Wednesday Walk - The Roman Town of Calleva Atrebatum: Mortimer to Aldermaston or Midgham or Theale

Length:  15.9 km (9.9 mi) (or 18.4 km to Midgham Station or 21.7 km to Theale)

Ascent/Descent:  94/92m

Net Walking Time:  3 ¼ hours

Toughness:  1 out of 10 

  

Take the 10.03 Penzance train from  Paddington, change at Reading (10.28/10.40, Basingstoke service), arrives Mortimer 10.51.

Return trains from Aldermaston are at 15.27 (chg Reading), 16.10 (chg Reading), 16.15 (chg Newbury), 17.18 (chg Reading), 18.06 (direct). From Theale they are on 16.03, 16.15, 17.01, 17.23… Buy a Mortimer return, this is usually accepted on the return journey.

From St. Mary's Church in Stratfield Mortimer, the route follows a clear stream - Foundry Brook - eventually to the amphitheatre and the 2.5 km of Roman walls surrounding the 107-acre site of the Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum, and the whitewashed 12^th century church at its entrance. The  remains of the fort are quite modest - just earthworks, but still very impressive, as is the amphitheatre.

The lunch stop is at a pub on Silchester Common and the afternoon route is mainly through woods of Scots pine, and commons of gorse and birch trees. Aldermaston, the teatime destination, is reached over the weirs of the River Kennet. Longer Walk: from Aldermaston continue along the Kennet & Avon Canal either to Woolhampton (Midgham Station) for some very nice pubs, or to Theale, for more frequent trains and several pubs. 

Lunch: Calleva Arms, in Silchester Common (6.8 km/4.2 mi, food to 14.30).

Tea: Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Information Centre in Aldermaston, The Rowbarge and The Angel in Woolhampton, plenty options in Theale, 400m beyond the station on the High Street.

For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. t=1.33

Sunday Walk A [minimal mud] Sunday Saunter from Dover to Deal and possibly onto Sandwich

Book 2 Walk 30:  An easy cliff walk from the dramatic White Cliffs of Dover to the charms of historic Deal or Sandwich t=2.30

Train:   Take the 9:37 AM Faversham train from London St. Pancras to Dover (9:44 at Stratford International), arriving at 10:41 AM.  Return trains from Sandwich are at 25 minutes past the hour and from Deal at 31 minutes past the hour until 21:25 and 21:31, respectively.  Buy a day return to Deal or Sandwich if planning on the longer route.

Distance:  11 miles to Deal and 16 miles to Sandwich (17.7 or 25.7, respectively, in new money)

Difficulty:  3 out of 10

First apologies for also posting another walk south of the river…..However, I could not resist the potential opportunity to see a waxing moon rising from the appropriately Eastward facing Sandwich Bay…..Besides, as this route mainly follows chalky cliffs, it is likely to be relatively mud-free…..

This fairly easy coastal walk follows the dramatic White Cliffs of Dover with nice views of the castle and the busy harbour.  It then dips down into St. Margaret's Bay for a seaside lunch before once again climbing up onto the cliffs to continue on to Deal.  The 5-mile walk to Sandwich is largely flat along a promenade with views out to Sandwich Bay.  After about 4 miles on the seafront, you will need to turn left to follow the Saxon Shore Way through the Royal St. George's Golf Club (if you pass some Public Conveniences on the left, you have gone too far (though you could also turn left along the Stour Valley Walk a short distance further on from the conveniences at a car park).  Both of these paths lead  into the charming village of Sandwich after about a mile.  If the weather conditions are clear, I would suggest, having a bevie in Deal and doing at least part of the last bit under a nicely waxing moon.  More information and the directions can be found here.

Lunch will be at the Coastguard in St. Margaret's Bay (01304 853176), a beach side pub claiming to be Britain's closest pub to France about 5 miles/8 km from the start of the walk.

The recommended tea stop in Deal is Jasins Café, located on the pier.  There are also numerous cosy pubs on the seafront.  For those on the long-haul, there are numerous pubs in Sandwich.

Fingers crossed for clear skies!

Enjoy the walk!

Sunday Walk: Stonegate to Robertsbridge

SWC walk 112: Stonegate to Robertsbridge via Burwash
13.7 km (8.5 miles) Difficulty 4/10

With gentle hills, classic woods and tranquil valleys, this walk's attractions include the unspoiled village of Burwash for lunch. Skull-and-crossbone tombstones in the churchyard mark the graves of executed smugglers, Burwash once being a centre for such activities. After lunch, it's off to Robertsbridge, along a beautiful route, which climbs up onto a ridge, has fine views to the north, then descends with panoramic views directly into the heart of Robertsbridge.
Anyone wanting a longer walk could substitute the morning of Stonegate Circular (Book 2 Walk 19) to increase the distance to 16.4 km (10.2 miles).
Trains: note corrected times
09:52 Hastings train from Charing Cross (London Bridge 10:01) arriving Stonegate 11:07
Return from Robertsbridge at xx14. Get a return to Robertsbridge.
Lunch: The Rose and Crown, Burwash (01435-882600) serves pub food from 12 to 2.30pm. It is west down the High Street from the church. The Bear Inn (01435-882260), is  further along. The Lime Tree Tea Rooms, also on the High Street (01435-882221), serving light snacks and cakes, stays open to 4:30 Sundays. Bateman's, once the home of Rudyard Kipling, is a short detour shortly after Burwash. It can be a lunch venue or early tea-stop but, unless you're an NT member, you have to pay the £12 entry fee first.
Tea: The Ostrich (01580-881737), close to Robertsbridge station, is conveniently placed to act as your afternoon tea/beer stop. Or there's the George in the High Street.
Directions can be found here. Leave your best shoes at home.

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Saturday Walk - South Downs Way Section 4: Amberley to Cocking or Midhurst (return by bus to Amberley or Chichester) (map-led)

Length:  18.4 km (11.4 mi) (or 25.5 km to Midhurst)

Ascent/Descent:  417/321m

Net Walking Time:  4 ½ hours

Toughness:  6 out of 10 

  

Take the 09.49 Southampton Central train from Victoria (CJ 09.55, EC 10.04), arrives Amberley 10.58.

In Cocking on the A road take bus line 60 either south to Chichester (xx.15 and xx.45) or north to Midhurst (xx.08 and xx.38, takes 15 minutes) and change there to bus line 1 to Pulborough (15.30, 16.30, 17.40, 30 mins journey) [note: the last bus at 18.45 isn’t much help, as it badly connects to the train].

Return trains from Chichester are only one per hour today due to trackworks: xx.00 (change at Barnham), from Pulborough they are also hourly on xx.34 to 18.34, then 19.08, 20.36…

Buy a Chichester return to keep all bus options open, buy a Chichester (All Routes) return to keep open the option to also return via Havant to Waterloo, else buy an Amberley return.

To quote the website: “This is a ridge walk along the South Downs Way (SDW) along a good, easy to follow path. There are fine views in the morning. The afternoon is forested, so even though you're on top of the ridge, it’s like walking along a forested trail. There might be better views in winter.” There will be.

I was intending to walk this west to east, as the previous SDW stretches we have done, but this way round it makes more sense if some walkers want to extend to Midhurst.  
Longer Walk: from Cocking on the A road walk down to Cocking village (1.4 km) or even on to Midhurst (another 5.7 km).

Lunch: Picnic, or pubs off route and off the downs in Duncton, Graffham and Heyshott. 

Tea: The Bluebell in Cocking is now shut, but there are plenty of options in Midhurst and Chichester.

For summary, map, height profile, some photos and gpx/kml files click here. t=swc.33

Saturday walk - Milford to Haslemere - Sandy heaths = less mud?

Milford to Haslemere (Book 1, walk 27)
Length: 18.7km (11.7 miles)
Toughness: 6 out of 10

9.15 train from Waterloo (9.22 Clapham Junction) to Milford, arriving 10.05.

Buy a day return to Haslemere.

For walk directions click here. For GPX click here.

I don't think this walk has ever been done in winter, but it crosses lots of heathland, at least in its later stages and so one might hope that it would have less mud than other walks (heath = sandy soils). This might be less true in the early stages out of Milford, but keep the faith....

Normally a 10.15 train is specified for this walk, but (before you complain....) normally we are doing it on a long summer day. I thought an extra hour's daylight might be useful, given the walk length: also given that there is just one lunch pub (quite popular: gastro with prices to match).

In the afternoon the original version of this walk took a somewhat quixotic route down into the valley. The variation which keeps to the ridge is much to be preferred and the diversion to Gibbet Hill is recommended

The National Trust cafe at the Devil's Punch Bowl is closed for a few weeks for refurbishment, but despair not as "hot drinks and snacks will be available from a catering outlet on site". Otherwise, carry on to Haslemere where my good friend Dr Google says Hemingways, the cafe opposite Darnleys that gets all the plaudits from walkers these days, closes at 5pm; Darnleys itself closes at 5.30pm; and Costa Coffee, with that boring inevitability that makes it such a successful chain, closes at 7.30pm.

Trains back from Haslemere: four an hour: the faster ones are the 02 and 32 past, taking around 50 minutes. The 15 and 39 past are ten minutes slower. T=1.27

Snodland to Sole Street

t=2.17

Length: 13km (8m)
Toughness: 5 / 10
Transport: There are several options:

Outbound:	High speed train from London St Pancras at 9:55 arriving in Snodland at 10:45 via a change at Strood
	Train from London Charing Cross at 9:15 arriving in Snodland at 10:45 via a change at Tonbridge
	Train from London Victoria at 9:22 arriving in Snodland at 10:45 via a change at Maidstone: Walk from Maidstone East to Maidstone Barracks (5mins)
Return:	From Sole Street direct to London Victoria at the hour
	From Sole Street to Rochester at xx:25 and then with high speed train to London St Pancras

You can pick and mix as you wish, but the high speed train has special fares. With a day return you commit yourself to that mode of transport. Also, I do not know if a day return from Charing Cross will be accepted on the return to Victoria.

This is a pleasant walk through winter woods on the North Downs and open fields, passing a historic church and ending at the very cosy pub, the Cock Inn, for tea which usually has a fire going in the winter.

Wednesday Walk - Midhurst Way Northerly Section: Haslemere to Midhurst (via Henley)

Length: 16.3 km (10.1 mi) [or longer, see below]

Ascent/Descent: 309/427m; Net Walking Time: 4 hours

Toughness:  5/10                       

Take the 10.00 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (10.25 Woking, 10.34 G’ford), arrives Haslemere 10.48. From Clapham J take the 09.52 stopping service (H’mere 10.45).

Return to Haslemere from Midhurst either by bus number 70 (roughly hourly, £5.00 fare in 2017, last dep. 19.05) or by taxi.

Return trains from Haslemere are four per hour (xx.02, xx.15, xx.30 and xx.37), journey time from 49 to 66 mins. Buy a Haslemere return.

The route of this walk leads out of Haslemere in a southerly direction through Camelsdale and steeply up to Marley Common, a mixture of mature woodland and open heathland and then continues south through a fine mix of quiet forests with frequent far views out to the South Downs or back to Black Down. The walk continues to the scenic villages of Fernhurst and then Henley with their respective pubs, the latter halfway up another steep ascent to Verdleyhill. Finally it passes Easebourne village and priory and enters Midhurst via Cowdray Park with its polo fields, then past the ruined Cowdray Castle by the River Rother. This walk is the northerly section of the unmarked Midhurst Way, which has been created by John Trueman, local to the area and a passionate advocate of outdoor pursuits. It runs between Arundel and Haslemere. The southerly section Arundel to Midhurst is available as a separate SWC Walk.

For a shortcut, bus line 70 also stops along the route in: Fernhurst, Henley (above the village on the A-road) and Easebourne (350m off-route on the A286).

As this is such a short walk, why not join the walk poster on a reccie walk through the woods on Marley Heights for a longer option?

Lunch: The Red Lion  in Fernhurst (6.2 km/3.8 mi), or The Duke of Cumberland Arms  in Henley (9.7 km/6.1 mi, food to 14.00).

Tea: lots of choice in Easebourne and Midhurst, check the pdf for all details; recommended are Cowdray Farm Shop & Cafe (2.0 km from the end), Garton’s Coffee House, The Wheatsheaf, The Angel Inn and The Olive & Vine.

For summary, map, height profile, walk directions and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.218