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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Sunday 15 October 2017

Sunday Walk – [New: Penshurst Circular] Around Bough Beech reservoir

New Walk – Penshurst Circular
Length: 15½ km (9.6 miles), with longer option possible. Toughness: 3/10

09:40 Dover train from Charing Cross (Waterloo East 09:43, London Bridge 09:50, Orpington 10:07), changing at Tonbridge (arr 10:25, dep 10:36) for the Redhill train from Platform 1, arriving Penshurst at 10:44.

A return ticket from London to Penshurst is valid for travel back via Tonbridge (hourly trains at xx:07) or Redhill (at xx:44), but there are confusing messages about engineering works in the Redhill area so the Tonbridge route looks a better bet.

You might have seen Bough Beech Reservoir from a vantage point on the Greensand Hills but it is tucked away in the undulating countryside and surprisingly well-hidden as you get closer. This new walk takes in the few places where you can get a good view, principally the causeway across the Nature Reserve at its northern end. There's the added attraction from noon today of a Festival of Apples in its Visitor Centre, advertising a “merry folk band” and freshly-cooked apple fritters (but sadly not unlimited cider tastings).

On the walk route there are two up-market lunch pubs serving very good food but both have the air of establishments where you need to book days in advance for Sunday lunch, particularly the Wheatsheaf in Bough Beech. You might have more luck 45 minutes later at the Castle Inn in Chiddingstone, but if not there are a couple of tearooms nearby where you should be able to get a light lunch (or a large tea).

My suggestion is to do the Short Walk 1 option and head directly back to Penshurst station from Chiddingstone, but sunset is still after 6pm so there'll be plenty of daylight for anyone attempting the 21½ km Main Walk.

You'll need to print the directions from this temporary New Walk page.
T=swc.300

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Might do this one..anyone else?

Anonymous said...

hi, is anyone doing the main walk?

Anonymous said...

Two more doing main walk. Should be fine weather.

Anonymous said...

n=15 w=warm_sunny_dry_and_still. What a lovely walk. It takes in some very pleasant and unexplored (by SWC) areas around Penshurst. The Wheatsheaf in Bough Beech was busy but staff were accommodating and one walker said it was the best meal they ever had. Some stopped for tea in Chiddingstone Castle and others later at the Little Brown Jug. Feeling very content and relaxed. Just wish I could it all again tomorrow!

PeteB said...

I think it was more than 15 on the walk as there were 14 of us at Penshurst off the specified train and at least another 5 or 6 who had caught a later train and who we met up with at the lunch pub so probably n=20 in all.
All walks are improved by a perfect warm and sunny autumn day but this one was superb. Those of us who did the longer walk enjoyed excellent tea and cakes in Penshurst village before the final leg to the station in the shimmering light of "the dimming of the day" with the leaves glittering like gold coins. A final drink and the 18.07 train home. A day to remember and to see us through "the great darkness" (Walker)

Walker said...

Yea, the Great Darkness. For verily the Great Darkness cometh, and none shall escape it, neither the Righteous Man nor the Sinner......