SWC Walk 236a – Ashurst to Eridge (w/o Burrswood)
Length: 18.3 km (11.3 mi)
Net
Walking Time: ca. 4 ¼ hours
Toughness:
4 out of 10
or
Ashurst to Eridge (Full
Walk)
Length: 21.0 km (13.0 mi)
Ascent/Descent:
290 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 5 hours
Toughness:
5 out of 10
Take
the 10.08 Uckfield train from
London Bridge (EC 10.23), arrives Ashurst 10.58.
Return
trains:
15.50, 16.50, 17.20, 17.48, 18.20, 18.49… (from 65 minutes
journey time).
Buy an Eridge return
ticket.
The
High Weald can be very muddy in winter, let’s hope for a dry-ish period
preceding this outing…
Decision
time for whether or not to walk the full walk (head torch recommended if you do)
is mid-afternoon.
From
a remote station this walk climbs up the low hills between the River Medway and
Tunbridge Wells, soon with some attractive views across a steep-sided open
hillside reminiscent of wilder parts of Britain. A gently undulating route
along field edges, country lanes and wooded valleys takes you to the village of
Speldhurst, where the parish
church of St Mary
the Virgin contains a set of notable pre-Raphaelite stained glass
windows.
After
a lunch stop in the village's 16thC inn the walk loops back towards
the Burrswood estate, situated in a wooded valley passed near the
beginning of the walk. Its 19thC manor house (omitted on the shorter
walk) is now a small NHS hospital, with walkers being encouraged to use the
permissive paths through its grounds (and visit its tearoom). Its long driveway
leads to the hamlet of Old Groombridge and the remainder of the walk is the
same as the shorter ending to Extra Walk 120 (Eridge Circular). This goes
past Groombridge Place, a
beautiful Jacobean manor house surrounded by a medieval moat, then follows the
course of the heritage Spa
Valley Railway's extension from Groombridge to Eridge. Along the way
you can often see climbers practising their skills on an impressive outcrop of
Ardingly sandstone, Harrison's Rocks.
An early lunch is possible at the Chafford Arms in Fordcombe, but the recommended stop is
the highly-rated George
& Dragon in Speldhurst
(7.2 km/4.5 mi, food to 14.30).
For
tea in Eridge, The Huntsman right by the station seems to
be the only choice and it is open all afternoon these days.
For summary, walk directions, map,
height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here.
Next Week: Book 1 Walk 5 (in reverse) Amersham to Great Missenden, 16.8 km, 4/10
T=swc.236.a
T=swc.236.a
1 comment:
w=Cold-without-a-breeze-and-very-sunny weather, with frosted grassy fields, firm-ish ground, some mist still rising from the valleys in the early stages, and with the sun breaking through the clouds, and later dominating a blue sky all afternoon, and with the few fluffy clouds reddened by the setting sun just as we walked past Harrison's Rocks; what more can one ask for on a winter's day? (ok, so there was no snow...)
The pre-booked table at the George & Dragon turned out to be on their upper floor, quite possibly the best lunch room ever in any SWC lunch pub. And the food was pretty good as well (just ask the SWC Lunch Monitor when you next meet her)...
Admittedly the p.m. route falls off a bit, with less good views, a few annoying road bits and some indifferent fenced paths plus softer ground due to the continuous sunshine and the 'pain' of walking into the blazing sunshine, but all in all: eerie, atmospheric, fascinating, with great views, some lovely woods and oast houses, and Harrison's Rocks.
n=10 walkers (incl. one US of A-tourist over for a Xmas break) had a great time.
The sandwichers had missed the 15.50, so were still at The Huntsman when the rest of the troupe arrived, and then we all (bar 2) decided to let the 16.50 go and settle for the 17.20. Only that the 17.20 didn't exist (several people confirmed though that it had been listed on the website as late as this morning). So we went back to the pub and then took the 17.48 train for 7 (1 had driven down from Tonbridge).
Recommended.
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