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
T=swc.22
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2 comments:
If you want to do lunch at Ardingly and wish to drop out there, it appears you can catch a 272 bus to Haywards Heath at 14:11 or to Three Bridges at 15:16 see the timetable here. If you're planning on going to Haywards Heath, make sure you buy your return train ticket to that Station.
I didn't count but at least n=16 got off the train and I think all did the posted walk. It was w=cloudy-with-a-short-sunny-spell after lunch. Lots of slippery mud along the way. Ten ate lunch by the resevoir while one newcomer was bird spotting. All moved on quickly as the cool breeze made it uncomfortably cold. Three had indicated they were going for a pub lunch and two may have joined them or lunched somewhere else. Some finished in time to catch the 13.52 train. Five went to the tea room in Balcombe which was hot and steamy. A big array of cakes on display but none of them vegan :(. Three left to catch the 14.22 train and the other two followed shortly after, abandoning teas which were not to their taste to run all the way to the station, arriving at 14.21 to find the 14.22 cancelled. No sign of the three who preceded us, apparently whisked away on an earlier, late running train. We cleaned our boots and caught the 14.52.
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