunch there and then finish your walk in Forest Row, the lunch stop on the main walk and get a frequent bus back to East Grinstead from there: this makes a short walk of 9.3km/5.8 miles)

Lunch is in familiar old Forest Row, but since we are trying new things today, we might eschew the familiar old Chequers Inn and try one of the other pubs in the town - eg the Brambletye Hotel on the other side of the road just down the hill, or the Swan ditto but up the hill.

The afternoon is the familiar afternoon of the East Grinstead walk - I say familiar, but so rarely did anyone stick with this walk to do the afternoon that it might be a novelty to most of you. It has a long dry section on lanes and tracks in its middle with nice views. East Grinstead has nice pub and tea opportunites.

Trains back are at 07 and 37 past until as late as you like.

Saturday First Walk - Epsom Downs

SWC Walk 4 - Tattenham Corner Circular
9 miles/14.5km

This is a version of the Merstham to Tattenham Corner walk - option a: Circular Walk from Tattenham Corner in the online instructions.

Trains: Take the 10:20 London Bridge to Tattenham Corner train (10:37 East Croydon), arriving at 11:10.  Tattenham Corner station is in Zone 6.  Return trains at xx19, xx49.

Lunch:  The Sportsman, Mogador (01737 246655), excellent home-cooked food.

Tea: The large Tattenham Corner Beefeater has views over the racecourse and is close to the station.  The Silver Spoon Diner in the parade of shops just past the station is open til 5pm.  For an earlier stop, the Grey Dove Village Cafe in Walton-on-the-Hill overlooks Mere Pond and has home-made cakes.

Click here for full walk details and online directions
T=swc.4.a

Midweek day Walk - Greenford to Osterley

Greenford to Osterley

A walk through attractive open spaces in West London, visiting parks, a viaduct, a series of locks and a National Trust stately home.

Book 3* Walk 42   * online only

Length :  12 km or 7½ miles

Toughness :  1 out of 10

Getting there :  Catch the 10:15 am train from London Paddington to Greenford.
Calling Stations

• Acton Mainline: departs 10:21
• Ealing Broadway: departs 10:24
• West Ealing: departs 10:27
• Drayton Green: departs 10:30

Meeting point :  Greenford Station at 10:40 am

Tickets :  Buy a travelcard to cover your zone and zone 4

Brief Description

An easy walk in West London, hopefully not so muddy as last weeks romp.
Lunch is at a oldest Fuller's Pub with real ales and (apparently) good food.

Osterley House (later on in the walk) is not open at this time of year, but the gardens and café are.
You may find full details of this walk  here

Suggested Lunch stops

The Plough Inn  10 Tentelow Lane, Norwood Green t: 020 8574 7473

Suggested Tea stops

Stables Café at Osterley Park and House (open to 5:00 pm)

Map

A London A-Z map

Return train details

The regular Piccadilly Tube Service from Osterley Park.
Apparently you may alight at Northfields and walk back to Ealing Broadway via Lammas Park and Walpole Park, guided by a London A-Z Map

Sunday Walk 2 – Waterways and green spaces in west London

Extra Walk 104 – Ealing Broadway Circular
Length: About 18.8 km (11.7 miles), with shorter options. Toughness: 2/10

Start from Ealing Broadway station at 10:55. Either take the 10:43 Oxford train from Paddington, arriving at 10:53; or travel by Central or District line tube (just under half an hour from central London). Use your Oyster card or buy a Travelcard covering Zones 3-4.

There are frequent trains and tubes back from Ealing Broadway and other places along the walk route.

Today's alternative choice gives you the chance to do a fairly long walk on a short winter's day, with several drop-out points along the way. The walk takes in plenty of green spaces in west London, going out via the Grand Union Canal, Boston Manor and Syon House to reach the Thames at Old Isleworth. If you want a pub lunch you'll be passing the London Apprentice here between 12:30 & 12:45. For the return route, you cross the river at Richmond Lock and take the riverside path back past Old Deer Park and Kew Gardens to Kew Bridge, then across Gunnersbury Park and more open spaces to Ealing. There's about 11 km after lunch but you could curtail the walk by diverting into Richmond after crossing the river, or finishing at Kew Bridge station.

You'll need to print the directions from the Extra Walk 104 page. There's an unavoidable amount of road walking to link the various open spaces and you'll find a pocket-sized London A-Z helpful. T=swc.104

Sunday Walk 1 – The Hog's Back and Loseley Park

Book 2 Walk 12a (variation) – Guildford Circular, with alternative start
Length: 12½ or 14 km (7.8 or 8.7 miles). Toughness: 3/10

10:30 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (Clapham Jct 10:39), arriving Guildford at 11:10.

There are fast return trains from Guildford at 05 & 35 minutes past the hour.

The book version of this short circular walk will be (over-)familiar to most SWC stalwarts – although its last Sunday outing was 2½ years ago – but it has been re-invigorated with this new start. On this variation you climb up onto the North Downs ridge (the Hog's Back) for far-reaching views on both sides before dropping down to join the North Downs Way, where the walk notes offer a number of continuations.

If you don't want a pub lunch the simplest option is to follow the book route into Compton via the Watts Gallery tea room and/or Watts Chapel (the latter is free and well worth a visit), before heading back to Guildford via Loseley Park. However, my inclination would be to head first to the popular Withies Inn, which is usually able to squeeze walkers into its bar area for lunch. From here the walk notes direct you straight back to Guildford but it's not difficult to detour into Compton if you want to visit the Chapel and/or Gallery, an extra 1½ km or so.

At the end of the walk there are many possible tea places in Guildford, with the book recommending Debenham's self-service restaurant on the riverfront. There are also several riverside pubs plus a choice of cafés and coffee shops in the High Street.

You'll need to print the new route directions from this Hog's Back Start Option document. For the return route, bring Book 2 or print the relevant pages from the main Book 2 Walk 12 document. T=2.12.a

Saturday Third Walk

SWC Walk 230: Harlington to Flitwick (Harlington Circular Option) – A Bedfordshire exploration of the Sundon Hills, the Sharpenhoe Clappers and a Neolithic hill fort with a hill top lunch

Length:  10.7 miles

Difficulty:  4 out of 10

Train:  Take the 9:38 Thameslink Bedford train from London Blackfriars, arriving in Harlington at 10:33.  Return trains are frequent – the most suitable options are at 17:08; 17:24; 17:38; 17:54; 18:08; 18:24; 18:38; 18:54; 19:08; 19:24; 19:54; 20:24; 20:54; 21:24 and 21:54 (there are some later options as well).  Buy a day return to Harlington.

This walk explores some of the northern Chiltern hills in Bedfordshire.  The main attractions are the Sundon Hills (steep rolling downlands with fantastic views of the surrounding plain), the Greensand Ridge and the steep chalk escarpment of the Sharpenhoe Clappers.  The hope being that this combination of features may not be too muddy....  It also features one of the largest Neolithic hill fort sites in the Southeast before a late lunch in a quiet hill top village. After lunch, it is a short and more relaxed route across the plains back to Harlington.   More information on the walk and the instructions can be found here. 

The recommended lunch pub is the Cross Keys (01525 712 442) in Pulloxhill (about 7.5 miles into the walk).  A booking for 8 has been made at 1:30 – please adjust as appropriate, if need be.  Tea and other restorative beverages and snacks can be had in Harlington at the end of the walk – some recommendations are the Carpenters Arms and the Old Sun (both on Sundon Road).

Enjoy the walk!

Saturday Second Walk - Weald: Cowden (or Ashurst) to Eridge

SWC Walk 3 – Cowden to Eridge

Length:  21.2 km (13.2 mi)

Ascent/Descent:  370 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 5 hours

Toughness:  6 out of 10 

   or

Ashurst to Eridge

Length:  16.0 km (10.0 mi)

Ascent/Descent:  330 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 4 hours

Toughness:  4 out of 10 

  

For the full walk take the 09.08 Southern service from London Bridge to Uckfield (although the departure board may say ‘Crowborough’, as a bus replacement is in place south of there), arrives Cowden 09.53; or the 10.08 train if walking the short version (arrives Ashurst 10.58, just about when the long walkers pass by).

Return trains: XX.50 (62 minutes journey time). All three stations are on the Uckfield line. Buy an Eridge return ticket.

 

This is a beautiful walk on the Kent/East Sussex border in classic, pretty Weald territory of pasture, woods and hills. In the lunchtime village of Hartfield you will find Pooh Corner, selling all kinds of paraphernalia relating to AA Milne's famous creation. Withyham has several interesting buildings. The path into the village goes through the grounds of Old Buckhurst, in its time one of the largest houses in England but with only a stone gatehouse standing today. Next to the impressive Rectory, a corner of the adjacent Monk's House has been cut off, supposedly because one 19^th century Rector wanted to be able to see Old Buckhurst, the home of his ancestors. The Church of St. Michael and All Angels contains full-size reproductions of four 14^th century Italian paintings and some impressive monuments.

Lunch is either at the Anchor Inn, Hartfield (10.9 km/6.8 mi into the full walk, 5.7 km/3.6 mi else, food until 15.00 hours), or at The Hay Waggon just next door, or at the Dorset Arms, Withyham (13.3 km/8.3 m into the full walk, 8.1 km/5.1 mi else, food served until 14.30 hours).

For tea in Eridge, The Huntsman right by the station seems to be the only option, it is open all afternoon these days.

A further shortcut is possible around lunch (cut 3 km and the two pubs in Hartfield). Details in the walk directions, found here, as are map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files.

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