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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 15 June 2019

Rowlands Castle Grand Circular

t=SWC.313

Length: 37km (23m)
Transport: Take the 8:00 train from London Waterloo, change at Haslemere to arrive at Rowlands Castle at 9:22. Return trains from Rowlands Castle leave hourly at xx:46.
Toughness: >10

This long walk explores the area to the east of Rowlands Castle, including a Saxon Church, Bronze age burial mounds on top of a ridge and a nature reserve with a curious collection of yew trees. The afternoon traces more familiar paths along the South Downs way across Beacon Hill and a finish through Chalton and (hopefully) a sunset walk across the downs to back to Rowlands Castle.
I would like to propose the White Horse as lunch pub which you reach after 16km. 2km further on there is the Royal Oak which serves food only until 14:00.
This is a strenuous walk with several steep climbs !

You can shorten the walk slightly by walking the morning or afternoon section of SWC.68 (Rowlands Castle Circular) and switch to/from this walk at the Royal Oak.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Going. Thanks for scheduling.

Anonymous said...

Hi. Why so early a start? It's a long walk, but a long day. New to grouo and hoping for a good turnout. Cheers.

Anonymous said...

Hi Dirk thanks for posting this very long walk. Love to attend but could only do the 16 miles. Last bus from South Harting to Petersfield is 16.34 and not sure if I can catch it. Failing that is another 4 miles to Petersfield station or a share taxi if other members are dropping out at 16 miles. Anyone interested in the 16 miles? Monica.

Anonymous said...

Plan to do the 16m or so Rowlands Cross Circular, not the Grand Circ. Getting 9am train.

Anonymous said...

Dirk thank you for posting.
What time will we (average walkers) get to the White horse pub for lunch?
Have you booked a table?
Is it possible to get to Uppark House by 4.30 pm when the bus leaves, if stopping for pub lunch?
Thanks
The lunch monitor

Anonymous said...

Hi Dirk,

Please respond to TLM's question. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I will come if I manage to catch the 6:49 train...
Rich

Dirk said...

Re below questions: It is about 16km to the White Horse, we start walking at about 9:30 and should be at the pub at about 13:00, which requires an average walking pace of about 4.5km/h, doable, but no dillydallying possible. From the pub it is about 8km to the bus stop near Uppark House. Assuming that the pub serves speedily we could be off by 14:00, which gives you about 2.5 hours to catch the bus at 16:34 which requires an average pace of 3.2km/h. However, there are several steep climbs between lunch and Uppark House. So, it is possible to catch the bus, but you need to walk at a brisk pace.
Alternatively, if there are several walkers who would like to finish the walk early you could walk down to South Harting (less than 1km) and get a taxi from there to Petersfield.
I have not reserved a table. Depending on numbers and weather (they have a patio) I will do so at the station.

Anonymous said...

The White Horse is closed tomorrow for a wedding.
The Lunch Monitor

Dirk said...

Then it will be the Royal Oak. They are open.

Anonymous said...

n = 7
w = sunshine and cloud, with one shower

Seven (one new to the movement) started the walk at 9.25 and kept up a fast pace, reaching the friendly Royal Oak by around 1.30, all doing the Grand Circular route up to this point. The Christmas pudding - available all year round - was a hit with one walker, while two others enjoyed the apple crumble. Another reported that the venison pie was satisfactory but doubted whether the meat had ever formed part of a deer. Four then continued with the Grand Circular route (24m), while three took the shorter Circular (16m or so). I'm told the quartet found the second half of the walk even better than the first and that they stopped at two other pubs, getting the 7.47 train (I think) back. The trio had an interesting and largely food-oriented chat curated by the genial ex-chef in our number. A great day for all concerned in great company with plenty of new and old memories shared. Thanks to Dirk for scheduling it.

Anonymous said...

Plus copious orchids on the walk including a greater butterfly orchid alongside the path before the Royal Oak (making six orchid species in all) plus a magnificent beech then yew lined avenue and last but not least, a wooded glade of Solomon's seals. A kestrel also inspected the walkers. Three of the walkers on the longer walk felt the need for further refreshment at the Red Lion and caught the 19:45 train leaving the other to catch the 18:45 with plenty of time to spare.