Westminster to Greenwich

I've had several requests for a walk from mud averse walkers, so here is a shortish jaunt along a southern section of the Thames Path from Westminster to Greenwich

Length 8 miles (13 km)

Toughness  1 out of 10

Getting there

Westminster underground station is served by TFL's Jubilee, District and Circle lines. There are also many bus routes through the area.
Meet at the exit of the Underground Station's ticket hall (with the Houses of Parliament opposite) for 10:30 am

Getting back

Catch a DLR from Greenwich which has many connections with the tube network, alternatively, stroll up to Greenwich mainline station with connections to Deptford and London Bridge and to Rainham in Kent

Tickets

An Oyster Card covering your starting zone and zones 1 and 2.

Overview

An easy flat walk on footpaths. This walk initially crosses Westminster Bridge turning left onto the Southbank to pass the London Eye and generally follows the river (on the left) to Greenwich.  The suggested Lunch stop is the Mayflower Pub in Rotherhithe which should be reached shortly after midday.

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Saturday walk - Hayes to Knockholt - Rural Kent within zone 6

Length: 16km (10 miles) T=3.82
Toughness: 4 out of 10

 9.57 train from Cannon Street (10.01 London Bridge, 10.13 Lewisham - lots of other stops in SE London) to Hayes, arriving 10.38

Your journey today is entirely within zone 6, so use Oyster or contactless.

For walk directions click here, for GPX file click here, for a map of the route click here.

Despite starting in suburbia, this walk very quickly gets out into proper countryside - woods and fields and valleys: you know the kind of thing. It has an excellent tea stop - the very lovely self-service coffee shop at Coolings Nursery, which has wonderful cakes and is worth pushing through all the acres of pot plants and garden implements to get to. The coffee shop shuts at 4.30pm, but it will be dark by then anyway, so you should hopefully reach it somewhat before that.

The Nursery is 4km/2.4 miles beyond the Blacksmiths Arms in Cudham, the lunch stop recommended by the walk author, 9.5km/5.9 miles into the walk, but if you can't hold out that long one of the two pubs in Downe after 7km/4.3 miles is also possible.

Trains back from Knockholt are at 13 and 43 past. ** Don't forget to tap in *** It is 2.5km/1.6 miles from the nursery to the end of the walk, or about 40 minutes walking time. The route crosses a golf course which earlier this year seemed to be fenced off for re-development, but I seem to recall that the right of way route was still maintained. There are no refreshments and precious little shelter at Knockholt station, so try not to just miss a train there.

Princes Risborough to Great Missenden

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Length: 16km (10m)
Toughness: 6 / 10
Transport: Take the 9:43 from London Marylebone, arriving in Princess Risborough at 10:27. Return trains from Great Missenden are at xx:29 and xx:59. Buy a day return to Princes Risborough.

A stroll through pleasant late-autumnal Chilterns countryside with a good mix of fields, woods, hills and mud. In the morning you pass a windmill which is unfortunately closed to the public most of the times. The lunch pub is the cosy The Gate Inn at Byrant's bottom.

Saturday Walk - West Wiltshire Downs: Tisbury Circular via Hindon (Last Chance for a walk from Waterloo b4 The Great Strike!)

Length: 21.9 km (13.6 mi) [shorter walk possible]

Ascent/Descent: 465 m

Net Walking Time: ca. 5 hours

Toughness: 7 out of 10

[Sunset out there in the west will be at 16.05, giving sufficient light for walking  to 16.30 at least. With a short lunch therefore, it shouldn’t be a problem. But the walk can be cut by 3 km in the p.m., should you fall behind schedule.]

Take the 09.20 Exeter St. David's & Bristol Temple Meads train from  Waterloo (09.27 Clapham J., 09.46 Woking), arriving Tisbury at 11.06.  
Return trains: 17.01, 18.01, 18.27, 19.03, 20.01, 21.01, 22.03.

This walk leads mostly around the very large Fonthill Estate in the West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is spectacular walking country with some breath-taking views. You’ll find picturesque villages and excellent pubs in the beautiful undulating countryside, as well as plenty of woodlands and some dry chalky U-shaped downland valleys. The morning route is a steady ascent out of Tisbury along the scenic Oddford Vale to the highest point of the walk. This stretch is also characterised by some slack way-marking though, and a map and a compass are recommended.
The walk then leads through a grassy valley and across a wooded ridge to lunch in Hindon, where the two recommended pubs are right opposite each other. Most of the ascent lies before lunch, but there are still two climbs through woods in the afternoon. The final part of the walk is a scenic descent into the Nadder Valley and then passes one of Britain’s largest thatched buildings, followed by a stretch along the river back into Tisbury, a remarkably unspoilt village.

Shortcut I just after lunch  reduces the walk by 1.8 km (1.1 mi), Shortcut II at the end reduces the walk by 1.3 km (0.8 mi) (and the last 10 mins of walking would then be along residential roads).

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

Lunch: The Angel Inn (under new management and re-opened 18 Nov) or The Lamb in  Hindon (10.4 km/6.4 mi, food to 15.00). 
There are several other good pubs en route in the afternoon, see the webpage or the pdf for details.

Tea: Tisbury has a tearoom, a deli, a supermarket, two pubs (one may be shut for the afternoon when you get there) and a bistro/wine bar. See the webpage or the pdf for details. T=swc.248

Wednesday Walk Riddlesdown to Kingswood

Riddlesdown to Kingswood T=2.15

Length: 9.3 miles (15km)  (walk time 4.5 hrs). Shortcuts possible after lunch.

Considering that it starts in the suburbs of London (and within the boundaries of London Transport Travelcard zone six), this walk passes through some remarkably unspoilt countryside. The start, is the standard walk as far as the Fox lunch Pub. You then need the directions for the alternative ending to get to Kingsdown ("highly recommended - Walker"). 

After the Fox, you could also take a shortcut to end in Coulsdon South.

Trains: Get the 1020 East Grinstead train from Victoria Clapham 1027, East Croydon 1040, arriving 1048. Return trains are xx16 & xx46. These are zone 6 stations so use Oyster.

Lunch: The large Fox pub (6.2km, 3.9 miles), which generally has good service.

Historic places in the Darent valley

Sunday walk: Otford to Eynsford
Length: 14.1km (8.8 miles) Toughness: 5/10

10:25Ashford International train from Victoria (Bromley South 10:42) arriving at Otford at 11:00.

Return trains from Eynsford to Blackfriars, calling at numerous stations in south-east London are at xx:11 and xx:41 (journey time 53 mins). Change at Bromley South for a fast train to Victoria (total journey time 40 minutes).

This walk takes in several historic sites on a route in the Darent valley that runs through fields and woods and alongside the River Darent. From Otford it passes the unique Otford Solar System before traversing potentially muddy fields and climbing through woods before descending to lunch in Shoreham. An alternative start is suggested if recent weather conditions mean that the main route is likely to be exceptionally muddy. A further climb after lunch takes the route through Lullingstone Park before descending past Lullingstone Castle and Lullingstone Roman Villa to Eynsford, with an optional detour to the Eagle Heights Birds of Prey Centre.

At lunchtime you can choose between four pubs in Shoreham, including the King’s Arms (01969 523100), and the Two Brewers (01959 522800.

You will need to download the walk directions.

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In Bunyan's footsteps in Bedfordshire

Sunday walk: Harlington Circular
Length: 17.3km (10.7 miles) Toughness: 3/10

09:39Thameslink train to Bedford from Blackfriars (St Pancras 09:48) arriving at Harlington at 10:35.

Return trains are at 06, 20, 36 and 52 minutes past the hour (or 4 minutes earlier if returning from Flitwick). Journey time 57 to 62 minutes. On the xx:06 train you could save 10 or 15 minutes by changing at Luton.

Buy a Super Off-Peak Day Return to Flitwick. This costs the same as a return to Harlington and gives you the option of finishing in Flitwick if your companions persuade you to do one of the longer versions of the walk.

This circular walk is a shortened version of the full 15.2-mile Harlington to Flitwick walk and feels more appropriate for this time of year, but the reasonably early start may induce some walkers to attempt to reach Flitwick, possibly by taking the two short cuts which reduce the distance to 11.9 miles.

The most attractive part of the walk, with the finest views, takes you over the Sundon Hills and the Sharpenhoe Clappers. This comes near the start and is covered in all versions of the walk. The route continues through rolling fields to the lunch pub in the hilltop village of Pulloxhill, before a short, gentle, afternoon section back to Harlington. Part of the route follows the John Bunyan Trail, which visits sites associated with the seventeenth century preacher and author of “Pilgrim’s Progress”.

The recommended lunch stop is The Cross Keys (01525 712442) in Pulloxhill. Those taking the first short cut towards Flitwick will miss out Pulloxhill and can lunch instead at The Chequers (01525 712967) in Westoning. A variety of tea stops in Harlington and Flitwick are described in the walk directions

You will need to download the walk directions.

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Saturday Walk – [New] The Hogsmill River and Nonsuch Park (Chessington to Cheam)

New Walk – Chessington South to Cheam
Length: 14.3 km (8.9 miles). Toughness: 2/10

10:17 Chessington South train from Waterloo (Vauxhall 10:21, Clapham Jct 10:26, etc), arriving Chessington South (TfL Zone 6) at 10:51. Buy a Zones 1-6 Travelcard or use Oyster PAYG.

Trains back from Cheam (Zone 5) go to Victoria at xx:08, xx:29, xx:38 & xx:59.

I'm pleased to say that we have a new walk author: a long-standing SWC member making her début with this varied and interesting south London walk. The morning section skirts the edge of a country park and continues through Hogsmill Local Nature Reserve to a lunch stop in the old village of Ewell. The afternoon section explores the historically interesting Nonsuch Park and ends with part of the Cheam Heritage Walk. [OS Map of route]

Remember that as usual there's no walk leader, so please bring a copy of the draft directions in this pdf document and/or a track of the route (including points of interest, refreshment places, etc) for your GPS device; you can download this in either gpx or kml format (right-click and Save As... should do it).

Saturday walk - Edenbridge to Westerham - Up and over the Greensand Ridge

Length: Options from 11.6km (7.2 miles) to 15km (9.3 miles) to 17.8km (11 miles)
Toughness: 4 out of 10, apart from the very longest option which is 8 out of 10 T=3.79

10.10 train from Charing Cross (10.13 Waterloo East, 10.19 London Bridge) to Tonbridge, changing there for the 11.01 to Edenbridge, arriving 11.16

Buy a day return to ‘Edenbridge stations’

For walk directions click here, for GPX click here, for a map of the route click here.

This walk is often done in bluebell time, but has not had a weekend outing at this time of year since 2012. There may not be much autumn colour left now, but this route passes through lots of woods where it might still be lurking. There are also fine escarpment views and a section across open fields at the start: the latter may be muddy, but once on the Greensand Ridge things should be better. It IS November, though: don’t come in your party shoes.

Lunch is usually (but see ** below for other options) taken after 4.2 miles in the self-service restaurant at Chartwell, country home of Winston Churchill (he was a famous predecessor of Boris Johnson, apparently...). After this you have a choice:

- A short ending to Westerham (with a new improved start never done by the SWC, incidentally) takes you to Westerham in just 4.8km (3 miles), making a total walk from Edenbridge of 11.6km (7.2 miles).

- Alternatively, if you continue on the main route but take the short cut to Emmetts Garden when prompted, you will do a total walk of 15km (9.3 miles). Normally the caveat against this short cut is that it goes through dull woods rather than dramatic escarpment scenery, but the woods might be rather picturesque at this time of year. This short cut certainly removes a big descent and ascent.

- Or do the whole main walk - 17.8km (11 miles) and a good strenuous work out.

** If you do either of the last two options, an alternative lunch stop is the Fox & Hounds pub,  6.4 miles into the walk, reached by a short diversion off the route. Directions linking this to the Emmetts short cut have now been added to the walk directions - 19 November 2019 version - and they are obvious from the map or GPX. On the full main walk only, a very late lunch (7.9 miles in) is possible at the Cock Inn in Ide Hill.

Westerham has bucketloads of tea options - pubs, tea rooms, Costas etc. An earlier tea on the two longer options is possible at Emmetts Garden, which bizarrely is open even in November (who on earth goes to a garden in November?): its cafe/kiosk is open till 4pm.

Return travel from Westerham is by bus. Three options, and probably not a vast amount of difference between them in terms of overall journey times.

- Bus 246 to Hayes station (26 minutes) or Bromley South at 22 and 52 past until 18.22 and then hourly at 22 past till late: Oyster etc is valid on this bus and the usual LT fare of £1.50 applies.  Rey frequent trains from Bromley South to Victoria (also some to Blackfriars). Whether your train ticket is valid via Bromley South I leave to others to say, but you can obviously use Oyster from there.

- Bus 594/595 to Oxted at 3.03, 4.33 and 5.33 (20 minutes journey time): Oxted has fairly frequent trains to East Croydon and on to Victoria or London Bridge and your return train ticket is valid.

- Bus number 1 to Sevenoaks station at 4.14 and 5.12 (20 minutes journey time): Sevenoaks has very frequent trains to London and your return train ticket is valid.

Saturday Walk - Bright Lights of Broadway (Moreton-in-Marsh to Broadway)

SWC 115:  Moreton-in-Marsh to Broadway via Blockley, Chipping Campden and Dover’s Hill (partially in reverse and partially map-led) T=SWC.115

Distance:  14 miles or 22.5 km for those more metrically minded (a shorter circular route of 12.4 miles/20km) back to Moreton-in-Marsh possible)

Difficulty: 6 out of 10 for Broadway route and 4 out of 10 for shorter circular route

Train:  Take the 9:22 AM* Great Western Worecester train from London Paddington, arriving at Moreton-in-Marsh at 10:59 AM.  Return trains from Moreton-in-Marsh are at 18:48; 19:48; 20:48 and 21:57. Buy a day return to Moreton-in-Marsh. The return trip will require a bus from Broadway (Bus No. 1 from in front of the Lygon Arms at 17:53) to Moreton-in-Marsh to connect with a train back to London.

*After careful consideration of the route, I am confident that walking at a modest pace should allow enough time to arrive in Broadway by 17:30 – faster walkers probably by 17:00….However, please keep track of the time and be on the road from Chipping Campden by 15:00!  For those wanting a more relaxed outing, more time in Broadway at the end or more light on the route down from Broadway Tower, you may want to consider taking the 8:22 train….

About this time last year, I posted this route to Broadway as an optional experiment….which we did and which worked out well…..really perfect for this time of year with a cheery ending in Broadway, twinkling with simple white lights through the village. For a twist this year, I am recommending starting off on the SWC 115 route (in reverse) via Blockley (which is the most scenic part of this route) then switch into the normal instructions at Broad Campden up to Chipping Camden for lunch and then on to Dover’s Hill.  From Dover’s Hill, we will follow the well-marked Cotswold Way to Broadway Tower and down to Broadway Village. 

More information on the walk and a route map can be found here. Please note that the ending to Broadway is map-led – essentially following the well-marked Cotswold Way from Dover’s Hill for 4.5 miles to Broadway Tower (and 1.5 miles further down to the village).

The recommended lunch pub is the Eight Bells (01386 840 371) in Chipping Campden (8 miles/13 km into the walk), a traditional inn serving innovative home-cooked food. However, there are various other options available in Chipping Campden. For those doing the shorter circular walk, the Bakers Arms in Broad Campden is the recommended point of call.

Tea or stronger stuff can be had at various locations in Broadway or back in Moreton-in-Marsh.

Enjoy the walk!

Wednesday Walk Bow Brickhill to Leighton Buzzard - the Greensand Ridge, River Ouzel and the Grand Union Canal

Book 1 Walk 41 - Bow Brickhill to Leighton Buzzard

Length: 14.7 km (9.1 miles)
Toughness: 4 out of 10


London Euston: 10-15 hrs   West Midlands service to Crewe and Rugeley Trent Valley
Arrive Bletchley: 10-49 hrs   Change trains
Leave Bletchley : 11-01 hrs   Bedford branch line service
Arrive Bow Brickhill: 11-08 hrs

Return

Leighton Buzzard to Euston:  16-34, 16-54, 17-07, 17-34, 17-55 and 18-09 hrs

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Bow Brickhill


The start of this walk is the same as for Bow Brickhill to Woburn Sands  (Book 1 Walk 17), that is , the route takes you up into Back Wood, which in winter can be muddy (of the slubberdub variety).
Once out of these woods the walks are totally different, with today's walk taking you through more woods (Buttermilk Wood then Duncombe Wood) on the level (and dryer underfoot) then through a farm until you head down a road into the village of Great Brickhill, where you stop for lunch at the  Old Red Lion pub, which serves good, honest pub grub. There are wonderful views from the pub's back garden terrace, but it might be a bit nippy to dine on the terrace today, so you might prefer to have lunch in the comfy indoor seating area by the bar or in the spacious restaurant cum dining area.
After lunch the walk continues through Rushmere Country Park, where you should be able to enjoy the last of this autumn's leaf colour, either from foliage still on oak and beech trees, or from carpets of leaves underfoot. This leg of the walk at this time of year is quite lovely. Onwards then to exit Rushmere Country Park to pick up the Greensand Ridge for a while. You then walk on a track above the River  Ouzel before dropping down at Corbetts Hill farm to cross water meadows, which can be soggy in winter. You now head up a bank to join the Grand Union Canal, for a relaxing canal-side walk all the way into Leighton Buzzard. At the start of your canal-side walk you come to the Globe Inn, your suggested tea stop (there are slim pickings in Leighton Buzzard). On reaching the town you encounter the only duff bit of today's walk - the mercifully short leg through the town's suburbs to the railway station.
This walk does not get many postings - so do enjoy it today.
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Your Walk Directions are here: L=1.41

Sunday Walk: Great Chesterford to Audley End

SWC walk 130
14.25 km 8.9 miles, finishing at Audley End
Difficulty 4/10
A varied walk through the rolling fields of north Essex to historic Saffron Walden. The town has many interesting features - half timbered buildings, an impressive church, the remains of a Norman castle, and an ancient turf labyrinth. The afternoon takes you through the parkland of Audley End then, mindful of the dwindling daylight, follows the shorter ending to Audley End station.
Trains: 
9:57 Cambridge North train from Liverpool Street (Tottenham  Hale 10:10), arriving Great Chesterford at 11:10.
Return from Audley End at xx:10 and xx:47.
Get a return to Great Chesterford.
Lunch: There's plenty of choice in Saffron Walden. The 8 Bells 01799 522790 is recommended.
Here's a couple more:-
The Cross Keys  (01799-522207) and a Wetherspoons, The Temeraire (01799-516975)
Tea: 
You pass the Fighting Cocks (01799-541279) on the way to Audley End station, alternatively, continue past the station turn-off to find The Bell (01799-540382), an attractive country pub. Both come recommended.
Audley End The gardens, stables. and service wing are open to visit 10-4  (£13:50 unless an English Heritage member). The house itself is closed at present.
Additional travel info:
If anyone is up for the whole 11.7 miles to Newport, trains leave there at xx:13.
Any Weary Willies wanting to finish early could take the two-hourly 132 bus from Saffron Walden to Great Chesterford station at 13:05, 15:05 17:05. (Unfortunately, once there, there's a 45 minute wait for the xx:04 to London).
Walk Directions here
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Sunday Walk: Dorking to Reigate

SWC Walk 16
7.8miles 12.5 km
Difficulty 3/10
This walk sort-of follows the Greensand Way and the River Mole through the picturesque villages of Brockham, Betchworth and Skimmington. The church in Betchworth dates from 1080. More importantly, it was used as a location in Four Weddings and a Funeral. There's bit of a climb near the end of the walk, then a descent into Priory Park, once the grounds of Reigate Priory.
Trains: Get the 09:57 Dorking train from Waterloo (Clapham Jct 10:05) arr. Dorking Main 10:49.
Return at xx:27 from Reigate (direction Gatwick Airport) changing at Redhill for London Bridge.
A return to "Dorking stations" covers.
Lunch:
The suggested pub is the Dolphin Inn  in Betchworth  01737 842288 phoning advised.
The Royal Oak in Brockham is an earlier choice, the Skimmington Castle on Reigate Heath a later one.
Tea:
The cafe in Priory Park is reached first.
The recommended place is Monty Bojangles, 57 The High St, open till 4:30.
Cafe Rouge at 1 Church Street 01737 223700 is open all day.
Walk Directions here

T=swc.16 

Saturday Walk: Bentley to Farnham

12.6 miles / 20.1 km  - with shortcut before lunch (Frensham Little Pond to Tilford)

This is a shorter version of a lovely walk through woodlands and heathland.

Trains:  Take the 9:53 from London Waterloo, arriving at Bentley at 11:02.  If you miss this train, take the 10:00 and change at Woking (arrives 10:24, departs 10:30).
Return trains from Farnham at: xx:28/xx:58.
Buy a return to Bentley.

Lunch: The Barley Mow, Tilford, 01252 792205.  This is a late lunch stop, but food is served until 3pm.

Click here for full details and walk directions

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Saturday Walk - Beaconsfield Circular

CW1 Walk #7 - Garston to St Albans CW1 Walk #10 - Beaconsfield Circular
Length: 19km (11.9 miles).
Toughness 4/10.

Catch the 09:43 train from London Marylebone, arrives Beaconsfield 10:12.

Return: xx:03 xx:36

Note: Proposed Garston to St Albans walk postponed due to RMT industrial action. T=1.10

Saturday walk - Holmwood to Gomshall - A wooded climb to the south east's highest point

Length: 16.7km (10.4 miles) T=1.42
Toughness: 6 out of 10: a big climb to start, then downhill mostly

9.25 train from Victoria (9.32 Clapham Junction, 9.54 Sutton) to Holmwood, arriving 10.29

Buy an "any permitted" day return to Gomshall. This technically does not cover you for the one stop from Dorking to Holmwood, but it has never so far been an issue....

For walk directions click here, for GPX click here and for a map of the route click here.

This walk needs no introduction to most of you, but you have to go back to 2016 to find it posted in November, and on that occasion it poured with rain so hardly anyone turned up. No chance of that happening this year, I am sure...

For those who don't know it, it is a climb up Leith Hill, the highest point in South East England - higher than you might think, with views southwards to the sea and north eastwards to Canary Wharf on a clear day - where the National Trust tea kiosk provides a traditional elevenses stop. There is then a descent to lunch either in the Stephan Langton or Wotton Hatch, both doing food all afternoon, so don't bust a gut.

Throughout this there are woods galore, displaying whatever is left of autumn leaf colour.

Tea is at the Abinger Hammer tea rooms or the Lavender Goose (closing 5pm), and Gomshall also has two cosy pubs - the traditional Compasses and the more upmarket Gomshall Mill.

Trains back are annoyingly only at two hour intervals. The 15.50 goes to Guildford, where you change for Waterloo, and the 16.04 goes via Redhill, where you change for East Croydon, London Bridge or Victoria. Either way it is 1 hour to London. This pattern then repeats at 17.50/18.04, 19.50/20.04 etc

There is a bus (number 32) from outside the Compasses Inn to Guildford at 16.19, 17.19 and 18.19, and from the opposite side of the road to Dorking railway station at 16.56 and 17.56. The 16.19 and 18.19 takes 25 minutes and might be useful if you just miss the 16.04 or 18.04 trains, The 16.56 takes you to Dorking in 23 minutes, from where there are several trains an hour to London. But time savings would be fairly marginal over simply spending a convivial time in the pub in Gomshall waiting for the next train. The 17.19 and 17.56 buses offer no time savings at all and are only mentioned in case the train service is interrupted.

Wednesday Walk Eridge Circular

Eridge Circular 

Length: 15 km (9.3 miles) 4 out of 10 T=swc.120

The morning section is an undulating route across typical High Weald territory. A choice of routes – along an open ridge or through a secluded valley – lead to Groombridge, one of many rural villages which developed away from the original hamlet with the arrival of the railway.


The afternoon section starts from Old Groombridge and goes past Groombridge Place, a beautiful Jacobean manor house surrounded by a medieval moat. You then follow the railway line a short distance up the Groom valley before turning into Broadwater Forest, the Broadwater Warren nature reserve. The Main Walk goes past one of the massive sandstone outcrops in the area, Eridge Rocks.

Trains: Get the 1007 Uckfield train (1021 East Croydon) arriving 1103. (From Victoria, the 0955, East Croyden 1011). Return trains are 1550, 1650, 1750, 1820, 1850, 1920

Lunch: There is a choice of pubs in Groombridge, after about 7 km on the Main Walk. In the main part of the village the Junction Inn serves food  3pm. At the other end of the village the 16thC Crown Inn serves good food to 2.30pm. The Crown seems to be the favoured choice.

Tea: The Huntsman next to the station is well worth missing a train for.

Evening Walk: Hadleigh Castle under a Full Beaver Moon (Benfleet 2 Leigh-on-Sea)

Short 14:  Hadleigh Castle Country Park (by moonlight) T=Short.14

Train: 18:13 Leigh-on-Sea train from London Fenchurch St. Station (18:17 Limehouse/18:23 West Ham), arriving Benfleet at 18:53 – buy a day return to Leigh-on-Sea

Return: Trains back from Leigh-on-Sea are at: 20:57; 21:13; 21:20; 21:43; 21:50; 21:57; 22:13; 22:20; 22:43; and 22:50

Distance:  3.5 miles or 5.5 km

Difficulty: 1 out of 10

November is the month of the Beaver Moon, named as such because this is when beavers begin working in earnest on their winter dams, often at night by the light of a full moon.  Although I do not envisage seeing any beavers working away on dams along the Thames; hopefully, we will have nice views of the full moon over the estuary. Some of us did a longer version of this route last year and the moon was soooo bright we almost needed sunglasses! The ruins of Hadleigh castle are particularly atmospheric by moonlight..... It should only take about 1.5 hours to walk to Leigh-on-Sea – so plenty of time to have a meal in one if its many pubs before heading back to London. More information and a map of the route can be found here.

Ps: You may want to bring a head torch…but, hopefully, the moon will provide enough light on a straight forward route largely along the Thames…

Sunday Walk – Views from the Greensand Hills

Extra Walk 63b – Oxted Circular (short walk)
Length: 11½ km (7.2 miles). Toughness: 3/10

10:21 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:28, East Croydon 10:39), arriving Oxted at 11:00. See below for a late start option.

Trains back from Oxted are at xx:29 & xx:59.

Volume 2 of the Time Out walks contained several short options to entice new walkers and there was a time when these got occasional SWC postings. However, tiddlers like the 9 km Hurst Green to Oxted walk (16a) have long since dropped off the radar. This Sunday's walk is essentially a slightly longer version of that neglected walk, a mix of open and wooded sections up and over the Greensand Hills.

You'll probably need to call ahead and book a table if you want a pub lunch at the Carpenters Arms in Limpsfield Chart. If they can't oblige it's not too much further back to Limpsfield and Oxted, where you'll find some other pubs and coffee shops for refreshment.

* Late Start Option: Take the train half an hour later and do the 'morning short cut' (that's §3 instead of §13, making a 10 km walk). You'll reach the lunch pub at the same time as the main group.

You'll need to bring the directions from the Oxted Circular walk page. Clicking the word 'Short' on the Walk Options line before printing will include both Short Walk options and save 5 or 6 sheets of paper. T=swc.63.b

Sunday Walk - Witley to Haslemere (Greensand Way), map-led but straight forward

Length: 17.2 km (10.7 mi) [18.2 km if going to the lunch pub]

Ascent/Descent: 282/333m; Net Walking Time: 4 - 4 ½ hours

Toughness: 4/10

Take the 10.00 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (10.12 CJ, 10.39 Woking), arrives Witley 11.05.

Return trains from Haslemere are on xx.17, and xx.49, journey time from 57 mins. Buy a Haslemere return.

This walk is one of 11 stages of the Greensand Way - a waymarked long-distance path in the Southeast of England. This is the first section of it, but for logistical reasons, it is posted in reverse, as Haslemere is a better place to finish, having pubs, tea rooms, and more frequent trains.

The walk starts gently over open agricultural land, and crosses the A3 to Thursley. Its St. Michael and All Angels church is worth a visit. There are some benches with a lovely view in the churchyard (a good picnic spot). A nearby grave has a poignant 'husband died 1917 wife died 1980' epitaph. Lunch is in The Three Horseshoes, a gastro-pub with a nice beer garden, just off the route, north of the church.

After lunch you climb a peaceful spur to Gibbet Hill  (272m), with dramatic views into Devil's Punch Bowl. The area was once notorious for highwaymen. In 1786, a sailor (buried in Thursley's church, and commemorated by the Sailor's Stone) was robbed and murdered after drinking at a pub in Thursley. The three murderers were caught and hung here. After the summit, the walk follows the rim of Devil’s Punch Bowl to Hindhead (NT visitor centre and café, pub). Finally, it’s down the south side of the hill into Haslemere. The centre has some nice old buildings, tea rooms, and a Wetherspoon’s. The station is about 10 mins walk away.

Lunch: The Three Horseshoes in Thursley  (500m off-route, after 6.1 km/3.8 mi, food to 15.00).

Tea: Lots of choice in and around Haslemere’s High Street, including Darnley’s and Hemingway’s  Cafés, plus The Station House, opposite the railway station.

For summary, map, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.145