Evening Walk - Frieze Sculpture Park, Regents Park and Primrose Hill

Length: 5.0 km (3.1 mi)

Net Walking Time: 1 ½ hrs      

Meet: Regents Park Station, at 18.45 hours.

Regents Park is on the Bakerloo line in Zone 1.

Finish is at Chalk Farm station, which is on the Northern line in Zone 2.

Stroll through Regents Park, including a check on this year’s offerings of Frieze Art Fair’s Sculpture Park, and along the Grand Union Canal, to then climb Primrose Hill for fine views over London.

Eat/Drink: The Engineer, 65 Gloucester Avenue.

For walk directions, map, photos, and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.6

Heather near Haslemere

SWC Walk 144:  Haslemere Circular

Distance:  Approximately 15.5 miles or 25 km for those more metrically minded

Difficulty:  7 out of 10  

Train:  Take the 10:00 AM Portsmouth Harbor train from London Waterloo to arrive at Haslemere at 10:48. Return trains from Haslemere are three or four times an hour until about 22:00.  Buy a day return to Haslemere. 

The height of heather season seemed the perfect opportunity to explore this particular walk option which has never been done before….. Initially, we will follow the “main route” of walk SWC 144 from Haslemere to Thursley via Gibbet Hill.  After lunch, we will then continue along the route to Thursley Common and explore the “extension within the extension” which should -- at this time of year -- be ablaze in purple heather.  At the end of the extension, we will then mostly reverse walk the various “short cuts” and “alternate start” back to Halsemere via the Devil’s Punch Bowl (with one little exploratory stretch to avoid repeating the Greensand Way). You can find more information about the walk and download the walk instructions here.

The recommended lunch spot is the lovely community-owned Three Horseshoes (01252 703 268) in Thursely (6.5 miles/10.5 km into the walk) which serves food until 3:00pm.  Tea and late afternoon refreshments can be had at the Devil’s Punchbowl Café (2.8 miles/4.5 km from the end of the walk).  Further post walk libations can be had at a number of hostelries in Haslemere.

Enjoy the walk!

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New Walk in the Cotswolds

Chipping Campden to Broadway

Length: about 6 miles.  Longer options available.
Toughness: 1 out of 10. Nice easy going.

London Paddington: 10-22 hrs     Hereford service.  Slough 10-36 hrs
Arrive Moreton in Marsh: 11-56 hrs

Ealing Broadwayers:  Senior railcard holders: 09-50 hrs (Reading service from Paddington) . Arrive Slough  10-10 hrs and wait to connect with fast train, as above.
Younger walkers: take 10-05 hrs (Oxford service from Paddington). Arrive Slough 10-28 hrs and connect with fast train, as above.

Bus to Chipping Campden 1/2/2A
Moreton in Marsh railway station:  12-29 hrs
Arrive Chipping Campden: 13-15 hrs

Bus from Broadway back to Moreton in Marsh 1/2/2A
Broadway: 16-08 hrs
Moreton in Marsh railway station: 16-35 hrs

Return from Moreton in Marsh railway station to Paddington:  16-45 hrs

Walk posted on behalf of Jane from Kew

This is a short walk through classic Cotswold countryside, best taken at a relaxed pace. Jane will lead the walk and will have a map and directions with her. The rest of you just tag on behind and enjoy the lovely Cotswold scenery.
Lunch will be at the Lygon Arms in Broadway. Their bar and grill is open from 12 noon until 9-30 pm. tel: 01386-852255.
After your late lunch it's a bus back from Broadway to Moreton in Marsh for your train home - or if you want a longer walk, head back to Chipping Campden and catch a later bus from there - but I leave it to you to check out the later bus and later train times.
Enjoy a relaxing day - should be good - and should prove you don't always have to walk 14 miles to have a satisfying walk  !

Wealden lanes and wooded valleys and tea in the grounds of Burrswood NHS Hospital

Walk 236b – Ashurst Circular

Length: Around 16 km (9.9 miles). Toughness: 4/10

10:09 Ashurst train from London Bridge (10:23 East Croydon), arriving Ashurst at 10:58. 
Buy a return to Ashurst.


Trains back are at 55 past the hour.

Click on Option B Circular Walk, returning to Ashurst to print only the directions for this walk. If you want a longer walk, you could follow the main walk directions to Eridge 21 km (13.0 miles).

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.

As it's Bank Holiday Monday, pubs are likely to be busy so please give them a courtesy call from the station. The suggested lunch stop, therefore, is the highly-rated 16thC inn at Speldhurst, George & Dragon (01892-863125).  An earlier lunch might be possible at the Chafford Arms (01892-731731) in Fordcombe, but it's fairly small and unsuitable for large groups. 

After lunch, the walk loops back towards the Burrswood estate, situated in a wooded valley. Its 19thC manor house is now a small NHS hospital, with walkers being encouraged to use the permissive paths through its grounds. Don't miss the Burrswood Tea room (01892-865991), set in the NHS Hospital. It's open daily to 4.30pm (5.30pm summer Sundays) as there is nothing near Ashurst station.

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Bank Holiday Monday walk - Eastbourne to Seaford

Book 2 Walk 28 in reverse - Eastbourne to Seaford
Length: 22.3km (13.8 miles) - shorter options using buses
Toughness: 9 out of 10: hilly but nice views

9.47 train from Victoria (9.53 Clapham Junction, 10.03 East Croydon) to Eastbourne, arriving 11.08

The best seaside walk in the South East. Lots of hills but grand views throughout.

Walk directions: use SWC Walk 60 Eastbourne Circular which will get you as far as the start of the Seven Sisters: after that keep the sea to your left, veering inland after the last Sister to cross the Cuckmere River by the road bridge at Exceat. Take the river path on the far side of the bridge, then resume the coast walk into Seaford.

SWC 60 also provides possible shorter options, e.g. ending at East Dean or Exceat using the No 12 bus.

Lunch at the Beachy Head pub (may be busy!) or bring a picnic. Tea at Birling Gap, the Seaspray cafe at Exceat or the Cuckmere Inn at Exceat. Fish and chips at the Trawlers near Seaford station.

Swimming in the sea is possible at Eastbourne, Birling Gap, Cuckmere Haven and Seaford. High tide is at 4.16pm giving good depth for swimming at either Birling Gap or Cuckmere Haven from around 2pm to 6.30pm. You can swim at Seaford at any state of the tide. In Eastbourne you would need to swim before you pass the Wish Tower: after this there are underwater rocks at low to mid states of the tide. Big waves (1 metre plus) can make entering and exiting the sea tricky at all these beaches, apart (possibly) from Eastbourne. Always use your own judgement before swimming.

Trains back are at 25/28 and 57 past, changing at Lewes, except on the 20.57 when you change at Brighton (takes 20 mins longer so is hardly worth it). Last trains 21.28 and 22.20. T=2.28

A plucky looky at spooky Pluckley

Pluckley Circular
Book 2 walk 21 and optional non-SWC diversion.
Difficulty 1 out of 10 (I'd say 2 or 3 for the longer versions)
Length 7.2, 9.2 or 11.2 miles (11.5, 14.7, or 18 km)

Pluckley in Kent’s Low Weald, claims to be the UK’s most haunted village. Our basic Pluckley walk is 7.2 miles and you could, if you wish, add our online extensions. But what if Mr Tiger had found a walk that took you round where the real actual ghosts are? Well, he has. It's written by an authority on ghost stories who also puts on walks in London.
So the idea is this… Follow our basic "Book 2" walk in the morning, with lunch at either the Swan or the Black Horse, then, at St Nicholas Church, switch to the ghost walk. That walk is 4 miles long and brings you back to the Black Horse. From there, you resume the original walk back to the station. So total 11.2 miles. That’s the simplest combination, but you could shorten things....
......After encountering the ghostly schoolmaster down Dicky Buss's Lane, instead of turning left along Smarden Rd to return to the Black Horse, you could re-join our walk by running screaming in the opposite direction (right) down Smarden Rd, heading SW. (The SWC walk turns onto this road at point 57). Shortly after the former Blacksmiths Arms/Tea-rooms on your right, follow our walk left into Lambden Rd (point 58) still running, still screaming.
Trains
Get the 09:42 Ashford International train from Victoria (Bromley South 09:59, Orpington 10:07) arriving Pluckley 10:57.
Return trains at xx:37 to Victoria. Get a return to Pluckley.
(More expensively, you could  take the 9:37 Ashford International HS1 from St Pancras changing at Ashford for the Victoria-bound 10:31, arriving earlier at Pluckley at 10:37. Your only real advantage is a return journey 20 mins quicker. That's on the xx:57 back to Ashford to pick up the HS1.)
Lunch
The Swan Inn in Little Chart is recommended 01233 840 702. They have a garden by the stream.
A bit later, in Pluckley, there's the (very haunted) Black Horse  01233 841 948. This also serves as a tea stop. Phoning advised for both.
Tea
The Black Horse is the most reliable choice for the short walk and the ghost walk.
St Nicholas' Church, Pluckley occasionally offers cream teas on Sunday afternoons, though not as often as they used to.
The Dering Arms, 01233 840 371 opposite the station, has a quaint charm but often closes early on a Sunday, at around 4:00 pm (earlier than their website suggests).
The Blacksmiths Forge Tea Room (once the Blacksmiths Arms), mentioned in the ghost walk, is just a private house now. (Private, except for the cavalier, the phantom coachman, and the Tudor serving maid).
The SWC extensions both go past the Rose and Crown at Mundy Bois 01233 840 048. From there, allow 45-50 minutes to the station. The longest extension also passes the The Barrow House  in Egerton 01233 756 599 (formerly the George).
Directions Use this online version for the basic SWC walk (includes the two optional extensions).
The ghost walk is available here. (Use in conjunction with the basic walk)
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Christs Hospital to Billingshurst [New Walk]

Christs Hospital to Billingshurst 
27.1 km (16.9 miles)
Difficulty 4 or 5 out of 10
A long (but flat) new walk visiting the estate of Knepp Castle where a re-wilding project is into its 10th year. Expect to see Old English longhorn cattle, Tamworth pigs, Exmoor ponies, fallow and roe deer, and, if you're really lucky, maybe even a purple emperor. The walk also offers views of historic buildings (Shipley Windmill, Knepp Castle, as well as a listed farmhouse and an old Quaker Meeting House associated with William Penn).
Trains Get the 9.02 Bognor Regis train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 9:09, East Croydon 9:23) arriving Christs Hospital 10.09.
Return trains from Billingshurst at xx:33. Get a return to Billingshurst.
Lunch The Crown Inn, Dial Post (01403 710902) after 14.3 km (8.9 miles). A 16th century inn on the village green with fare ranging from sandwiches through to venison from the re-wilding project. Food is served till 2.30 and the pub closes at 4.
Tea The Railway Inn opposite the station.
Directions: here
Options: There are shorter options involving the 23 bus to or from Horsham (see text). These inevitably miss out some of the walk's highlights and the bus is 2-hourly (approx) on Sundays.

• Here are the times for the 10.8 mile (Knepp Castle to Billingshurst) version [Get the 10:25 train to Horsham from Victoria arriving there 11:47. Then the 23 bus from stop L at 12:04 (direction Worthing), alighting at the "Partridge Green turn" at 12:32. From there, using the alternative start (Partridge Green bus stop to Knepp Castle), you would get to the The Crown Inn for about 13:40.] 10.8 miles is the total length to Billingshurst from the bus stop (see comment below) .
• The versions heading back to Horsham (from Knepp Castle or Dial Post) would need careful timing to meet the infrequent bus at Partridge Green (13:58, 16:08 and 18:08 direction Crawley). Trains leave Horsham at xx:00 and xx:44. I'll let you work the rest out.

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Oliver's hometown

SWC Walk 31 – Huntingdon Circular

Length: 18.5km (11.5 miles) Toughness: 2 out of 10

10:22 Peterborough train from Kings Cross (Finsbury Park 10:28) arriving Huntingdon at 11:22.

Return trains are xx:00 (1h 2m) xx:34 (1h 15m) until 23:00. If you wish to visit the Cromwell Museum, you’ll need to do so before starting the walk as it closes at 15:30. T=3.31

Famingham Road to Eynsford - "Stop and stare" in a pretty corner of Kent

SWC walk 291 - Farningham Road to Eynsford
Length: 17.5km (10.9 miles) with shorter options possible
Toughness: 4 out of 10

10.07 train from Victoria (10.23 Bromley South) to Farningham Road, arriving 10.36

Buy a day return to Farningham Road. This should be accepted for return from Eynsford, but if not, you will only have to buy a single from Eynsford to Swanley (one stop).

For walk directions click here.

This new walk had its debut in June when only five people turned up for it. That seems a poor recompense for all the author's efforts in creating it. So come on SWC-ites, let's see if we can do better than that today.

I am also choosing it in response to a comment in our walk requests section (see, we do read them) for a walk closer to London today. Quite right too. It may be bank holiday weekend but you don't have to go rushing hither and yon to the far corners of the kingdom, doing 16 milers and flinging yourself in the sea. Instead take it easy and enjoy a pretty corner of Kent. Stop for a while and enjoy the view.

Partly this walk approaches familiar SWC territory from a different angle: the lovely country park around Lullingstone, whose visitor centre is a possible tea stop and whose castle (a mansion actually) you can visit. Other visitor attractions on the route include Lullingstone Roman Villa (English Heritage) and Eynsford castle (ruins: free).

Less familiar to most walkers will be its start at Farningham Road. True, the environs of the station are dull and there is some motorway noise in the early stages, but you soon plunge into ancient woods and descend to the very cute village of Farningham, which has a gorgeous riverside pub. South of Farningham a pleasant field edge route brings you to Eynsford, and when you return to Eysnford at the end of the walk there is another riverside pub and a stream you can dangle your feet in.

In short, lots of reasons to dally: no great reasons to rush.

Trains back go at 13 and 43 past to Blackfriars, taking 51 minutes: or you can change at Bromley South for a Victoria connection, a journey taking 43 minutes in total. T=3.291

Berwick to Eastbourne

Book 2 Walk 27 - Berwick to Eastbourne
Length: 13 miles / 23 km

Toughness: 7/10

This South Downs walk heads from inland Sussex to the coast, taking in a variety of scenery along the way.  The walk starts by passing Arlington Reservoir before crossing farmland towards Wilmington, then ascends to the huge chalk figure of the Long Man. From here the route continues to the historic smuggling village of Jevington, then ascends the South Downs to follow ridges of chalk grassland with views in all directions, before descending to the sea at Eastbourne.

Trains:  Take the 9:47 Ore/Littlehampton train from London Victoria (10:03 East Croydon), change at Polegate to arrive at Berwick at 11:17.
Return trains from Eastbourne at xx35/55 until 20:35 then less frequent.
Buy a day return to Eastbourne.

Lunch: The Giant's Rest at Wilmington (01323 870207) is 3 miles / 4.9km into the walk, an SWC favourite.

The Eight Bells, Jevington (01323 484442) is a possible mid-afternoon or late lunch stop.

Click here for full details and walk instructions.

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Evening Walk - Wanstead Park

Length: 6.0 km (3.7 mi)

Net Walking Time: 1 ½ hrs      

Meet: Wanstead Station, at 19.00 hours.

Wanstead is a station on the Hainault loop of the Central Line in Zone 4. Travel time from Oxford Circus is 27 minutes, and from Liverpool Street 17 minutes.

Leafy stroll in the Borough of Redbridge through the Grade II* listed historic landscaped parkland of Wanstead Park, once home to the Palladian mansion of Wanstead House, compared at the time to Blenheim Palace. Today only two smaller structures, The Grotto and The Temple, remain (and the House itself stood on what is now a golf course), but nevertheless the present smaller park retains some of the layout of Wanstead House’s grounds, especially its many ponds, and provides a perfect venue for relaxing and escaping the urban sprawl, with its plentiful water features and varied woods.

Eat/Drink: Plenty of options near the station, see webpage for details.

For walk directions, map, photos, and gpx/kml files click here.T=short.11

Wednesday Walk - South Downs Way to Bignor Hill & The Rother Valley: Amberley to Pulborough (Text-Check)

SWC Walk 39 – Amberley to Pulborough

Length:  19.7 km (12.2 mi)

Ascent/Descent:  450 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 4 ¾ hours

Toughness:  6 out of 10 

Take the 09.32 Southampton Central & Bognor Regis train from Victoria, arriving Amberley at 10.55 (you have to be in the rear part of the train, as it splits in Horsham). 
Buy an Amberley return. Network RC not valid on this service!

Return trains: xx.23 and xx.55 to 18.23, then 19.01, 19.34, 19.59, 20.35, 21.35, 22.37, 23.08.

This walk has not had an outing for a few years (the last time the train was cancelled) and the text has not been revised for almost 10 years. We will take the opportunity…

This walk starts with a climb up out of Amberley village and the Arun valley onto the crest of the South Downs following the South Downs Way (SDW) on a wide chalky track for 5 km to Bignor Hill, with magnificent views on a fine day. Leaving the SDW, it descends to lunch at a remote rural pub, the (once great) White Horse in Sutton. In the afternoon it routes through the flatter and more wooded Rother valley, coming to a tea stop by the lovely medieval bridge at Stopham. From there it’s a couple of km to Pulborough station.

Lunch:

The White Horse Inn in Sutton (9.7 km/6.0 mi, food to 14.30).

Tea:

The White Hart at Stopham Bridge (2.3 km from the end);

The Banyan Tree restaurant (300m beyond the station);

The Oddfellows Arms (1.2 km beyond the station);

The Chequers Hotel (650m beyond the station).T=swc.39

Next Week: Haslemere Circular (SWC 144 Option)

A Walk on the Wild Side - and a Tour of a Brewery

Faversham Circular Walk

Length: 12 km (7.5 miles)
Toughness: 1 out of 10

London Victoria:  10-07 hrs    Dover Priory service
Arrive Faversham: 11-23 hrs

Return: Faversham to Victoria:  15-33, 16-03, 16-33, 17-03, 17-38, 18-03 hrs

Buy your ticket before 6 pm on Monday 21st and you can take advantage of the South-Eastern promotion which will cost you £ 10 for your return ticket.

For the 11 am brewery tour you will need to take the 09-37 hrs train out of Victoria (Ramsgate service) arriving Faversham 10-50 hrs, leaving just enough time to get to Shepherd Neame's brewery. Note: this earlier train does not qualify for the concessionary fare.


The Four of us on the recently posted  Faversham to Whitstable walk so enjoyed it, and Faversham at the beginning of the walk, that I thought I would post one of Faversham's own walks - a 7.5 mile walk which includes the city centre and takes you through a bird sanctuary and out and back over the marshes on the Saxon Shore Way - a must for twitchers.

Walk Directions; click here and from the header bar select Visit Faversham. From the drop down list select Walking and from the options (in boxes) click on "Walk on the Wild Side" - and print off.

Beer drinkers: Shepherd Neame's brewery in Faversham is one of the oldest independent breweries in England, and I am told their brewery tour and visit ( £12-95) is well worth while and good value. The original intention to take the afternoon tour at 14-45 hrs has been thwarted by its cancellation. The only tour on offer today is at 11 am..  If interested, take the earlier train (details as above), do the brewery tour, then sober up after the free samples by embarking on the 7.5 mile walk.. You need to book the brewery tour in advance: information and booking instructions here.

Enjoy

Sunday Walk – Titsey Place on the North Downs

Extra Walk 244a – Woldingham to Oxted via Titsey Place
Length: Up to 13¾ km (8.5 miles). Toughness: 4 or 5/10

10:53 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:59, East Croydon 11:11), arriving Woldingham at 11:26. Buy a return to Oxted.

Trains back from Oxted are half-hourly, at 28 & 58 minutes past.

This walk goes through a mix of open valleys, woodland and parkland, with a fair bit of climbing packed into its short length. If you're familiar with this part of the North Downs you'll be able to work out that it will be slightly more rewarding if you're a bit deaf in the right ear, as there's an annoying stretch near the pesky M25.

The up-market lunch pub on this walk (the Botley Hill Farmhouse) is very popular at weekends so you might prefer to have a picnic lunch on one of the benches you'll find on the woodland path through the Titsey Plantation; this would also shorten the walk by 1½ km and cut out one of those hill climbs. Or you could treat this as an Afternoon Tea walk, as the Titsey Place Tea Room a little further on offers plenty of calories in the form of a tempting selection of cakes. The manor house itself is closed on Sundays but you could spend 45 minutes or so wandering around its attractive gardens (entry £4.50). And if by this time you've regretted skipping lunch the The Bull in Limpsfield is open to 4pm on Sundays, so you might be able to get a very late pub lunch after all.

You'll need to print the directions from the Woldingham Circular via Titsey Place Walk page. Unless you might want to do the longer ending back to Woldingham, click on Option a to hide the directions for the other options. T=swc.244.a

Sunday Walk - Rolling Bucks Landscape with tremendous views: Haddenham Circular (with or without Brill)

SWC Walk 191 – Haddenham Circular (via Brill) 
Length:  27.6 km (17.2 mi)

Ascent/Descent:  458 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ¼ hours

Toughness:  8 out of 10

                              OR

SWC Walk 191a – Haddenham Circular (omitting Brill)

Length:  20.1 km (12.5 mi) [the route splits from the main walk after 7.7 km]

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

Toughness:  5 out of 10 

Take the 10.10 Bicester Village train from Marylebone, arriving Haddenham & Thame Parkway at 10.50

Return trains:  xx.13 (52 mins journey time) and xx.38 (40 mins journey time), then 20.08, 20.39, 20.44, 21.37…

“This is a long and strenuous – but very rewarding – walk through the pleasant rolling countryside of the north westerly parts of Aylesbury Vale, just north of The Chilterns, with some far views on clear days. 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 wide circular route to return south on a different route back through the Thame Valley to Haddenham. 

The lunch stop is in any one of two charming pubs in the ancient hilltop village of Brill. A short loop around the village, providing far views into five counties, passes its well-preserved windmill in a prominent position on Brill Common, before a long descent from this steep-sided village follows.

There are a few ascents throughout the walk at regular intervals, with the third one – up to lunch in Brill – the longest, as the walk links a total of four hilltop villages and crosses one other hill chain. It also contains several arable field crossings.”

This short walk cuts out the beautifully located hilltop village of Brill, but still provides some fine far views across the rolling landscape and to the Chilterns.

Lunch:

The Pointer (12.1 km/7.5 mi, food to 17.00);

The Pheasant (12.9 km/8.0 mi, food to 17.00);

The Hundred of Ashendon (on the short walk: 11.5 km/7.2 mi, food to 15.00), which has been awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand 2016 and 2017 for its cuisine. They also serve sandwiches and more traditional dishes from a Bar Snack Menu.

Tea: The Rising Sun, en-route to the station, part of the Oak Taverns mini-chain.

                                                                                   

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

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