Colour and Vision Through the Eyes of Nature - Natural History Museum

Follow a 565-million-year journey through the eyes of nature. Uncover how vision first evolved and how colour in animals suddenly became the difference between life and death. Marvel at nature's spectacular palette and see how a rainbow of pigments and iridescence can be used as a warning, a disguise or even an irresistible invitation. Colour in nature is a big influence for art, design and innovation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 'A mind-expanding peepshow of nature.' – The Guardian 
★ ★ ★ ★ 'This show will change how you will see forever.' – Evening Standard 

To book, please click here, book 18:30 slot. Meet at the entrance to the exhibition 10 mins beforehand where the post exhibition food and drink arrangement will be discussed.  

Wednesday Walk - The quiet Blackwater Valley to historic Coggeshall, with 300 listed buildings, for lunch

SWC Walk 216 Kelvedon Circular (via Coggeshall)

                  

Length: 23.2 km (14.4 mi) [much shorter option available]

Ascent/Descent: 86m; Net Walking Time: 5 hours

Toughness:  4/10

                                                   

Take the 10.02 train from L’pool Street (10.09 Stratford), arrives Kelvedon 10.51.

Return trains are 2 per hour: xx.23 and 15.54/16.52/18.00/then xx.54.

This walk is centred on the gentle landscape of the Blackwater Valley, close to Constable Country, and includes some very tranquil and scenic stretches along the river itself, interspersed with long stretches along country lanes, green lanes or field boundaries with wide and extensive views across the rolling Essex countryside of fields and woods. A pre-lunch north westerly loop explores the valley cut by Robin’s Brook, leading to Marks Hall Gardens and Arboretum.

The lunch time destination Coggeshall is one of Britain’s most historic market towns. It has 300 listed buildings, amongst the ones passed on the walk are: Britain’s oldest barn (Grange Barn, NT), an impressive carved timber-framed Wool Merchant’s house, Paycocke’s  (also NT, combi tickets are available), as well as one of its finest medieval buildings, built on the remnants of a 12^th Century abbey and a couple of photogenic watermills and an outsized church. 

The two NT-properties are now linked by an NT-trail, which you might want to explore instead of the bit of road walking between them (and in any case looks like a worthy addition to the walk as an extension --->  note to walk author).

A much shorter walk of 16.3 km length enables extended visits to the NT properties en route.

Lunch is either on the Marks Hall Estate in the Café in Bouchier's Barn (11.1 km/6.9 mi, cooked food to 14.30), or at one of many places in Coggeshall (about 14.5 km into the full walk/7.5 km into the short walk): Ranfield’s Brasserie (formerly Baumann’s Brasserie), Clock House Tea Rooms, The Chapel Inn, The White Hart Hotel or The Woolpack Inn.

West Street Vineyard  is actually the No. 1 ranked place for food in Coggeshall on Tripadvisor, so it might be worth checking out if it’s not too far along the road out of town.

For tea there are The Sun Inn, or The Railway Tavern, and the Kings Fish Bar.

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

Next Week: SWC 30 Battle Circular 20.4 km 6/10 T=swc.216

Sunday Walk 2: New! Different! Ely Circular....With added words!

Ely Circular 
SWC walk 118
18 km, 11.2 miles (with longer and shorter options)
Difficulty 2 out of 10
Once just maps but now with words as well, this walk has gone through some changes and this is the first outing in its new form. It has been rewritten, rerouted, re-vamped, re-everythinged! It explores the reclaimed land of the former “Isle" of Ely, then takes you through Ely itself, the second smallest city in England. The Great Ouse, ditches, dykes, embankments and catchwaters all help to create the special atmosphere of Fenland, where Hereward the Wake once led an insurgency against the Normans. The walk returns past Ely landmarks, including the Cathedral and Oliver Cromwell's House.
Directions available here  We're doing the new main walk via Stretham.
Options: As well as the main walk,

• there is a very short Ely – Little Thetford – Ely walk of 11.6 km/7.2 miles (with lunch back in Ely),
• or you can pick up the old route to Witchford and its pub, either as an add-on to the main walk (an extra 7.5 km/4.7 miles) or instead of the Stretham loop (total distance: 19.1 km/11.9 miles). 
• Near the end, you can add an extension through the meadows of the River Great Ouse (add 2.4 km. 1.5 miles).

Trains: Get the 10:15 King's Lynn train to Ely from Kings Cross (arriving 11:22).
Trains return from Ely at xx:58 (fastest, direct) and xx:04 (change at Cambridge).
Lunch : For the main walk The Red Lion, High Street, Stretham, 01353 648 132.
Or, if doing the Witchford loop, The Village Inn, Witchford 01353 663763. (Carvery only on Sundays, vegetarians beware.)
Tea: There are many tea places in Ely - see the notes for an extensive list. I've picked out four.
The Almonry, off Forehill, is open till 5. Sedate and genteel, just like us. Recommended.
Also on Forehill, an award-winning micropub, the Drayman’s Son sells specialist locally brewed beer and a wide selection of ciders (with names like "Nun Behaving Badly" and "Monk and Disorderly").
3 At 3 Real Ale & Craft Beer Café, Three Cups Walk, Ely, (01353 659 916) Bottle-conditioned ales, cider, wine - and tea and coffee.
The Cutter Inn, 42 Annesdale,  (01353 662 713). Historic.
Dating from the 11th Century, Ely Cathedral is open till 5:30 and, according to their website, is free to visit on a Sunday – though I’m sure they would appreciate a donation.
Oliver Cromwell's House has been done out to show how his family would have lived in the mid 17th Century, assisted by an introductory film, audio tour and lifesize animated dummies. Open 11 till 5 (last entry 4), admission £4.90
Feedback on this new version of the walk would be appreciated.
T=swc.118

Sunday Walk 1: Etchingham to Wadhurst

Etchingham to Wadhurst  SWC Walk 208
Length: 16.9km (10.5 miles)
Difficulty 5/10 gently hilly
This classic Wealden walk is a hilly mix of pasture and woodland, fine panoramic views, oast houses, a cobnut orchard, and the villages of Ticehurst and Wadhurst.
Optional loops take you to the beautiful Bewl Water reservoir.
Trains 
Get the 09:49  Hastings train from London Bridge (East Croydon 10:06) arr 11:12 Get a return to Etchingham.
Trains return from Wadhurst at xx:00 and xx:29
Lunch: The notes recommend the Bull Inn in Three Legged Cross (01580 200 586). Walker (and dog) friendly pub with an interesting and not overpriced menu.
An earlier quirkier option is the Bell in Ticehust (01580 200234) quirky garden, quirky décor, even a quirky gents.
This pub is also handy for a nearby picnic spot in the churchyard.
There is another (untried) pub nearby - the Chequers, if you want to chequer it out.
Tea 
You are unlikely to make Wadhurst’s teahouses before closing time (if, indeed, they open on Sunday) but there are two pubs. The Greyhound, encountered first, is perhaps the more amenable (tea in pots) and the White Hart a little later.
Note that it is still quite a trek from Wadhurst to the station so allow 40-50 minutes for the recommended route, 25-35 for the roadside route.
Directions here
T=swc.208

Saturday Third Walk: Westerly End of the Chilterns - Mixed Woods, Quiet Valleys, Undulating, Superb Pub

[posting this for DAC, who is otherwise occupied this week]

Book 2 Walk 6   Henley-on-Thames Circular (via Stonor)

                  

Length: 21.7 km (13.5 mi)

Ascent/Descent: 458m; Net Walking Time: 5 hours

Toughness:  6/10

[to shorten: two options, cutting out Pishill, for details see the webpage and the pdf]         

                                                   

Take the 09.50 stopping service from Paddington to Reading (10.00 Ealing B’way), change at Twyford (you have 8 minutes for doing that), arrives Henley-on-Thames 11.02.

There are hourly return trains on xx.24 (change at Twyford, 68 mins journey time, shave off a whopping 3 mins by changing again at Slough).

Henley is normally thought of as a riverside town but, as this walk amply demonstrates, it is also on the southern edge of the Chiltern Hills, a charming area of hidden valleys, mixed wood and farmland, and largely gentle slopes (the main walk has one substantial steep hill after lunch, however). The walk takes you up one side and down the other of the long valley leading up to Stonor, with plenty of charming views over hills en route. Lunch is at a pretty and quiet pub in the village of Pishill, and the return is past hidden farms and through ancient woods into Henley, with its excellent tea rooms.

Lunch is in Pishill at the Crown Inn  (10.6 km/6.6 mi, food to 14.30). As more than half the ascent is dealt with before lunch, you should not get there much before 13.30 hours.

For tea, there are a plethora of options in Henley, you will all have your favourites (see the webpage for details).

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

T=2.6

Saturday Second Walk - Gentle Kentish countryside and a tall tower

SWC walk 219 - Hildenborough to Tonbridge
Length: 13.3km (8.2 miles) or 21.5km (13.4 miles)
Toughness: 2 out of 10

10.00 train from Charing Cross (10.08 London Bridge) to Hildenborough, arriving 10.42

Buy a day return to Tonbridge.

For walk directions click here.

We have so many walks these days that some are created, debuted and then forgotten in our mad rush to try ever-newer walks. (The fact that some walk creators go on to research further walks in the same area does not help....)

According to the database this one has not had an outing since October 2014. After a bit of road walking to start it rises into gentle Wealden countryside and offers a choice of two pubs - the Chaser in Shipbourne and the Kentish Rifleman in Dunk's Green - for lunch.

You might recognise these from SWC walk 41 Yalding to Sevenoaks and relentless seekers after novelty could switch to the afternoon of that walk after lunch if they wanted. But the official route is to carry on to Hadlow, with its tall tower (a folly, which is easily visible but frustratingly inaccessible at ground level) and - perhaps more to the point - Broadview Gardens which has a nice tea room, open till 5pm.

This is the 8.2 mile version of the walk and from here you can catch the 7 or 77 bus to Tonbridge at 02, 24 and 42 past until 17.42, then 18.35, 18.47, 18.55, 19.43, 20.46, 21.46.

Alternatively it is a flat five miles, initially across fields with good views of the Hadlow Tower, latterly along the River Medway, into Tonbridge - the 13.4 mile version of the walk.

Trains back from Tonbridge are very numerous - every ten minutes or so.

Saturday First Walk - South Downs and Devil's Dyke

Hassocks to Upper Beeding: Book 2 Walk 23
10 miles / 16.1 km
Toughness: 7 out of 10

A classic downland walk via Devil's Dyke with many fine views, finishing at the riverside village of Upper Beeding.

The usual return route is by bus to Shoreham-by-Sea and by train back to London, but there are also longer variations of this walk that finish at either Fishersgate station or Shoreham-by-Sea (both are an extra 1.7 miles/2.7km).  This option is not included in the main walk directions - see links below.


Trains:  Take the Brighton train from St Pancras 9:10, Blackfriars 9:22, East Croydon 9:49, arriving at Hassocks at 10:28. 
There are two return routes from Upper Beeding:
a) Bus 2 from Upper Beeding to Shoreham-by-Sea station, via Shoreham High Street, journey time 14 mins.  From Shoreham-by-Sea there are direct trains to London Bridge (not Victoria today due to engineering works).  The same bus also continues to Brighton.
b) Bus 100 from Upper Beeding to Burgess Hill station on the London-Brighton line.  Journey time about 45 mins.
Train times from Shoreham-by-Sea: xx17/xx42 (except 19:13 not 19:17), last direct train 21:42
Bus times from Upper Beeding (stop opp King's Head):
No 2: 16:45, 17:35, 18:41, 19:35, 20:35, 21:35
No 100: 16:16, 17:16, 18:20
A return to Shoreham-by-Sea covers the whole train journey.  A cheaper alternative is a Thameslink only Brighton return, which will get you back from either Brighton or Burgess Hill.

Lunch: The Devil's Dyke pub (5 miles) - large and popular pub, food served all day.  Just before Devil's Dyke is The Hiker's Rest at Saddlescombe Farm - a kiosk serving tea/cakes and some hot food.

The King's Head or the Rising Sun at Upper Beeding sound like good places to wait for the bus.  Shoreham-by-Sea has further refreshments, fish and chips etc.

Regular walk directions (pdf)
Alternative endings at Fishersgate/Shoreham

T=2.23

Wednesday Walk: SWC 150 - Yalding to Sutton Vallance

An easy ridge walk in the Kent apple orchards, with fine views throughout

SWC 150: Yalding to Sutton Vallance

Length: 15.1 km (9,4 miles)
Toughness: 3 out of 10

London Charing Cross: 10-10 am (Ramsgate train). (Waterloo East 10-13; London Bridge 10-19)
Arrive Paddock Wood 11-00 am
Change to Strood train (same platform)
Leave Paddock Wood 11-11 am
Arrive Yalding: 11-19 am

OR  
Charing Cross: 10-00 am (Royal Tunbridge Wells service)  Change at Tonbridge, over bridge and onto Strood train. Plenty of connection time.

AVOID  
Charing Cross: 10-15 am (Hastings service) as the connection at Tonbridge is only 5 minutes.

Return 

No 12 Bus from Sutton Vallance to Headcorn:  16-16; 16-39; 17-16; 18-16. Journey time 10 to 11. mins.

OR 
Club together for a taxi to Headcorn (see Directions for cab number)

Headcorn railway station; to Charing Cross: 16-45; 17-18; 17-45; 18-16

Railway ticket: buy a day return to Yalding, plus a single from Headcorn to Paddock Wood.

This is one of the few walks in the SWC repertoir that I haven't tried yet, so I will keep this next bit to a minimum - as you can do what I'm currently doing - reading the Directions.

The walk is entirely on the Greensand Way as you pass through a number of apple orchards and up onto the Greensand Ridge.

Lunch pub, the Bull Inn, some 5.5 miles into the walk, in the village of Linton, is sited on the edge of an escarpment and has a garden and terrace with fine views.

Tea can be taken at one of three pubs in Sutton Vallance, including the Clothworkers Arms, or at a pub in Headcorn - all detailed in the Directions.

There's a bit of faffing about with buses (or taxis) at walk end to get to the return journey railway station, but I am assured it is worth it for what should be an enjoyable walk which is not too demanding. Let's hope for nice weather.

Walk Directions here
T=swc.150

Next Week: Wednesday 28 September: SWC 216: Kelvedon Circular. An adventure in Essex.

Sunday Walk 2 – the Wandle valley in south London

New Walk – Mitcham Junction to Colliers Wood
Length: 14¾ km (9.2 miles). Toughness: 1/10

10:52 Epsom train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:59, Balham 11:03), arriving Mitcham Junction (TfL Zone 4) at 11:13. If it's more convenient you can also arrive by tram (every 7-8 minutes on route 3, taking 12 minutes from Wimbledon or 15 minutes from East Croydon), but be aware that tram and train journeys are charged separately.

At the end of the walk Colliers Wood is on the Northern line (Zone 3). There are many places along the way where you can drop out earlier; conversely, fans of Wandsworth's one-way system could extend the walk by 6 km to the end of the Wandle Trail.

I was planning to save this shortish London walk for a gloomy winter's day but it's Open House London weekend and you might be tempted to break off and explore some of the capital's less heralded buildings near this walk's route: Carshalton Water Tower, Morden Cottage, etc.

The walk itself goes past a large area being transformed into a new nature reserve and then swings round to head north on the Wandle Trail, a riverside path taking in some attractive parkland and more local nature reserves. The suggested lunch stop is The Sun in Carshalton, with tea at the National Trust's Potting Shed café in Morden Hall Park.

You'll need to print the walk directions and maps from this temporary New Walk page. T=swc.273

Sunday Walk 1 – the East Hertfordshire countryside

Extra Walk 165a – St Margarets Circular (omitting Wadesmill)
Length: 19.5 km (12.2 miles), with longer options. Toughness: 3/10

09:44 Hertford East train from Stratford (Lea Bridge 09:50, Tottenham Hale 09:55, etc), arriving St Margarets (Herts) at 10:21. If it's more convenient you can take the 09:32 Stansted Airport train from Liverpool Street (or a Victoria Line tube) and change at Tottenham Hale.

Trains back to Stratford via Tottenham Hale are at 17 & 47 minutes past the hour.

St Margarets is one of those stations outside the TfL Zones which now take Oyster PAYG, which is convenient but might not be your cheapest option.

I'm suggesting you do the ‘short’ version of this walk through “quiet rolling East Hertfordshire countryside”, although it seems to me that 12 miles is still a pretty decent workout. However, I've chosen a slightly earlier train than recommended in case you want to do the full 16 miles instead. In fact the lunch option on the short walk comes after a slightly longer morning; on this variation you do two-thirds of the walk before lunch in Wareside, whereas the lunch stops on the full version (in Wadesmill or High Cross) come before halfway. At any rate you don't have to decide which option to go for until you've got a fair way through the walk.

You'll need to print the directions from this pdf document, which lists a number of pubs for refreshment at the end of the walk. T=swc.165.a

Saturday Third Walk -- Dramatic Cliffs and an Ancient Cinque Port Town

Book Two Walk 29:  Hastings to Rye – A Dramatic Coastal Cliff Walk ending in Picturesque Rye

Distance:  11.8 Miles or 19 km for those more metrically minded (with options to shorten with bus at Pett Level or Winchelsea)

Difficulty:  7 out of 10

Train:  Take the 9:15 AM Hastings train from London Charing Cross (stopping at London Bridge at 9:23), arriving at Hastings at 10:59.  Alternatively, you can take the 9:42 AM train from London St. Pancras and change on to a train to Hastings at Ashford (arriving 10:20; leaving 10:33) – however, this option does not arrive in Hastings until 11:13 – so you will need to walk briskly to catch the others up.  Also, it does depend on a Southern service – so could be subject to potential staffing problems.   Return trains from Rye are at 56 minutes past the hour until 21:56. Buy a day return to Rye. 

The forecast is looking pretty promising for this Saturday – so fingers crossed the actual weather again follows the forecast…  This is a dramatic coastal walk with a few big climbs in the morning and a nice swimming spot nestled in a remote cove for those still searching for the “last swim of the season” (with high tide at midday on Saturday – conditions should be ideal).  After lunch, the route is more or less downhill or flat across a marsh with another swimming opportunity at Pett Level.  Please note that part of the coastal path has been diverted at the beginning of the walk – see some instructions for the diversion on the walk information page.  You can find more information about the walk and download the walk instructions here.

The recommended lunch spot is the Coastguards Tea Room (01424 814 131) at the top of the last hill and just a bit inland from the Coast Guard Tower.  Alternatively, faster walkers can eat at the Smugglers Inn at Pett Level (01424 813 491).  Tea and other late afternoon refreshments can be had at the New Inn in Winchelsea (from where you can also catch a bus into Rye).  Rye also offers a variety of refreshment spots.   

Enjoy the walk!

Second Walk - A Chilterns Variation - Book 2 Walk 3c: Saunderton Circular (via West Wycombe & Wheeler End)

Length: 24.1 km (15.0 mi)

Ascent/Descent: 692m; Net Walking Time: 6 hours

Toughness:  9/10

[to shorten: walk the ‘normal’ version (5/10) or even the ‘short’ version of this walk;

to lengthen: add the short version of Book 2 Walk 2 to this at the end; for details see the webpage(s)]      

Take the 09.13 Aylesbury train from Marylebone (09.22 Wembley Stadium, 09.32 Denham etc.), arrives Saunderton 09.55.  
For the shorter walks the 10.13 is sufficient. Return trains are on xx.50 (46 mins journey time).

The standard version of this walk combines a fairly easy stroll in The Chilterns through a mixture of woodland and sloping meadows, with an optional visit to Hughenden Manor and Hell-Fire (West Wycombe) Caves. The route heads south east over the Chiltern Hills to Bradenham, and continues through Naphill Common, and Flagmore Wood to Hughenden Manor. The route from Hughenden heads west across Downley Common to West Wycombe for lunch/early tea. Today’s walk will then extend this by a westerly loop to Wheeler End (possible late lunch), adding a fair bit more undulation to it, before picking up the standard walk again in Hearnton Wood.

Lunch or tea:
Hughenden Manor Tea Room (8.0 km/5.0 mi, hot food to 14.30, 01494-755 576);

Le De Spencer’s Arms in Downley Common (9.8 km/6.1 mi, food to 15.00, 01494-535 317);

Hell-Fire Caves in West Wycombe (12.6 km/7.9 mi, 01494-533 739);

The George and Dragon Hotel in West Wycombe (12.9 km/8.0 mi, food to 14.30, 01494-535 340);  
The Chequers in Wheeler End (16.3 km/10.1 mi, food to 15.00, 01494 883 070).

Golden Cross  in Saunderton (at the end of the walk, 01494-565 974).

For summary, map, height profile, photos, walk directions/options and gpx/kml files click here.  
(for the posted extended walk you'll need both the normal pdf and the Wheeler End pdf!)

T=2.3.c