Evening Walk - Richmond Park (Mile End postponed)

Mile End Richmond Park

Distance: 6.5km

Meet 19:00 prompt in the entrance of Richmond station.

Note: Scheduled Mile End walk postponed due to All Points East. T=short.7

Wednesday walk Tring to Wendover - Grand Union and Wendover Canals, Tring Reservoirs - and Wendover Woods

Book 1, Walk 11 - Tring to Wendover

Length: 21 km (13 miles)  Short-cut available, reducing length to circa 10 miles.
Toughness: 6 out of 10   (one climb up into Wendover Woods, remainder of walk 3 out of 10)

London Euston: 10-24 hrs    Milton Keynes service
Arrive Tring: 10-59 hrs

Return: Wendover to London Marylebone: 15-56, 16-26, 16-56, 17-23, 17-58, 18-29 and 18-55 hrs

Rail ticket: a bit tricky as the two railways stations are on different lines. Either buy separate singles or an all zone travelcard plus singles at either end (from boundary of travelcard). Senior railcard holders - singles either side of your travelcard boundary


This walk had a recent weekend outing, but as I always enjoy this walk, here it is (again) as your Wednesday walk !
This is a walk in two halves; in the morning you walk beside a canal, then around large reservoirs before heading across (flat) country and a vast field to your lunchtime stop in Aston Clinton, the usually very good The Oak pub (newly refurbished and extended). If there are four or more of you planning to have lunch, best 'phone ahead from Tring station: 01296-630466. Your e.t.a is 13-40 hrs.
After lunch, and the second half of the walk, your terrain is totally different: having walked around the edge of a M.O.D airfield, then along a canal towpath, you head up into the hills But note: you can avoid the hills by taking a direct route along the canal to Wendover, giving you a flat 10 mile walk outing. Otherwise, having climbed up into Wendover Woods you walk through them, resisting any temptation to release your inner chimp in the Go Ape centre. You then have a steep(ish) descent down to the outskirts of Wendover, to walk up through the town. Chocaholics stop at Rumsey's Chocolaterie: I  stop at the Shoulder of Mutton pub, close to the railway station.
T=1.11
Walk directions here L=1.11

Spring Bank Holiday Walk - Berwick to Seaford via Alciston and Alfriston, or Berwick Circular

SWC 90 - Berwick to Seaford

Length: 18.4 km (11.4 miles)  Stopping at Exceat: 12.2 km (7.6 miles).   Berwick Circular: 13.3 km (8.3 miles).
Other options, extensions, routes available
Toughness: Main walk and to Exceat:  7 out of 10. Circular walk: 5 out of 10

London Victoria:  09-16 hrs    Littlehampton and Eastbourne service (splits at Haywards Heath). CJ 09-23,  EC 09-33
Arrive Lewes: 10-23 hrs.  Change trains, crossing over bridge
Leave Lewes: 10-47 hrs. Hastings service from Brighton
Arrive Berwick: 10-56 hrs

Return:  Berwick to Victoria, changing at Lewes or Brighton (not much in it):  52 mins past the hour
Seaford to Victoria, changing at Lewes:  25 and 53 mins past the hour

Rail ticket: if doing the Berwick Circular, it's obvious. If going to Seaford, your best option is a day return to Seaford, and sweet talk the ticket inspector on the leg Lewes to Berwick. Either that or buy a Berwick return and deploy your sweet talking skills at Seaford

The early(ish) start is due to the new timetable being "unfriendly" today - sorry, not much I can do about that.
The version of the walk which I suggest you take today - with the alternative start from Berwick, and taking in the churches in Alciston and Alfriston - was walked by mid-week SWC walkers on 14 March of this year, and when including the route "High and Over" in the afternoon, many of them agreed with me - that this walk is one of the very best in the entire SWC repertoire. Lots of variety, hills to keep a walker honest, proper water features, and not too long. So do give it a go - on this Whit Bank Holiday.   The mid-weekers had the bonus of seeing this year's new born lambs in the fields below Seaford Head. Said lambs will be approaching full growth now, but the bonus for you will be the muddy, slippery paths which mid-weekers had to negotiate should be drying out by now and should be much firmer under foot.
Today you can mix and match the routes and options and do your own thing to your heart's content. Your choice just might be dictated by the weather. If it is horribly hot, the Book 1 route on the Glynde to Seaford walk offers a lot more shade in the afternoon. If you want to add to your sun tan, the route with stunning views up and over "High and Over Hill" should do the trick for you. If storms are a-threatening, again the Book 1 route might be safer.
You choose.
Lunch: The three walker friendly pubs in Alfriston are all likely to be very busy. If there are a number of would-be diners, best you spread out over all three. In addition to the pubs there is at least one cafe and a tea room and a very good deli for picnic provisions. Or you could continue the morning walk to Litlington, where there is another good pub.
If you don't want to climb a big hill in the afternoon, or go through woodland, then up two steep flights of steps, the relaxed route to Exceat is to stay beside the Cuckmere River and just meander with it to Exceat. There you can conclude your walk, by taking the bus to Seaford (a regular service). If you continue with the walk, your final leg, after a stretch steadily uphill on the Vanguard Way to Cuckmere Haven, is a delightful, undulating, cliff-top walk all the way to Seaford, with lovely  views behind you of the Seven Sisters.
Tea: pubs, cafes, bars - and Trawlers Fish and chip restaurant await your custom at walk-end. Those on the Berwick Circular (I haven't mentioned much about this pleasant option) there is a pub close to the station for a walk-end tincture.
For those who like shade in the afternoon, you will need to refer to the Book 1 walk, Glynde to Seaford here
Otherwise, the Directions for the main and circular walks are here
T=swc.90
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Scotland 2018.......Dornie [with swimming walks]

A good sized group of walkers will be going to Dornie for our annual Scottish hill walking extravaganza.  Dornie is a small village on the route to the Isle of Skye, not far from the Kyle of Loch Alsh or Glen Shiel and the famous Eileen Donan Castle. The trip will run from Monday 28 May for 7 nights.  All of the pre-booked accommodation is now taken, so if you are interested in coming, you would need to find your own accommodation.  For inquiries on the trip generally, please contact goepfertkarenATyahooDOTcom.

Sunday Walk – Four mini-Munros in the South East (Box Hill)

Extra Walk 64 – Box Hill Circular
Length: 14¾ km (9.2 miles). Toughness: 7/10

10:12 Dorking train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:20), arriving Box Hill & Westhumble at 11:07.

Trains back from Box Hill are at xx:10 to Waterlooo, xx:19 & xx:49 to Victoria. From the transport point of view there's no advantage in taking the longer ending to Dorking as all trains call at Box Hill on Sundays.

On the eve of the SWC expedition to the gentle slopes of north-west Scotland, I thought some walkers might like to tackle four mini-Munros closer to home. This strenuous little walk involves climbs onto Norbury Park, Mickleham Downs and Headley Heath, before the steepest ascent up Box Hill itself. If that all sounds too much, the Short Walk option cuts out Headley Heath and there are other short cuts mentioned in the directions.

There's a choice of two nice (though fairly expensive) places in Mickleham if you want a pub lunch, a third of the way through the Main Walk. The route goes past the King WilliamⅣ; shortly before this, a little detour would take you to the Running Horses. You'll get to the village before 12.30pm but it's advisable to call one of these places and book a table if you want to eat inside.

After your final climb you'll find the NT café and servery at the top of Box Hill. At the station Pilgrim Cycles incorporates a small café, but call in advance if you're relying on this to check it will still be open. [I was slightly concerned to see the word "Surly" while scanning its website; I hope this refers to a make of bike, not the service]. There's also a pub on the way to the station.

You'll need to bring the directions from the Box Hill Circular walk page. If you're sure about which option you'll be doing you can reduce the amount printed by clicking on it in the Walk Options list. T=swc.64

Sunday Walk - The Rolling Hills of Hertfordshire: Watton-at-Stone Circular

Length:  21.5 km (13.4 mi)

Ascent/Descent:  300m

Net Walking Time:  5 hours

Toughness:  5 out of 10 

  

Take the 10.17 Stevenage train from Moorgate (Old Street 10.19, Essex Road 10.22, Highbury & Islington 10.25, Finsbury Park 10.30 etc.), arrives Watton-at-Stone 11.14.

Note: due to late-running engineering works, this train may leave from King’s Cross (but will always go via Finsbury Park), so watch this space and the National Rail website.

Return trains: xx.06 and xx.36.

As I said in my walk report after this walk’s last outing on a Wednesday in early 2017: “Very pleasant, possibly one of the most underrated walks on the website.”

This walk is in the gentle rolling hills and little wooded areas of rural Hertfordshire, with a particularly attractive stretch alongside the River Beane near the end and a brutalist water tower at Tonwell along the way and a cozy pub with a big open fire at the end.

Lunch: The Boot Inn in Dane End, Ware (8.0 km/5.0 mi, food 13.00-16.00) or at The Robin Hood Inn in Tonwell (14.8 km/9.2 mi, although this is closed on Sundays acc. to the CAMRA website).

Tea: The Bull or The George & Dragon, both on the High Street in Watton.

For walk directions, map, height profile, some photos and gpx/kml files click here. t=swc.94

Saturday walk - Otford to Eynsford - a gentle walk down an idyllic valley

Length: 14.1km (8.8 miles) - with possible extension: see ** below
Toughness: 5 out of 10

10.25 train from Victoria to Otford, arriving 11.00

Note that there can be quite long ticket queues at Victoria on sunny bank holiday Saturdays, so some may prefer to get the 10.10 from Charing Cross (10.13 Waterloo East, 10.19 London Bridge) arriving Otford at 10.48: if so, please wait for the Victoria walkers and don't fraternise with the Frant to Tunbridge Wells crowd...)

Buy a day return to Otford.

For walk directions click here. For GPX click here.

In the early days of the SWC, when we followed the old book one rota, this was a firm favourite as a late spring walk, despite its short length, but it has not had an outing at this time of year for eight years. With gentle Kentish scenery, a lovely village with several pubs for lunch and a pleasant finish along a river into Eysnford, this is a walk to linger over rather than rush through.

At one point in the afternoon and then a bit later around Lullingstone there are also extensive displays of oxeye daisies, which hopefully will be looking good by now. Lullingstone makes a possible tea stop - its cafe looks utilitarian but has nice cakes: you might also be in time to visit Lullingstone Castle (a stately home: don't expect battlements and moats) or Lullingstone Roman Villa (English Heritage) a bit further on. The Riverside Tea Room in Eynsford, by contrast, closes cruelly early at 4pm (it should be illegal for tea rooms to close this early!), though there is a nearby pub or two and a nice stream to dangle your feet in.

For lunch in Shoreham the usual SWC choice seems to be the Kings Arms, which serves basic cuisine, but I continually urge (in vain!) the charms of the Two Brewers, which is a very nice pub, though sometimes booked up. Not mentioned in the walk directions (though passed by the route) there is also a very nice garden tea room as part of the quirky Battle of Britain Museum in the village.

** LONGER OPTION If you want a longer walk from Eynsford you can continue up the waymarked Darent Valley Way for one mile to Farningham (a lovely village with a fine riverside pub, though near the M25 too) and there pick up the directions in sections 7 and 8 of the Farningham Road to Eynsford walk, taking you to Farningham Road station. All told this will add about 5.5km (3.4 miles) to the walk.

Trains back from Eynsford are at 32 and 57 past to Blackfriars and St Pancras, with the 57 offering a change at Bromley South to a Victoria train, saving 15 minutes of journey time.

Trains back from Farningham Road are at 12 past. It is just one stop from Farningham Road to Swanley, which is on the route to Otford, so your Otford return should be accepted. T=1.23

Saturday Walk Frant to Tunbridge Wells via Goombridge

Frant to Tunbridge Wells via Goombridge T=swc.19.b

Length: 13 miles (21 km). Five hours 15 minutes walking time. (there is a 9.3 mile option)

This is an enjoyable walk and the Spa Valley Railway will be running  (Goombridge 1620 to Tunbridge Wells). The choice of how far to walk is after lunch. I've always done the main walk start (5a), and not found it too bad.

Trains: Get the 1004 Hastings train from Charing Cross, (London Bridge 1011, East Croydon 1026) arriving Frant 1115. Return trains from Tunbridge Wells are xx09 & xx39. CDR to Frant.

Lunch: at the Nevill Crest and Gun (01892-864209) in Eridge Green; it has a large garden and serves very good food all day from noon

Saturday Walk - Uckfield to Buxted (via Blackboys)

Length:  21.6 km (13.5 mi) [shorter walk possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent:  342/312m

Net Walking Time:  5 hours

Toughness:  5 out of 10 

  

Take the 09.07 Uckfield train from London Bridge (East Croydon 09.22), arrives Uckfield 10.22.

Return trains: xx.37. Buy an Uckfield return.

This undulating amble through some varied scenery in the Low Weald Countryside provides ample South Downs views in the morning from the Uck valley and on the way to and through the East Sussex National Golf Course, before turning north east through the High Cross estate, owned by property developer Nicholas van Hoogstraten, who was at the centre of various legal battles with The Ramblers after blocking or otherwise obstructing rights-of-ways across this estate.

You then pass a couple of manor houses, one with pretty ornamental lakes and ornate landscaped gardens, en route to lunch at the charming 14^th century Blackboys Inn in Blackboys.

From lunch the route turns west along Vanguard Way and Wealdway for a long stretch through the tranquil valley of the Tickerage Stream, past Tickerage Mill, Vivien Leigh’s abode in the final years of her life, and finishes through Buxted Park, an old deer park in Ashdown Forest parkland, past the very large, elegant Palladian Buxted House (now a hotel) in its hilltop position.

Disclaimer: there are plenty of stiles on this walk, and the morning section has some very mud-prone parts.

A shortcut, routing through Framfield, reduces the length to 18.1 km and the rating to 4/10.

Elevenses/Lunch: The Halfway House East Sussex National Golf Club (6.5 km/4.1 mi), Crockstead Farm Hotel (9.1 km/5.7 mi), The Blackboys Inn in Blackboys (14.1 km/8.8 mi, food all day). On the short walk: The Hare & Hounds  in Framfield (12.3 km/7.7 mi; under new management as of 2017).

Tea: The White Hart or The Buxted Inn, both minutes from the station.

For walk directions, map, height profile, some photos and gpx/kml files click here. t=swc.262