Length: 16.8 km (10.4 mi)
Ascent/Descent:
390 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 4 hours
Toughness:
5 out of 10
or
Long Walk (decision time is
after lunch)
Length: 19.3 km (12.0 mi)
Net
Walking Time: ca. 4 ½ hours
Toughness:
5 out of 10
Take
the 10.15 Hastings train from Charing X (W’loo East 10.18, LBG
10.23), arrives Wadhurst
11.19.
Return
trains:
15.29, 16.00, 16.25, 16.58, 17.24, 17.59, 18.29, 18.58, 19.24, then xx.29
basically… (from 65 minutes journey time).
A
special pre-Xmas lunch request…This
walk had a well-attended outing on a Saturday in Nov, but that was the ‘figure-of-eight’
version of the walk with lunch in Wadhurst and bonfire in the evening, and the last
time the Main Walk was posted (in May), a measly 8 people turned up. Surely we
can better that?
Apart
from the very end, this is a completely different route from the Wadhurst
short and main walks in Book 2. It follows the Sussex Border Path to the large
reservoir of Bewl Water, and then follows its banks back to Wadhurst village
for tea. This is beautiful country, full of hidden valleys and picturesque
farms. Being the Weald, the route is almost never flat (and there will be mud),
but the gradients on this route are always gentle. The main walk spends some
time exploring the shores of the reservoir, and then returns to Wadhurst over
lovely hilly territory with fine views. The long walk takes you out
around a remote promontary sticking out into the lake, and up across classic
Kentish farmland with fine reservoir views. There is also an even shorter version, but I’m not going
to mention it…
Lunch is in Cousley Wood at the lovely The Old Vine Inn (7.2
km/4.5 mi), a table for 8 has been booked for 12.30.
For tea in Wadhurst there are plenty of options, both cafes and pubs (for details see the webpage and the walk directions).
For tea in Wadhurst there are plenty of options, both cafes and pubs (for details see the webpage and the walk directions).
For
walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml
files click here.
Next
Week: SWC 236a – Ashurst to Eridge (w/o Burrswood) 18.3 km/11.3 mi, 4/10
T=swc.5
3 comments:
I might make it on Wednesday. And I Think I did the Walk recently.
1 gps and 1 map coming along; maybe, maybe with instructions on my phone (still thinking about it).
16 walkers off the train (incl. 3 first-timers), 1 more on the next one, so n=17 in w=drizzly-or-rainy weather. The morning route: tarmac-heavy, with some of the grassy footpaths along fields being quite muddy and/or slippy, all leaves now having turned to dark mulch, and a couple of ploughed fields to cross with some very sticky mud: some might call it bleak.
The booking of a table at the only lunch pub en route proved to be a good idea on a day with a surprisingly high turnout (for the weather): The Old Vine was chokka, every table booked and the bar area and all nooks and crannies filled by a funeral party. As it was impossible to find any extra seats on top of the pre-booked ones, everyone with contingency sandwiches (and a few others without) stayed outside, shared what was shareable and marched on to Wadhurst, in hope of tea and cake.
The afternoon route is much more pleasant, with the reservoir the star of the show, and more rolling hills to view and cross, but - again - quite tarmac-heavy (at least that meant: no mud).
The 5 fast sandwichers walked the extended version (but were later spotted passing the Wealden Wholefood Cafe, so were short-cutting in Wadhurst, to catch the 16.00 train we presumed). The other sandwichers (bar 1) walked the normal version and paused at the Cafe to then catch the 16.25, where we met the lunchers who had walked the short version, I believe. Several walkers had been on the figure-of-8 version of this walk just 7 weeks ago, so well done to them for turning up again!
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