Sunday Walk – Bluebell woods on the Surrey/Kent border

Extra Walk 135b – Oxted to Edenbridge
Length: 17 km (10.6 miles). Toughness: 3/10

09:40† East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 09:47, Norwood Jct 10:04, East Croydon 10:09), arriving Oxted at 10:33. Buy a return to Edenbridge Stations.

Trains from Victoria are taking 10-15 minutes longer than usual because they're being diverted via Norwood Junction, but that might make an easier connection from places in south-east London: eg. a West Croydon Overground service arriving NJ at 09:52, or the 09:46 Ore train from London Bridge arriving at 09:58.

Return trains from Edenbridge Town are hourly at xx:10 and go to Oxted. Change there (or at Hurst Green) for East Croydon and Victoria, etc. Your ticket would also be valid via Redhill from the other Edenbridge station at xx:44, changing there for East Croydon and London Bridge.

There should be some good displays of bluebells on this fairly gentle walk on the Surrey/Kent border, with a new section through Ridlands Grove making a nice taster before the main course in Staffhurst Wood. I've chosen this walk's alternative afternoon to Edenbridge because it makes an extra loop through Staffhurst Wood after lunch (plus it doesn't get posted very often: its last outing was in 2013). However, you can of course buy a ticket to Lingfield and do the longer afternoon route if you wish.

You should reach the Royal Oak on the edge of Staffhurst Wood before 1pm. It's got a large beer garden with nice views, but if it's too cold to eat outside you might struggle to get a table for Sunday lunch. In the past, however, I remember being able to get a late pub lunch at the end of the walk in Edenbridge, so you should survive. If you just want a hot drink at the end of the walk there's a Costa Coffee, open until 5pm.

† Late Risers could take the train half an hour later and do the shorter start from Hurst Green, saving 3 km. However, that would miss out the attractive stretch through Ridlands Grove.

You'll need to bring the directions from the Oxted to Lingfield walk page. If you're definitely planning to finish in Edenbridge, clicking the word 'Alternative' in the Walk Options heading will significantly reduce the amount printed. T=swc.135.b

Sunday Walk - The Chilterns and the Thames Valley, Spring Flowers and Beech Woods: Goring Circular (via Hill Bottom) or to Pangbourne

Length: 18.3 km (11.4 mi) or 25.0 km (15.5 mi) to Pangbourne

Ascent/Descent: 300m or 350m to Pangbourne

Net Walking Time: ca. 4 hours or 5 ½ hours to Pangbourne

Toughness: 4 out of 10

Take the 10.15 Didcot Parkway service from Paddington (may show as a ‘Cholsey’ train at Paddington; stops Ealing B’way 10.23). Or take the 10.27 Cheltenham Spa service and change Reading (11.03/11.14). In each case arriving Goring & Streatley 11.27.

Return trains: xx.14 (direct, but shave off 15 mins by changing at Reading), xx.27 (via Didcot). From Pangbourne: xx.19 via Reading (shorter), xx.22 via Didcot (longer).

Buy a Goring & Streatley return in any case.

Last year we walked this mid-April mid-week and it seemed – as the walk author says in his blurb – the best time of year to do this walk. Bluebells then weren’t at their peak (see the walk report on the site), they should be today.

From the blurb…: “This circular walk is best done anti-clockwise and the walk instructions are written to reflect this. It is a mix of beautiful, rolling Chilterns countryside, forest trails and quiet country lanes. This is a spring to early autumn walk. The best time to do it however is probably late April or early May when the foliage of the beech trees is at its most vibrant and where there should be good displays of bluebells and other spring flowers in some woods. Sections of the trails through woods will be muddy after rain. There are very short but safe stretches along potentially busy roads. There are three pubs en route before you reach Goring. …”

Walk Option:  At the end, from Goring station find the Thames Path and continue along one of the best stretches of it (with the water on your right-hand side) to Whitchurch and thence across the Thames to Pangbourne station (not written up but with a gpx file on the site). The Swan  pub on the river is an ideal spot to await the train (2 mins from the platform).

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

Lunch: The Sun Inn in Hill Bottom (8.2 km/5.1 mi, food to 15.00); the chef is ex-Gordon Ramsay and Tom Aiken, so expect gastro-food. Welcoming walkers these days and proved a very good lunch stop last year. Further along, as long as you beat a 5 km/h average pace…: The Red Lion (trad village pub fare, on Sundays: Roasts only) and The Plaice (fish & chips), in Woodcote  (11.9 km/7.4 mi, food to 14.00 at both establishments).

Tea: Plenty of options in Goring (a little beyond the station) and in Whitchurch/Pangbourne. For details see the pdf. T=swc.243

Dorking to Reigate

With  temperatures forecast to be half of those over the balmy Easter Holiday and possible rain early on, here's a fairly easy short walk within 50 minutes of London

Getting there

Catch the 10:24 Dorking Main train from London Waterloo (10:33 from Clapham Junction) to Dorking Main.  Arrive into Dorking Main at 11:11

Getting back

Direct trains depart from Reigate on the hour and half hour to London Victoria, calling points include East Croydon and Clapham Junction.

There is another indirect train service at 18 or 19 minutes past the hour returning to London Bridge - change at Redhill 

Lastly, there is yet another indirect service at 34 minutes past the hour returning to London Victoria - change at Redhill for this service too, calling points include East Croydon and Clapham Junction.

Tickets

Buy a return ticket to Dorking, which is valid for the return journey from Reigate via Redhill.

Length 8 miles (13 km)
Toughness 2/3 out of 10

Overview

A mainly level route along the River Mole and then the Greensand Way via several picturesque villages. The suggested lunchtime pub is the Dolphin Inn t: 01737 842288 in Betchworth.

Click the link below  for all the details 
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Saturday Walk: Yalding to Harrietsham

full walk: 15.1 miles / 24.3 km
shorter version: 9.5 miles / 15.3 km

A spring walk along the Greensand Way in Kent.

Trains: 9:10 from London Charing Cross (London Bridge 9:19), change at Paddock Wood (arr 9:58) for the 10:11 to Yalding, arriving at 10:18.  If you just miss the 9:10, take the 9:15 and change at Tonbridge (you have 6 minutes to make it across to platform 1).
Return trains from Harrietsham go to London Victoria at xx:50.
Yalding and Harrietsham are on different lines, a return to Maidstone or Yalding with single from Harrietsham to Maidstone seems to be the best advice.

Shorter version:  The walk can be shortened to 9.5 miles / 15.3 km by ending in Sutton Valence and taking a no 12 bus to Headcorn or Maidstone (hourly service).  The journey to Headcorn is quicker and drops you off at the very nice George & Dragon or the station -  you will need a return to Headcorn if travelling this way.

Lunch: An early lunch 5.5 miles into the walk at The Bull, Linton (01622 743612).  Great views from the terrace.

Sutton Valence has several pubs for a mid afternoon stop - The Kings Head serves food all day so also a possible late lunch stop.  The Pepper Box Inn at Ulcombe would be another great stop further on, but shut from 3-6pm.

Full details and directions here

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Saturday walk - Knockholt Circular - first ever outing in bluebell time

Length: 18.5km (11.5 miles) T=3.7
Toughness: 5 out of 10

10.05 train from Charing Cross (10.08 Waterloo East, 10.14 London Bridge) to Knockholt, arriving 10.49.

If you miss the above train, get the 10.15 Charing Cross train (10.18 Waterloo East, 10.24 London Bridge) and change at Orpington (arrive 10.39, depart 10.43).

Knockholt is in zone 6, so you can use Oyster, contactless, etc: but don't forget to tap out and tap in at Knockholt - easy to do as it is a rural station with no ticket barriers.

For walk directions click here. For GPX click here. For map click here.

This walk has not had a Saturday outing since 2012, and as far as I can see has never been done in bluebell time despite being listed on the Where to find Flowers page as having "several attractive small bluebell woods". This is also fertile territory for other kinds of floral and spring delights, since this is essentially the chalk downland of the North Downs. Just after lunch it passes Downe House, home of Charles Darwin, which can be visited.

For lunch you have a choice of two pubs in Downe - the George & Dragon or the Queen's Head, both 4.8 miles into the walk. Somewhat mysteriously the walk directions do not mention a further choice 1.6 miles further on, which is the Blacksmith's Arms in Cudham, which is only very slightly off the route and seems to do food all afternoon.

If this walk has one weakness, it is that its tea stop, the self-service Arthur's Restaurant in Coolings Garden Centre, shuts at the cruelly early hour of 4.30pm. It is 1.6 miles from the end of the walk, so 5.1 miles from Downe or 3.5 miles from Cudham. Otherwise one is reliant on one of two "locals" pubs nearby (don't ask if they do Earl Grey...).

There is a report that a section across the golf course at the start and end of the walk is being prepared for housing development, with the path across the site fenced.

Trains back from Knockholt go at 13 and 43 past. Don't forget to tap in!

Saturday Walk Berwick to East Dean via Birling Gap

Berwick to East Dean via Birling Gap T=swc.129

Length: 13.3 miles (21.3km) 5 out of 10 (16.2km (10.4 miles) missing out Birling Gap)

This walk uses the same start as the Berwick to Seaford walk also on this site, following a relatively flat route across fields to the village of Wilmington at the base of the downs, with fine views of its famous chalk cut figure, the Long Man of Wilmington. After Wilmington you go right to the base of the Long Man and climb up onto the downs, crossing their lonely centre to the picturesque village of Jevington, with stunning views en route. After that you climb onto long ridge, with more fine views, to the village of Friston, and descend to the sea at Flagstaff Point, the central point in the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs, walking over three of the Sisters to Birling Gap.

Trains: Get the 0916 Eastbourne train from London Victoria (Clapham 0922. East Croydon 0932). Arrives Lewes 1024. Change to the 1047 Hastings train arrives Berwick 1056. Buy a return to Eastbourne. Note that the journey planner may suggest a change at Polegate.
For the return you get the bus from East Dean to Eastbourne. There also seems to be an ESS bus from Birling Gap, the last one at 1718 (from the Plusbus website). I don't know the bus fare, but it might be worth adding PlusBus to your train ticket. Trains from Eastbourne are xx00 & xx25

Lunch: Early lunch at The Giant’s Rest in Wilmington (01323 870207) after 3 miles, or a late lunch at the Eight Bells in Jevington (01323 484442) after 6.6 miles (the choice of the most recent outings).

Tring to Berkhamsted - for bluebells in Dockey Wood, Flat Isley and Ashridge Estate

Book 2, Walk 5b - Tring to Berkhamsted

Length:  22 km (13.7 miles)   Short-cuts and shorter walk returning to Tring possible
Toughness: 4 out of 10

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

Return :  Berkhamsted to Euston: 01, 15, 31 and 46 mins past the hour
               Tring to Euston:  direct trains at 10, 26 and 56 mins past the hour

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Tring

With reports that the Dockey Wood bluebells are now in full bloom, I'm posting this classic bluebell walk at nil notice, given it is my only "free" day during the coming week when trains are running.
T=2.5

For Directions, lunch options etc. please refer to the Walk Directions here: L=2.5

Evening Walk - Hampton Court and Bushy Park (Hampton Wick Circular)

Length: 7.1 km (4.4 mi)

Ascent/Descent:  negligible

Net Walking Time: ca. 1 ½ hours

Toughness:  1 out of 10 

Take the 18.12 Shepperton train from Waterloo (18.17 Vauxhall, 18.22 Clapham J, 18.25 Earlsfield, 18.29 Wimbledon, etc.), arriving Hampton Wick at 18.43.

Return trains: xx.01, xx.14, xx.31, xx.44.

Two Deer Parks and Hampton Court Castle, a Royal Palace.

Tea:  The Foresters Arms on High Street.

For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.3