Wednesday Walk Gerrards Cross to Cookham - Bulstrode Park, Burnham Beeches and the River Thames

Book 1, Walk 40 - Gerrards Cross to Cookham

Length: 15.4 km (9.6 miles)
Toughness: 2 out of 10 (a bit more if muddy)

London Marylebone: 10-13 hrs       Aylesbury service
Arrive Gerrards Cross: 10-32 hrs

Return:  Cookham to Paddington, changing at Maidenhead:  15-15, 16-15, 17-32, 18-03 and 18-38 hrs
Marlow to Paddington, changing at Bourne End and Maidenhead: 17-18, 17-47, 18-24 and 18-54 hrs
Maidenhead to Paddington: regular trains (seven an hour)

Rail ticket: as the two stations are on different lines you cannot buy a return ticket for the full walk. Buy separate single tickets from and back to the boundary of your travelcard.

Today's walk has plenty of variety - parkland at the beginning,  then woods and a nature reserve as you make your way to Littleworth Common, where you have a choice of two good pubs for your lunch stop:  the Jolly Woodman and the Blackwood Arms, at either end of the Common.  Alternatively, stop for a short drink at the Jolly Woodman then continue on the walk to Cookham, where you take a late lunch at the excellent Kings Arms (recommended for those going "long" to Marlow or Maidenhead - see below).

After Littleworth Common, you walk through more woods and pass below the Church of St Nicholas perched on a hill above you. Then you head down to the River Thames and on into Cookham.  If you wish to extend your walk, you can do so - either across fields to Marlow, adding 3.5 miles, or beside the Thames with views of Cliveden and on into Maidenhead, adding some 4 miles to your walk (reversing the start of SWC 56 - Maidenhead to Marlow, the Wednesday walk on 18 December 2019). Otherwise, you can stop for tea in Cookham before your twenty minute walk to the railway station for your journey home.
T=1.40
Your Walk Directions are here: L=1.40

Sunday Walk: Chesham Circular

Book 2 walk 4 (variant)
11.8 km 7.3 miles  Difficulty: 3/10
A walk in the Chilterns. Sweeping views, big trees. Not too long.
Travel:
There isn't a straight run on the Metropolitan line today. Get the Jubilee Line (10:10 from Baker Street) to Wembley Park and change there for the 10:33 Metropolitan Line to Chesham, arriving at 11:14. Use Tfl's Journey Planner to plot your own connection.
Trains return at xx:27 and xx:57, changing at Wembley Park.
A zones 1-9 travelcard will do you.
Lunch:  the Bell Inn, Chartridge 01494 782 878.
Tea: Several places are listed. The Drawing Room in Frances Yard 01494 791 691 is a favourite - usually open till 5 on Sundays.
Directions: You need two sets of directions. You follow the main Chesham to Great Missenden directions (on the “Download Walk” button) as far as point [4] and the directions on the “Chesham Circular option”  button thereafter.
T=2.4.variant

Sunday Walk - Hayes Circular + Whyteleafe to Hayes (SWC 38) in reverse or parts thereof

Length: 22.6 km (14.0 mi) [Shorter Walks possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent: 344/293m

Net Walking Time: ca. 5 ¼ hours, Toughness: 5 out of 10

Take the 09.33 Hayes (Kent) train from Cannon Street (London Bridge  09.37, then all stations via New Cross, Lewisham & Catford Bridge), arrives Hayes (Kent) 10.15. 
For the shortest option, the Hayes Circular, take a train an hour later.

Return trains from Whyteleafe: xx.07 & xx.37 (Tulse Hill train, change at East Croydon for Thameslink services or for Victoria). [There are no trains from Upper Warlingham today.]

Commons, ponds, woods, Iron Age structures and hills, all in Oyster Zones 5 & 6.
(Pick up the Whyteleafe route where the two walk routes cross)

Walk Options:

·        Walk just the full SWC 281 Hayes Circular (9.3 km)

·        After lunch in Fickleshole, turn down to New Addington for a tram to East Croydon station (cut 3.5 km), directions to be found in the pdf of SWC 38, or reverse-walk the alt. start from Addington described there

Lunch: The White Bear (15.4 km/9.6 mi, food all day) in Fickleshole, or any of 3 pubs in Keston  (after about 6 km) on the Hayes Circular only option.

Tea: I haven’t a clue.

For  walk directions, maps, height profiles, some photos  and gpx/kml files click here and here. A tailor-made gpx file for the posted route can be found here. [Right-click and ‘Save Link As…’]

T=swc.281

Stargazer is away…

Saturday walk - Eridge to East Grinstead

Length: 17.5km (10.9 miles) or 21.5km (13.4 miles) T=3.109
Toughness: 5 out of 10

10.07 train from London Bridge (10.22 East Croydon) to Bridge, arriving 11.03

Best ticket; The walk author's advice is to buy a day return to East Grinstead. This is apparently a tad more expensive than a day return to Eridge, and, since East Grinstead has barriers and Eridge does not, is more hassle free. If your ticket is checked on board the train on the outward journey, explain you are doing a walk. In extremis, you might get charged a single from Hurst Green (where the lines divide) to Eridge.

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

I know, I know. It is a walk poster's maxim that one should never post Weald walks in winter because they are too muddy. But with South Western Railway apparently locked in a never ending series of major engineering works, ruling out all Waterloo walks, my list of relatively mud-free walks is getting thin. This walk keeps a lot to high ground, and it has not been raining that much recently so ground might be dry: but don't wear trainers.

For lunch you have a choice of the Dorset Arms in Withyham after 4.9 miles or the Anchor Inn in Hartfield 1.5 miles later. The walk then arcs over the hills to descend to Forest Row, where tea options are numerous and include Taffels, open till 5pm, and a Costa Coffee open till 6.30pm.

You then need to get a number 270 or 291 bus to East Grinstead station (12-15 mins) at 16.03, 16.27, 17.04, 17.26, 18.03, 18.38, 18.57, 19.46, 19.52 or 21.14, which connect with trains from East Grinstead at 06 and 36 past.

Extending the walk: 

The standard way to extend this walk is to walk up the old railway line from Forest Row to East Grinstead, a walk of 3.4 miles, which lengthens the walk to 14.3 miles, and which is easily doable in the dark, but a slightly shorter and much more interesting idea is to switch to the East Grinstead Circular (SWC walk 40) at Cansiron Lane: see the instructions at the end of section 7 in the walk directions. This takes you on a fine high route along quiet lanes, before descending across a valley and climbing up to East Grinstead, which has lots of tea options. This route is 13.4 miles from Eridge (a bit less to East Grinstead's tea options, which are about half a mile before the station).

To do this you will need either pages 9-11 of the East Grinstead Circular walk directions or the GPX for the main afternoon route, or you can follow the route on this map.

Petts Wood Circular

t=SWC.309

Length: 12km (8m)
Toughness: 1 / 10
Transport: Take the 10:04 from London Charing Cross to Petts Wood arriving 10:36. There are frequent return trains to Charing Cross and Victoria.

This is a short walk trough the lovely woodlands of Petts Wood and Scadbury Park. Lunch is in the Bull's Head in Chislehurst. After lunch you have the option of visiting the Chislehurst Caves (2km there and back again detour, you can return by train from Chislehurst), ancient chalk mines more recently used as air raid shelters and concert venues. The last guided tour is at 16:00. In Petts Wood the Arabica Coffee House on the left just before you turn to the station received good reviews as a tea shop. Alternatively, there is Cafe X on the other side of the railway tracks.

Saturday Walk - South Downs Way: Amberley to Shoreham-by-Sea

Length: 24.1 km (15.0 mi) [Shorter Walks possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent: 458/461m

Net Walking Time: ca. 6 hours (add 10 mins for diverting to the lunch pub)

Toughness: 6 out of 10

Take the 08.36 Southampton Central & Bognor Regis train from Victoria (CJ 08.43, EC 08.53), arrives Amberley 09.57. You have to be in the rear part of the train, which splits at Horsham.

Thameslink-ites: take the 08.35 train from London Bridge (all stations from Bedford) and change at Gatwick Airport (09.04/09.09).

Return trains from Shoreham-by-Sea: xx.12, xx.43 (both direct) & xx.47  (change Brighton)

Buy a Ford return! (that’s where the two lines meet).

From the webpage:

This walk, which can be done in either direction, follows the South Downs Way (SDW). The route follows the crest of the South Downs Ridge with good views in both directions. It passes Chanctonbury Ring, a ring of trees planted on the remains of an ancient Hill Fort. This spot has a beautiful 360° views, and is the recommended picnic spot.

Apart from the endings in Shoreham or Lancing, the route is very well way-marked. All the paths are wide, easy to walk on, and easy to follow. The route is almost entirely over an open and treeless chalk ridge, which is very exposed in wet or windy weather. [But the prevailing wind is from behind, of course.]

At the half-way point, there is a break in the ridge, where the route crosses the A24 dual carriageway. There is a slightly longer 'via Washington alternative' which avoids this crossing, and passes a walker-friendly pub (re-opened March 2019).

Walk Options (for details see webpage and map):

·        Finish in Bramber for a bus to Shoreham

·        Finish at Lancing station (walk 15 minutes through suburbia)

Lunch: The Frankland Arms (11.0 km/6.9 mi, food all day) in Washington. It looks like “Mat and Yan” have taken on a 20-year lease on this formerly shut Enterprise Inn pub, so let’s support them by spending loads…

Tea: several options on beach and river, near the station.

For  walk directions, map, height profile, some photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.26

Evening Walk: Canary Wharf Winter Lights Revisited

Time:  18:30

Place:  Canary Wharf Jubilee Line DLR-side Entrance/Exit (can be busy -- so congregate to the right side as you exit -- left if facing it)

Duration:  1.5 hours

Difficulty:  None (other than possible crowds)


For any of you who missed the walk this Sunday that ended in Canary Wharf to visit the Winter Lights festival (though it seems hardly anyone did miss it), you have that rare second chance to make amends.....Last year, we found this makes a great evening walk...all on well-lit tarmac footpaths with some interesting light installations along the way....and plenty of refreshment opportunities....I have even noticed one of the suggested "itineraries" includes refreshment breaks!

Looks like the installations include some familiar favorites, as well as, some new pieces.....A map of the route and a description of the installations can be found here.

Wednesday walk Haslemere Circular

Haslemere Circular T=1.22

Length: 14.0km (8.7 miles), 4 hours 15 minutes walking time.
5 out of 10

"This short walk is through very beautiful countryside. It is mainly National Trust land - mixed woods and heathlands of bracken, gorse, heather and bilberry, with fine views from Black Down (280 metres/919 feet), the highest point in both Sussex and the South Downs National Park.

The bridleways just after the lunch pub can be very muddy, even in dry weather.

Trains: Get the 1000 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (Woking 1025). Frequent return trains. Buy a return to Haslemere.

Lunch: The suggested lunchtime stop is the Red Lion pub (tel 01428 643 112), by the village green at Fernhurst, offering quality home cooking. It serves food from noon until 2.30pm daily.

Sunday Walk: Historic Greenwich and spectacular Winter Lights

Blackheath to Canary Wharf
Length: 12km (7.5 miles) Toughness: 1/10

10:34 Dartford train from Victoria arriving at Blackheath at 10:58.
or10:32 Rainham train from St Pancras International arriving at Blackheath at 11:02.
or 10:42 Dartford train from Charing Cross arriving at Blackheath at 11:05.
Both the latter trains call at London Bridge and Lewisham.
Those arriving on the two earlier trains should wait for walkers arriving on the second Dartford train before starting the walk.

To return from Canary Wharf, take any of the frequent trains on the Jubilee Line or the Docklands Light Railway.

There are many points of interest on this shortish walk that crosses the River Thames as it flows past Greenwich and the Isle of Dogs, but today’s principal attraction comes right at the end of the walk in the form of Canary Wharf’s traditional annual Winter Lights display, a collection of spectacular light installations and interactive art, spread across the open spaces of Canary Wharf. The exhibits operate from 4:00pm to 10:00pm, and the lights need to be seen after dark, so there’s no need to rush the earlier part of the walk. The Winter Lights website has a downloadable map showing the location of all the installations. If you can’t get to today’s walk, please note that Winter Lights continues each evening until Saturday 25th January.

Before reaching Canary Wharf, the route crosses Blackheath and goes past many historic buildings and sites in Greenwich, including the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Naval College and the Cutty Sark.

The recommended lunchtime pub is the Plume of Feathers (020 8858 1661), just outside Greenwich Park, but there are many other watering holes in the vicinity.

You can download a PDF of the walk directions, or print them from the walk’s introduction page.

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Sunday walk: Quiet countryside in the High Weald

Hever to Ashurst
Length: 16.3km (10.1 miles) Toughness: 4/10

09:51 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Junction 09:58, East Croydon 10:09), changing at Oxted or Hurst Green (5 minute wait) on to an Uckfield train that arriving at Hever at 10:51.

Return trains from Ashurst to Victoria, changing at Hurst Green or Oxted, are at xx:58 (journey time 71 minutes). Buy an off-peak day return to Ashurst.

This walk takes in a quiet part of the High Weald on the border of Kent and East Sussex, a surprisingly remote area of low hills and wooded valleys. No crowds, and some footpaths are little used and require close attention. And you may encounter some of the famous Wealden mud.

The recommended lunchtime pub is The Fountain (01342 850528) in Cowden, a Harvey’s pub that stocks their glorious Old Ale (you must try it!). Please let them know how many diners to expect as you set out from Hever.

You can download a PDF of the walk directions, or print them from the walk’s introduction page, clicking ‘Main Walk’ under the map to suppress the sections you won’t need.

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Saturday Walk – The Thames Path from Reading to Henley

Extra Walk 61 – Reading to Henley
Length: 15.2 km (9.4 miles). Toughness: 1/10

10:47 Swansea train from Paddington, non-stop to Reading and arriving at 11:10. From Ealing Broadway take TfL's 10:21 Reading train arriving at 11:11; if you just miss this, GWR's 10:35 Didcot train arrives a few minutes later at 11:14. Buy a return to Henley-on-Thames via Reading (if you get the cheaper ‘Not via Reading’ ticket by mistake you'll have to pay an excess fare at Reading).

Trains back from Henley are half-hourly at xx:01 & xx:31 (hourly after 8pm) and go to Twyford, where you change for a GWR or TfL service to Paddington.

Note: London Freedom Pass holders can now travel free all the way to Reading on TfL Rail services only. If you want to take advantage of this, get the 10:13 Reading train from Paddington (Ealing 10:21, arr Reading 11:11; as above). On the way back you'll need to buy a single from Henley to Twyford and take a TfL service back to Paddington.

This simple walk along the well-waymarked Thames Path hasn't had an outing for 2½ years. It's just been tweaked to provide a better route from the station to the river, so it seems a good time to give it another look. The riverside path shouldn't be excessively muddy, but a few short stretches were reportedly flooded (though not impassable) after the incessant rain before Christmas. As it's been much drier since then I'm sure there won't be any serious problems, but be prepared…

The published route includes some roadside walking away from the river after Shiplake Lock, but if you're not a slave to your GPS device you could continue along a section of the Thames Path which was restored in 2012 after a long campaign by the Ramblers. It adds about 1 km to the walk length and should be well signposted.

It's possible to cut the walk short just after this new riverside section and return from Shiplake station (on the Henley branch line; trains at xx:05 & xx:35), but the riverside stretch into Henley is described as a beautiful part of the walk.

You should download and bring the straightforward walk instructions from the Reading to Henley walk page. Lunch is in the pretty village of Sonning, where you can choose between the popular Bull Inn and a newish alternative, Coppa Club (which got a favourable mention from some walkers last May). There's lots of choice for tea in Henley, with most walkers favouring the riverside Chocolate Café near the town bridge. T=swc.61

Saturday walk - Aylesford Circular or to Maidstone

Length: 19km (11.8 miles) to Maidstone, 17.5km (10.9 miles) for the circular T=3.330
Toughness: 5 out of 10

9.55 Southeastern High Speed service from St Pancras International to Strood, arriving 10.28, changing there for the 10.34 train to Aylesford, arriving 10.50.

OR

9.10 train from Charing Cross (9.13 Waterloo East, 9.19 London Bridge) to Paddock Wood, arriving 9.58, changing there for the 10.11 train to Aylesford, arriving 10.40. (If you slow train-ers would like to wait ten minutes there for the fast train-ers, that would be nice, but we wouldn't blame you if you don't... If you just miss the above train, get the 9.15 from Charing Cross, 9.18 Waterloo East, 9.24 London Bridge, getting on the front end of the train, and change at Tonbridge - but you only have six minutes to cross the footbridge for the connecting train.)

Buy a day return to "Maidstone stations": if you are going on the high speed you have to get a "plus high speed" ticket and you can't buy from LT fare boundaries: on the Charing Cross option neither applies. If you are absolutely definitely determined to do the circular walk, a day return to Aylesford (NOT Aylesbury or Aylesham!!!) is apparently cheaper,

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

This Kentish walk had its launch back in April, but I thought it might be interesting to give it another airing at a different time of year. It includes the author's trademark proximity to a busy road at one point, but also includes panoramic views and has a great list of points of interest. There seems to be a choice of pubs for lunch, with the Butcher's Block described as "welcoming" back in April. As for mud quotient: your guess is as good as mine. You are in the North Downs area, so chalk soils might be well drained. But then again, they might not.

Towards the end of the walk you have a choice of looping back to finish in Aylesford or carrying on along the river into the centre of Maidstone.

Trains back from Aylesford are at 10 and 40 past the hour, to Strood, changing there for the high speed train to St Pancras, if you have a ticket for that (1hr journey time to London). For Charing Cross or London Bridge the only train is the 20 past to Tonbridge (ie in the opposite direction to Strood: 1hr 35 minutes to London).

Trains back from Maidstone are at 04 and 29 past and take just over an hour to Victoria, via Bromley South

Saturday Walk Two Cinque Port Towns and Wassailing an Orchard

SWC Walk 113:  Tenterden to Rye (In reverse) – Varied Landscape between Two Cinque Port Towns ending in Tenterden with optional Orchard Wassail t=swc.113

Distance:  13.4 Miles or 21.5 km for those more metrically minded (with options to shorten by catching a bus en route – see walk notes for ideas)

Difficulty:  5 out of 10

Train:  Take the 9:34 AM Southeastern train to Ashford International (changing to Eastbourne train arrive 10:11; depart 10:25), arriving Rye at 10:46. The return requires a bus from Tenterden to either Headcorn or Ashford. All buses depart from near the Vine Inn: for a shorter bus journey (20ish minutes -- but more limited options), take bus number 12 towards Maidstone at 16:26; 17:39 or 22:15 – these connect reasonably well with trains back to London at Headcorn; for a longer bus journey (30-35ish minutes) with a few more options, take bus number 2 or 2a to Ashford – bus 2 leaves at 17:41, 18:46; 20: 55 and bus 2a leaves at 17:05; 17:52 or 19:55 – these connect (more or less) with trains back to London from Ashford. Buy a day return to Rye. 

We had a request for a walk that involves wassailing (the orchard variety). A bit of internet research revealed that this is the weekend for it!  Apparently, traditionally performed on the “old 12^th night” according to Julian Calendar – 17 January-ish….to waken and bless the orchard trees….for a bountiful crop…Some further research revealed that a well-organised looking event takes place within striking distance of one of our walks….the one hitch being that you will need to do the walk backwards….to finish in Tenterden….The event takes place at Gibbet Oak Farm and involves torches, singing, dancing and general merriment. It is a ticketed event 5.25 pounds which includes a short shuttle service from the Vine Inn to the farm. If interested in the wassailing – do book ahead HERE to avoid disappointment. If anyone does go to this event, it would be interesting to know if it is worth keeping in mind for future years….

In addition to potential wassailing, this walk covers varied ground from near the coast at Rye to the low hills in the eastern High Weald, largely following the High Weald Landscape Trail.  On the way, you pass by Smallhythe Place, originally the harbormaster’s house when Small Hythe was a major port town before the River Rother changed course. You also pass the Chapel Down winery that offers generous samples of its tasty wines.  You can find more information about the walk and download the walk instructions here. Since you will be doing the walk in reverse, it is recommended to bring a print-out of the map and/or the gpx….

The original lunch spot for this walk, the Oxney Gourmet Pie and Burger Bar in Wittersham still appears to be closed. However, doing the walk in reverse, you could have an early lunch at the Cock Inn (01797 230 281) in Peasmarsh (4 miles/6 km into the walk).  The Vine Inn on the High Street in Tenterden seems to be the center of activity – for buses and for the shuttle to the Wassailng event – so probably makes a good spot for post walk refreshies…

Enjoy the walk!

Wednesday Walk Amersham to Great Missenden - Coleshill, Penn Wood, Toby's Lane and Little Missenden

Book 1, Walk 5 (R) - Amersham to Great Missenden

Length: 16.3 km (10.1 miles)
Toughness: 4 out of 10

Either
London Marylebone:  09-57 hrs    Aylesbury Vale Parkway service
Arrive Amersham:    10-32 hrs

Or
LT underground service from Baker Street to Amersham - to arrive in Amersham by 10-30 hrs

Return

Great Missenden to Marylebone: 16-02, 16-32, 16-45, 17-02, 17-29, 18-04 and 18-35 hrs.

Rail ticket

Senior railcard holders, and holders of an all-zone LT travel card (Amersham is in zone 9) - you just need a single from Great Missenden to Amersham for your return journey. Other railcard holders - buy appropriate tickets from the boundary of the card you hold.


This walk works well in reverse, and although in winter you usually encounter "muddy bits" - with Toby's Lane often being waterlogged - you usually get through - and enjoy some nice views and very pleasant countryside along the way.
You can stop for lunch in the village of Penn at two very acceptable pubs - The Squirrel, and the Hit and Miss  but if you can hold out for a further 50 minutes, lunch is best taken on the walk this way round at the Red Lion in Little Missenden (6.7 miles into the walk). Your e.t.a is 13-15 hrs.
After lunch the route takes you through woods and through a stud farm before following a number of field edges all the way to Great Missenden, where a number of cafes and pubs await your custom.
T=1.5
Walk Directions are here L=1.5
Using the + - toggle hide the Great Missenden to Amersham directions and just print off the (reverse walk directions) - Amersham to Great Missenden

sunday walk: Robertsbridge Short Circular

Book 2 walk 20a
14km 8.7 ml Difficulty 2/10
This walk takes you through the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural  Beauty to picturesque Bodiam Castle where you have a choice of lunch in either the Castle Inn or The National Trust tea rooms.
There are good views of the castle from the footpath that crosses the grounds. To go inside the castle costs £9.80 unless you’re a NT member.
Trains: Get the 09:55 Hastings train from Charing Cross (London Bridge 10:04). Arrives Robertsbridge 11:14.
Trains return from Robertsbridge at xx:14.
Lunch: The Castle Inn 01580 830 330 or the National Trust tea rooms at Bodiam Castle.
Tea: The Ostrich Hotel, a quirky favourite, is close to Robertsbridge Station.
Directions: here
We are doing the shorter walk, option a. This starts differently to the main walk.
T=2.20.a

Sunday Walk: A Sunday [Seal Watch] (hopefully) Walk on Thorney Island

SWC 180:  Southbourne to Emsworth via Thorney Island t=swc.180

Distance: 9.8 miles or 15.8 km for those more metrically minded (with an option to extend by finishing in Havant which adds 2.4 miles/3.8 km)

Difficulty:         1 out of 10

Transport:       Take the 9:33 AM Southern train bound for Havant from London Victoria (Clapham 9:40; East Croydon 9:51), arriving in Southbourne at 11:29. Return trains from Emsworth are at 16:21, 16:36, 16:54, 17:21,17:36, 17:45, 18:21, 18:36 and 18:54. By a day return to Emsworth or Havant (if you would like extra flexibility for the return).

So, I recently learned that Chichester Harbor is home to a reasonable-sized colony of harbor seals who are often seen on the mud flats between Thorney Island and Hayling Island around mid-tide.  As most of the stars are aligning for this outing today…thought it would be good to give it a go – especially as the path around Thorney Island should be largely mud-free (a special treat in mid-January). The route is an easy to follow map-led one that basically circumnavigates Thorney Island (starting on the East side). For those interested in a longer walk, after some refreshies in charming Emsworth, it is possible to follow the Solent Way along a pretty stretch of coast and then the Shipwrights Way up to Havant Station (see map for details).

More information about the walk can be found here. Please either print out the map from the "Map" tab or download the GPX file from the "GPS" tab.

Lunch/Brunch:  The recommended lunch/brunch stop is the Travellers Joy less than a kilometer from Southbourne Station, so would suggest planning an early lunch/brunch before setting off for the Island – this will also allow for the tide to reach the optimum viewing time of mid-tide (about 3:00pm give or take)….

Tea: There are various refreshment options available in Emsworth, see the walk notes for details….

Enjoy the walk and don't forget to bring binoculars!

Garston to St Albans

CW1 Walk #7  - Garston to St Albans
Length: 14km (8.7 miles). Toughness 1/10.

Catch the 10:03 train from London Euston, arrives Garston 10:36. (Change Watford Junction arr. 10:26, dep 10:31)

Return: Either  St Albans Abbey to Euston, changing at Watford Junction:  16:19, 17:07 17:54 18:37... or St Albans City to Blackfriars. xx:07, xx:22, xx:37, xx:52, St Albans City to London Bridge xx:27, xx:57

Rail ticket: buy a day return to St Albans Abbey. If returning from the City station you will probably  have to buy an additional ticket.

(Was scheduled for Sat 16 Nov last year - but postponed due to RMT industrial action.)

T=1.7

Saturday Walk A Near Full Wolf Moon over the River Crouch

SWC Walk 162:  North Fambridge to Burnham-on-Crouch (with optional moonlit extension) t=swc.162

Distance:  13.0 Miles or 20.9 km for those more metrically minded (short-cuts reducing the walk to 10.9 miles/17.4 km are described in the walk notes and the potential moonlit extension can be of various lengths)

Difficulty:  3 out of 10

Train:  Take the 9:35 AM Greater Anglia Southend train from London Liverpool Street (9:42 Stratford), changing at Wickford arriving 10:11, departing 10:16 (step lively across the platform), ultimately arriving North Fambridge at 10:20. Return trains from Burnham-on-Crouch are at XX:00 and 40 past odd hours and XX:20 past even hours. Buy a day return to Burnham-on-Crouch.

This walk makes a lovely outing on a winter’s day with the soft lighting providing quintessential Turneresque landscapes along the way. It mainly follows the banks of the River Crouch from North Fambridge to the North Sea with a small diversion to Althorne for lunch. As a special treat tonight – should the conditions cooperate – you can watch a nearly full wolf moon (named as such because wolves typically do quite a bit of howling in January/February – preparing for the mating season) rise from the North Sea.  You should arrive in Burnham about 16:00 and should have time for tea  or stiffer refreshies before those who wish reassemble about 17:00 (moonrise is 17:01) for a moonlit extension on the river bank out to where the sea meets the river…..This extension can either be out and back or circular and can be adapted based on desired length – you should bring a map print-out if doing a circular route!  You can find more information about the walk and download the walk instructions here.

The only lunch stop is the Three Horseshoes (01621 740 307) in Althorne (7.0 miles/11.5 km into the walk).  Tea and other late afternoon refreshments can be had at various watering-holes in Burnham-on-Crouch described in the walk notes.

Enjoy the walk!

Saturday Walk: Balcombe Circular (winter walk)

10 miles / 16.2 km with pub stop in Ardingly
or
7.9 miles / 12.8 km with picnic lunch

A walk specially designed for the winter months with (possibly) reduced mud and a chance of reaching the tea room before it shuts. Highlights include Ardingly Reservoir and an impressive close up view of the Ouse Valley Viaduct.

Trains: Bedford to Brighton train: 9:20 St Pancras, 9:29 Blackfriars, 9:35 London Bridge, 9:51 East Croydon, arrives at Balcombe at 10:17. Return trains at xx22/xx52.

Lunch: The Ardingly Inn (01444 892214). Next door is the Ardingly Cafe with sandwiches/soups.

Back in Balcombe, the Balcome Tea Rooms are open til 4pm. The Half Moon Inn also has tea, maybe cake and definitely beer.

Click here for full walk details
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Wednesday Walk Loughton to Epping

 Loughton to Epping T=swc.197

Length: 13.4km (8.4miles)  Allow 4 hours for the walk

This walk takes you on tracks and paths through the ancient woodland of Epping Forest (“the peoples forest”). After lunch  you go through open countryside and farmland passing close to Copped Hall a ruined country house currently being renovated. The walk ends in the bustling town of Epping at the end of the Central Underground Line.

"This short walk is ideal for winter or early spring when there is no leaf canopy and views and vistas open up."

Trains: Loughton station is on the Central Line in zone 6. Arrive for a 1035 start. 0929 from Ealing Broadway, 0954 Oxford Circus arrives 1031.

Lunch: The Horseshoes a friendly pub with a good range of reasonably priced food.

Horseshoes. 80m before the Horseshoes pub there is the entrance gate to St Thomas’ Church, where just beyond the church building there is a pleasant grassy area with wooden benches which is nice for a picnic despite the noise from the nearby M25.

Tea: The recommended tea stop is the Verde Café at 88 High Street, Epping

Sunday Walk – A short suburban walk (Crystal Palace to Forest Hill)

Extra Walk 137 – Crystal Palace to Forest Hill
Length: 13¼ km (8.2 miles). Toughness: 3/10

Meet outside Crystal Palace station (TfL Zones 3/4) to start at 11:15. There's a bunch of trains arriving just before then, with the simplest being a direct (but slow) Caterham service leaving London Bridge at 10:35, arriving at 11:05.

A Journey Planner enquiry from your local station might suggest one of these alternatives: a Southern train from Clapham Junction (arr 10:54) or East Croydon (arr 11:10) or West Croydon (arr 11:14), or a London Overground train from Highbury & Islington (arr 11:04).

If you get there early you could walk up to the small Crystal Palace Museum which in theory should be opening at 11am, and intercept the main group as it passes by at around 11:20.

At the end of the walk there are London Overground trains from Forest Hill (Zone 3) every 5-10 minutes; northbound trains connect with the Jubilee line at Canada Water, but are not stopping at Whitechapel. There are no Southern trains from Forest Hill this Sunday.

This is a surprisingly hilly little suburban walk in south London, with a few muddy stretches in Dulwich and Sydenham Hill Woods to ensnare people wearing trainers. As well as free museums at both ends of the walk (plus the Dulwich Picture Gallery in the middle: £9) you can admire the famous Crystal Palace Dinosaurs in the park. There are a couple of pubs en route if you want a proper Sunday lunch, or cafés for something lighter. At the end of the walk there's a café in the Horniman Museum and more tea places on the road to Forest Hill station.

You'll need to bring the directions (with street maps) from the Crystal Palace to Forest Hill walk page. These point out several places where you can drop out or shorten the walk. T=swc.137

Sunday Walk - Undulating Northamptonshire - Kings Sutton Circular

Length: 18.2 km (11.3 mi) [Longer Walk possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent: 250m

Net Walking Time: ca. 4 hours, Toughness: 4 out of 10

Take the 09.40 Birmingham Snow Hill train from Marylebone (change Banbury 10.36/10.44, direction Marylebone), arrives Kings Sutton 10.50.

Return trains: 15.57 (via Banbury), 16.50, 17.57 (via Banbury), 18.50 and 20.20 (from 76 minutes).

This circular walk through the mildly undulating Northamptonshire countryside passes through four small Cotswoldy villages each with a good pub serving real ale, and passes plenty of interesting buildings.

Walk Option: you can extend the walk by starting or finishing at Banbury (better train service), this adds 6 km.

Lunch: Cartwright Hotel & Restaurant  (4.2 km) in Aynho, The Fox (6.7 km, food to 14.30) in Souldern, The Blackbird Inn  (10.9 km) in Croughton or The Rose & Crown (14.2 km, food to 15.30) in Charlton.

Tea: The White Horse  or The Butchers Arms (Hook Norton brewery) in Kings Sutton.

For walk directions, map, height profile, some photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.176