Book 1 Walk 53/SWC 138 Combo with
extended option via Bodsham t=1.53
Distance: 11 Miles/17.7km for the classic combo or 14
miles/22.5 km for the extended route via Bodsham
Difficulty: 6 out of 10
Train: Take the 9:34
AM train from London St. Pancras (9:40
from Stratford International), changing at Ashford (arriving 10:11; departing
10:35) arriving at Wye at 10:41. Return
trains from Chilham at 13 minutes past the hour. Buy a day return to Chilham.
This route is a classic combo of two walks,
creating a linear route from Wye to Chilham. For the standard route, you follow
the instruction from Book 1 Walk 53 from Wye up onto the dramatic North Downs
escarpment with fine views; then across the downs to the Compasses Inn in Sole Street
where you switch to the picturesque afternoon route from SWC 138 to the
charming village of Chilham.
The extended option via Bodsham requires a map-led route (which will be added to
the GPX file on line) that some Sunday walkers explored last year and found
very enjoyable. The extended route diverts from the classic one along the escarpment in the morning,
continuing along the NDW for a spell before turning off the escarpment and
passing by two alternate pubs, the Bowl
Inn in Hastingleigh and the Timber Batts Pub and Forge in Bodsham, a truly quirky experience and definitely
worth at least a drinks stop…..This route eventually also leads you to the Compasses
Inn where you can pick up the afternoon instruction for SWC 138. You can find
more information about the walk and download the walk instructions/route here and here.
Traditionally, lunch on this route has been at
the Compasses Inn, but it has become rather upmarket in recent years requiring
carefully timed bookings and proving difficult for walking groups…So, the
extended route provides two additional pubs (referenced above) which serve more basic fare and
have a more flexible attitude towards life…..
In Chilham, tea and other post walk afternoon refreshments
can be had at Shelly’s Tea Room or
the White Horse.
Enjoy the walk!
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3 comments:
Just to clarify, the extended map-led route via Bodsham is the light-blue dashed line on the map for the Wye Circular -- Book 1 Walk 53.
16 off the appointed train with one early starter and one late starter (having transport problems en route to St. P) made for n=18 on this rural delight...To my surprise, all but one (perhaps by accident) opted for the longer map-led route and most seemed to have no problem following the map or a line on a device....The early starter who we met at the pub took notes for the longer route -- so, hopefully, this well-received off-piste option will become official in due course...The Timber Batts did not disappoint -- about half of the group enjoyed lunch surrounded by a myriad of curiosities...and the sandwichers also enjoyed their drinks with a good look around the premises....After lunch some had a brief tour of the neighboring forge before setting across (small) hills and vales to the Compasses Inn and a return to the written word...We lost two to tea at the Compasses (and an alternate mode of transport) and the rest carried on at different speeds in a couple of small groups in the lovely afternoon/evening misty light, arriving in Chilham at dusk under a clearing sky with a bright moon...Post walk bevvies were split by the group between the two pubs -- most caught the 18:13...Of the 5 that lingered, two opted for a moonlight extension along the Stour Valley Walk to Chartham which proved very enjoyable and atmospheric along a clear path at the edge of some woods with good bright moonlight with the others presumably catching the 19:13...In addition to the eclectic collection at the pub, exotic spottings en route included a rhea (large ostrich-like bird) and lamas...slightly less exotic, but in great abundance, were vast displays of snow drops.
Conditions for the day ranging from w=heavy-mist-to-hazy-sunshine-and-finally-a-moonlit-sky.
Directions for the Hastingleigh-Bodsham- Waltham "loop" now added to the on-line written Directions.
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