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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.

Saturday 6 April 2019

Hever to Leigh

This weeks shortie meanders through the "Garden of England" passing castles, a stately home and a small lake. Get all the gen here


Getting there

Catch the 10:07 Uckfield train from London Bridge (10:22 East Croydon) to Hever arriving there at 10:49.
Buy a return ticket to Leigh (Kent) pronounced Lie

Length: 14 km

Maps

OS Explorer 147 1:25,000 and OS Landranger 188 1:50,000

Toughness 2/10

Getting Back

Catch a train at 26 minutes past the hour from Platform 2 at Leigh station changing at Tonbridge (8 minutes wait) . This service calls at Sevenoaks, London Bridge and Waterloo East arriving at Charing Cross at 22 minutes past the following hour. 
I don't advise catching trains back via Redhill (Platform 1) as there are engineering works on the London to Brighton Line which may affect journey times.

More Information

Walkers may take lunch at Chiddingstone where the Castle Inn and the Tulip Tree tearooms offer sustenance and drinks. Those with a packed lunch may eat in the Church grounds opposite, but bear in mind this is quite a popular venue for spring weddings.
Further on there is the Leicester Arms  and the Porcupine Cafe at Penshurst.At Leigh there's a village shop. There is also the Fleur De Lis pub which used to close in the afternoon. Feedback on it's current opening hours appreciated!

T=1.19

5 comments:

Marion said...

Intend going and will travel from Clapham Junction to meet the Uckfield train at East Croydon

Unknown said...

Will be going on this walk from London Bridge Marian

branchline said...

Hever to Leigh
6th April 2019

n=24 w=grey-but-fresh.
Hever to Leigh
6th April 2019
24 on this walk. The day was grey but fresh. This is a lovely walk and I think most of us did the traditional version. Lots of wild garlic which is not yet in flower, some wood anemonies towards the end, and even a faint scattering of bluebells.
We noticed that the chickens and pig had gone, but there were 5 alpacas in the adjoining field. We spoke to the owner who gave us information about benefits of keeping alpacas.
There is a slight change to the route – para 11 states ‘In 150 metres you cross a lane on a wooden bridge’ the wooden bridge has disappeared, and there is a slight diversion – we actually walk on the lane for a bit rather than crossing it but stay parallel to the original path.
Lunch at the Castle Inn (very nice) was had by 13 of us, and the others I believe had packed lunch in the Church grounds opposite. The group broke up somewhat after lunch. About 6 of us stopped at Leicester Arms for teas and coffees and then completed the walk back to Leigh.
A lovely walk as usual.

Anonymous said...

You mentioned the benefits of keeping alpacas. Please tell us more. Is one lamb protection? Thanks.

branchline said...

The owner said that Alpacas are very good at guarding chickens from foxes - they surround the intruder or chase it away. Also, if anyone is harrassing one of the alpacas, the rest of the alpacas will gang up on that person.
Alpacas are good for 'mowing'the grass; only cost about £150 a year in special diet, and their wool is better and more expensive than sheep's wool. However, you need more than 5 alpacas to make selling the woolen financially worthwhile.