Wednesday walk Hassocks to Brighton - up and over the South Downs to Stanmer Park, then on to Brighton via Falmer and Kemp Town racecourse

SWC 50 - Hassocks to Brighton

Length: 22.5 km (14 miles). If concluding the walk in Falmer, 12 km (7.5 miles)
Toughness: 7 out of 10  (6 out of 10 for short walk)


Car drivers: park up in Hassocks, close to the railway station.

For those comfortable using public transport in these Covid times, your recommended train is:

London Victoria: 10-15 hrs       Southern service to Littlehampton   CJ 10-22 hrs,  EC 10-33 hrs
Arrive Hassocks: 11-12 hrs

Return: Brighton to Victoria: 09 and 39 mins past the hour
             Brighton to Hassocks: direct trains at 25 and 55 mins past the hour
             Falmer to Brighton: 6 trains an hour

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Brighton

See our Covid Rules on This Weeks page

This is a lovely walk with lots of variety and is different from walking the ridge of the South Downs (unless you take the alternative start) as the walk traverses north to south, up, over and down the Downs, exploring hidden valleys, woods, open access land and parkland. You have a choice of start: the main walk takes you through the pretty village of Ditchling before you head for the base of the South Downs, for a steep ascent to the top. The alternative start takes you past the two windmills - Jack and Jill - before a slightly less steep climb up to the ridge of the Downs, which you then follow, enjoying lovely panoramic views on either side, before you re-join the main route from Ditchling. You now descend to the village of Stanmer, where you can purchase a takeaway from the Stanmer Tea Rooms. Onwards through Stanmer Park and the extensive grounds of Sussex University towards the village of Falmer - cut in half by the ugly A27 road - where you find on its north side the suggested lunch pub, the homely, non-pretentious Swan Inn. Check to see if they have resumed serving food after their long lockdown.
After the Swan Inn, you continue your walk through the prettier southern section of Falmer, then you go past the Amex Football stadium (home of Brighton and Hove Albion FC). You can conclude your walk in Falmer by taking the train from the local station to Brighton. But the main walk continues on an undulating way over fields then down to the village of Bevenden. Climb up a path and you now walk through Kemp Town Racecourse, along the length of the course and past the grandstand.  At the far end of the course you find a woodland path which drops down cleverly into Brighton, close to Brighton College. You now choose your route along the seafront into the centre of Town. You are spoilt for choice for a tea stop in town.
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Walk Directions are here: L=swc.50

Sunday Walk: Kelvedon Circular

Toughness 3/10 

Length: 10, 12, or 14.4 miles (16.3, 19.3 or 23.2 km.) 

Highlights of this walk include an old mill, medieval abbey buildings, Grange Barn (said to be the oldest timber-framed building in Europe), and the town of Coggeshall. Coggeshall has over 300 listed buildings, many of them medieval, including an ornate 15th C merchants house (Paycockes). The full walk gives the opportunity to visit another old barn at Marks Hall Gardens.  

Trains Take the 10:11 Ipswich train from Liverpool Street,(Stratford TFL10:18 ) arriving Kelvedon at 11:02. Return trains at xx:41.  

Lunch There are many options in Coggeshall, see the walk notes. Some of the pubs (eg Chapel Inn, Woolpack) are ancient. However, ever-changing Covid restrictions will apply and you might be better bringing your own lunch. If doing the full walk, you can also visit Bouchier’s Barn Café at Marks Hall (01376 563 796). Facilities are open at Marks Hall, with a track-and-trace procedure in place. 

Tea The Sun Inn, Feering Hill (01376 570 442) is the recommended stop. There's also the earlier Bell Inn, in Feering (01376 570 375), and, later, the Railway Tavern in Kelvedon. (01376 570293). You may need to book a table.

Visiting Because of Covid, you can only view Grange Barn and Paycockes from the outside at present. Marks Hall Gardens are open with no need to book.  Entry £6. There's a National Trust  "Tudor Walk"  through Coggeshall that may be of interest (although you will have already passed some of the places by the time you reach Paycockes).

Walk Directions here. This walk can be shortened by cutting out all or part of the Marks Hall loop.  

See our Covid Rules (walks page) 

Basically break into, and stay in, groups of 6 or less. Exchange contact details. Social distancing.

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Saturday Walk Otford to Eynsford - The River Darent, Two Castles, a Visitor's Centre, a Roman Villa and a scale model of the Solar System

Book 1, Walk 23 - Otford to Eynsford

Length: 14.1 km (8.8 miles)     Options to go long

Toughness: 5 out of 10   Two ascents, one descent - otherwise mostly flat and easy going

Car drivers: park at Otford station.

For those of you comfortable using public transport in these Covid times, your suggested train is:

London Victoria: 10-25 hrs    Southeastern service to Canterbury West     Bromley South: 10-42 hrs

Arrive Otford: 10-59 hrs

Return

Eynsford to Otford (for car drivers):   11 and 41 mins past the hour. Southeastern service to Sevenoaks

Eynsford to London Blackfriars:  05 and 35 mins past the hour.    Thameslink service to Blackfriars        Change at Bromley South for return to Victoria

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Otford

See our Covid Rules on This Week's Walk Page

We will assemble in the car park just outside the railway station and promptly separate into groups of six. Please exchange contact details with those in your group of six during the day. Groups will be asked to set off from the car park a few minutes apart, and not converge during the day.  Everyone on the walk is responsible for complying with the Covid Rules, so please do so.

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Today's short walk packs a lot into its 8.8 miles and is far from uninteresting. Add in the lovely Kentish countryside and spells beside the River Darent, and you have a little gem of a walk.

Leaving Otford you walk through the town before heading over fields and over farmland to Filston Farm. On the way you can detour slightly to follow the scale model of the Solar System. On reaching Filston Farm please do not go through its entrance, per the original route, but instead, before the overhead hopper, bear left then head up the gravel track to the side of the farm's surfaced drive. Then its along Filston Lane before you have your first climb of the day - up into Meenfield Wood. Then its along a ridge path and steeply downhill to the village of Shoreham, passing on the way the Shoreham Cross, a memorial to Shoreham's men who fell in WW1, a 100 ft long cross cut into the chalk slopes below Meenfield Wood.

I suggest you stop in Shoreham for lunch. Either picnic beside the River Darent, or if you are prepared to go through the Covid procedures, you have a choice of four pubs, two cafes (open today) and a vineyard for wine buffs. Wednesday walkers recently found the King's Arms safe and very well organised for Covid security - and they served good value meals. 

After lunch in Shoreham you have a stretch beside the River Darent before heading inland through a wood and over a golf course, then up into Lullingstone Park before dropping down to its Visitor's Centre. Now it's back beisde the River Darent on a lovely stretch before you come to Lullingstone Castle. Road walking follows to Lullingstone Roman Villa where you have the option of climbing up to Eagle Heights, for some more stunning views. On then into Eynsford for tea, and a walk to the railway station for your journey home. 

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Walk Directions are here: L=1.23

Holmwood to Shamley Green - the Greensand Ridge, with woods and fine views

 A "Suggest a Walk", suggested by Pauline... T=3.287

Length: 18.7km (11.6 miles)

Train Victoria: 9.25.

Clapham Junction: 9.32
Arrive Holmwood: 10.29

Bus Shamley Green to Guildford at something like 16.57, 17.12, 17.58, 18.37 and last bus 19.03. (Check times.)(My researches suggest 12, 32 and 52 past till 18.52, then 22 past - Ed)

Pub at end The Red Lion. Garden.

They used to be a café called the Speckledy Hen but it shuts at 4 pm if it survived.

Picnic lunch saves walking down road to pub and back again. The Royal Oak, although not a bad pub, and one that brews it’s own beer, it is slightly off the route.

Saturday walk - Great Missenden to Amersham - A saunter in the Chilterns

Length: 16.3km (10.1 miles) T=1.5

Toughness: 4 out of 10

9.57 train from Marylebone to Great Missenden, arriving 10.38.

Buy a day return to Great Missenden. 

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

I have slight nervousness in posting this walk, my nervousness being about the meet-up at the start, which will be in the car park (ie not on the platform please) of Great Missenden station. We must split with the utmost rapidity into groups of six and then stay split. This is no longer a matter of debate: £200 fines are possible. Possibly start thinking even on the train about who you plan to walk with. Sub-groups might include fast walkers, slow walkers, those that plan to have a pub lunch.

It now being autumn (gloom!), where better to be than in the Chilterns? This undemanding walk has lots of nice scenery, and a whole run of possible pubs, if any want to brave contact tracing and the new restrictions to use them. Otherwise, bring all the food and water you expect to need. Tea may be possible in Old or New Amersham (a man can dream...): at least a takeaway to have in the park?

Trains back from Amersham are at 09 and 39 to Marylebone, taking 37 minutes. Underground services to Baker Street go at 17 and 47 past, taking 49 minutes. I read somewhere that a normal rail ticket (eg a Great Missenden return) does work through the barriers at Baker Street (only: not other Underground stops), but have never tested this out.

September in Snowdonia (25-28 September)

21/9/20 Update:

Only a few days to go now....but given the on-going evolution of Covid restrictions, please keep checking on status....

I have sent an email to everyone that I am aware is planning to attend with some final logistics and other information. If you are planning to attend and have NOT received this email, please send me an email at goepfertkarenATyahooDOTcom.

2/9/20 Update:

A few updated points.....

1/ Train schedule -- the outbound train schedule on Friday has been changed since the suggested trains were posted. The new recommended trains are:

Friday 25 September -- London Euston 9:40 AM, arriving Bangor 13:39
Monday 28 September -- Bangor 18:10, arriving London Euston 22:04

I will note that noises are being made about further alternations to train schedules this weekend....so keep watching this space... 

2/  Walks Program 

a/ Friday -- with the later train arrival, the Friday walk will convene at 2:30pm

b/ Saturday/Monday -- the suggested walks for Saturday and Monday may be swapped in an effort to avoid the weekend crowds on Snowdon, with an early start should still be ample time for Snowdon on Monday.

As usual, suggested walk program subject to change based on weather...Please make sure you bring the correct map and compass. Also as per usual SWC protocol, these walks will not be officially led, but will be done collectively on a map-led basis.....

26/7/20 Update:

At long last the Snowdonia trip is in the not too distant future....at present it all seems full steam ahead, as Wales has begun reopening....Fingers crossed that further progress is made between now and September.....

I have been monitoring the train ticket situation and unfortunately Avanti West Coast has NOT offered any Advance Tickets for this route on the relevant dates.  Although they do not seem to participate in National Rail's Groupsave ticketing scheme, they do offer a 20% discount on tickets purchased for groups of 3-9 (see https://www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/tickets-and-savings/group-travel) on pre-specified trains.  Having reviewed the train schedule, I would suggest the following:

Depart: London Euston Friday 25 September 9:10 AM, arriving Bangor 12:19
Return:  Bangor Monday 28 September 18:17 -- last train with sensible travel time

If interested in group travel, please let me know. 

I will also add that it looks like the bus service has been reduced somewhat radically.  Bus 5C which runs from just outside the Bangor train station to Caernarfon (where you catch bus S4 to Beddgelert (also reduced)) current runs only on an hourly basis.....which of course does not connect with the train.....So for those traveling on the recommended trains, I would suggest we share some taxis which will have the benefit of being faster...and likely not much more than the bus fare once shared among the group....

Proposed Program (weather permitting):

Friday:  Following arrival and dropping off bags, re-group about 1:30 PM for afternoon walk up local mountain -- Moel Hebog (Hill of the Hawk), providing great views of the weekend in store...

Saturday:  Snowdon circuit/traverse -- various options available...plus some swimming ops....

Sunday:  Tryfan and Llyn Ogwen area outing...scrambling and swimming ops....

Monday:  Nantlle Ridge from Rhyd Ddu....not far from home base with various options available....

This is just to whet the appetite...more details to follow (plus some GPX files)....please either have printed maps for these areas or purchase OS Map OL17 which covers all of these routes...As mentioned before, these will all be map-led walks....

More updates to follow.....


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As a first, the SWC will be making a long weekend excursion to Snowdonia, North Wales. The weekend will be based in Beddgelert, a charming village in the shadow of Snowdon with immediate access to some interesting hills. The routes will be map-led and as with the Scottish trips one needs to come prepared for high mountain terrain and the risks associated with it.

Beddgelert is accessible by public transportation -- train to Bangor and bus. Accommodation in the village is available in various pubs, B&Bs and self-catering cottages. For further information, please contact goepfertkarenATyahooDOTcom.

Evening Walk: From Brockwell Park to Brixton

Brockwell Park Walk T=Short.39

Distance:         Approximately 2.4 miles/3.8 km or 3.8 miles/6.2 km

Difficulty:        1 out of 10

Meet:              18:35ish at Herne Hill Station (either the 18:21 Sutton bound train from London Blackfriars or 18:27 Orpington bound train from London Victoria should do the trick)

This short walk explores the varied terrain of Brockwell Park in Southeast London. It can be done as either a circular walk back to Herne Hill or can be extended to end in the ever vibrant Brixton with its various hostelries....

More information about the route can be found here.

Enjoy the walk!

Wednesday walk Gerrards Cross to Cookham - Bulstrode Park, Burnham Beeches, the River Thames - and Sir Stanley Spencer

Book 1, Walk 4 - Gerrards Cross to Cookham

Length: 15.4 km (9.6 miles)  Options to extend at walk-end - by 3.5 miles to Marlow, or 4 miles to Maidenhead
Toughness: 2 out of 10     4 out of 10 if going long


Car drivers - sorry, this walk does not work for you.

For those of you comfortable using public transport in Covid times, your recommended train is:

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

Return

Cookham to Paddington, changing at Maidenhead: 16-15, 17-32, 18-03, 18-38 and 19-08 hrs
Marlow to Paddington, changing at Bourne End and at Maidenhead: 17-18, 17-47, 18-24 and 18-54 hrs
Maidenhead to Paddington: direct trains at 17-05, 17-16, 17-24, 17-35, 17-46, 18-05, 18-18, 18-25, 18-35, 18-46 and 18-57 hrs

Rail ticket:  as the rail termini serve different railway companies you will need separate single tickets today, making use of your travelcard where appropriate. This minor inconvenience is the trade-off for an outward journey of only 19 mins

See our Covid Rules

Today's walk after a very short outward train journey starts over Bulstrode Park, then past woods and lakes to the village of Hedgerley before you continue through Egypt Wood and Burnham Beeches. Onwards then to Littleworth Common, where you have a choice of two good pubs for your lunch stop, at either end of the Common - The Jolly Woodman - and the Blackwood Arms. Best you 'phone ahead with numbers to reserve a place.
After lunch you walk through more woods and along field edges then downhill through Woolman's Wood on the Beeches Way path as you finally pass through a residential development to come out beside the River Thames. It's a short walk then to cross the Cookham Town bridge to enter Cookham. On your left you will come to the Stanley Spencer Gallery - worth a brief visit if still open , then the two main pubs for a post-walk drink - The Bel and the Dragon, and The Kings Arms.
If the weather remains fine as you enter Cookham, and you still have energy to burn, you have a choice of two excellent and enjoyable walk extensions, in either direction from Cookham. The walk to Maidenhead is along a riverside path, initially with fine views on the others side of the river of Cliveden, a country house which will always be associated with the Profumo affair in 1963.  The walk in the other direction over meadows and fields to Marlow is equally enjoyable.
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Walk Directions are here: L=1.40

Late start: Whitstable Oysters anyone?

SWC 28: Birchington to Whitstable (or Herne Bay) t=swc.28

Distance:         14 miles/23 km to Whitstable OR 8.7 Miles/14 km to Herne Bay

Difficulty:        1 out of 10 

Transport:       Take the 10:27 AM train from London St. Pancras (10:34 Stratford International), arriving at Birchington-on-Sea at 11:54. Return trains from Whitstable are at 49 minutes past the hour and Herne Bay 44 minutes past.

This is an easy walk along the Kent coast with the charming seaside town of Whitstable, famous for its oysters, as the destination. Since the weather has been rather warm and this weekend looks pretty good, I could not help but to squeeze in a final hurrah at the seaside….The tide will be low to start which should offer plenty of bird watching. However, by mid-afternoon high tide should provide for some nice swimming at Herne Bay and/or Whitstable….More information on the walk and the instructions can be found here.

Lunch:  A picnic anywhere along the route or King Ethlebert Inn in Reculver (5 miles/8km from the start).

Tea: Plenty of options in Whitstable and Herne Bay with Mackari’s (in the bandstand) being recommended in Herne Bay.

Enjoy the walk!

Yalding Circular Walk

Walk 320 – Yalding Circular 

Length: 12.5km (8m)

Toughness: 2 out of 10

London Charing Cross 10.15, Waterloo East 10.18, London Bridge 10.19, arriving Yalding at 11.18

You will need to change at Paddock Wood in at 10.58 out at 11.11 probably arriving and departing from Platform 2 

Buy a day return to Yalding

This walk has been requested by a regular walker as the fruit foraging should be very good especially for apples pears and damsons.

Each time I have walked this walk there have been some lovely Scottish Longhorn cattle or some such grazing as we passed.

With a toughness rating of 2 out of 10 it is very gentle and being 8 miles this can be a relaxed walk and so quoting an extract from William Henry Davis 

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

Reminds me of the Nicholas Albery days when there was a relaxed walk each week.

Lunch is suggested as The Tickled Trout 01622 814 717 in West Farleigh however as with all the pubs at present lunch seems to be a movable feast as in, we are fully booked or we welcome you with open arms (Ed. poor choice of phrase in these restrictive times) so maybe have a snack to hand just in case.

As the walk is only 8 miles odd you could do it all and then have a late lunch back at Yalding.

Yalding offers 

Tea Pot Island at the lock between Yalding village and the station. Closes on weekends at 17:00 in the summer and 16:00 in the winter.  Fairly traditional cafe.

The Boathouse at the lock between Yalding village and the station.

plus apparently, others according to the walk page 

https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/walk/yalding-circular/ 

Trains depart Yalding at xx.40 with a change at Tonbridge

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Saturday Walk: Oxted Circular - UPDATED TRAIN TIMES

Main walk: 12.1 miles / 19.5 km
Longer walk with afternoon loop to Chartwell: 14.1 miles / 22.75 km

This walk explores the woodlands of the Greensand hills, with some fine views across the Weald.

Outward Trains
09:50 London Victoria, arrives at Oxted 10:31
Return Trains
xx:23/53 London Victoria

Lunch
Westerham is 5.5 miles into the walk and has many places to eat - two central pubs are the Kings Arms Hotel (01959-562990) and the Grasshopper on the Green (01959-562926).  The George & Dragon appears to be shut.

Click here for full details and walk directions

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Banbury circular

Length: 17.2km (10.7 miles) / 32.5 km (20.2 miles) 29.4 km (18.3 miles)
Toughness: 2 out of 10

Catch the 9:40 9:46 from London Marylebone arrives Banbury 10:36 11:01. 

This is a map based walk, so there are only basic directions included, with more detail in certain sections (Deddington option) where it is not so obvious.
Standard walk: The recommended pub The Black Boy Inn, Milton is currently closed  

Lunch at one of the pubs in Bloxham.

Longer walk option via Deddington: Lunch at one of the Deddington pubs, 12km into the walk.
Fast return trains: xx:05 xx:41, then final slow trains at 21:46 and 22:16

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Wednesday walk Harpenden to St Albans - a Hertfordshire Town and a Hertfordshire City linked by commons, parkland and a new woodland forest

SWC 351 - Harpenden to St Albans

Length: 18.65 km (11.6 miles)
Toughness: 3 out of 10

Car drivers: Harpenden is one stop up the line from St Albans City station. Probably easier to park in Harpenden, close to the railway station.

For those comfortable using public transport during Covid times, your recommended train is:
Thameslink service, from Brighton to Bedford, with stops at:

East Croydon: 09-51 hrs
London Bridge: 10-05 hrs
St Pancras: 10-21 hrs
St Albans City: 10-41 hrs
Harpenden: 10-47 hrs

Return: St Albans City to St Pancras and beyond: up to 8 fast trains an hour, plus stopping trains
             St Albans City back to Harpenden (for car drivers): 8 an hour
   
             St Albans Abbey to Euston, changing at Watford Junction: 16-54, 17-45 and 18-32 hrs

Rail ticket:  Buy a day return to Harpenden. Note: if you opt to return from St Albans Abbey station (with its much nicer approach walk) you will need separate single tickets for your two rail journeys today.

Rule of Six

As of Monday, 14 September, we are required by law to limit the size of our groups or bubbles to a maximum of six. Thus before we start walking we will separate into groups of six or less, and groups will set out a suitable distance apart. During the course of the day the groups must stay apart and not converge or meet up. We must all share contact details with the members of our group of six.  Responsibility for compliance with the new law is down to everybody attending the walk today.

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The two previous attempts to post this new walk from Elsa on a Wednesday were thwarted (1. Not enough daylight, and 2. Coronavirus lockdown) so let's hope it's third time lucky, although the new Rule of Six will not help. Saturday walkers gave this walk its inaugural outing a couple of months ago, but not many showed up. So despite Covid restrictions I hope some Wednesday walkers will attend today to appreciate what is an excellent new walk with variety, views and a stretch through a brand new woodland forest - Heartwood. All is explained in the Prelude to the Directions found here: L=swc.351
Lunch is taken today in the village of Sandridge where you are spoilt for choice - 3 good pubs (all should be open for lunch today) and a popular Tearoom adjacent to the village stores where you can purchase provisions for a picnic.
The afternoon takes you along a leg of the Hertfordshire Way before you walk through the Childwickbury country estate, then down over fields into St Albans. If you have time you can explore  some of the sights in this historic city, including the Abbey if still open.
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Evening Walk: September Sunset from Chantries Hill

A mini-Guildford Circular via Chantries Hill and Pewley Down T=swc.57

Distance:          Approximately 5 miles or 8 km for those more metrically minded

Difficulty:         4 out of 10

Travel:              18:05 South Western Portsmouth Harbour bound train from London Waterloo, arriving at Guildford at 18:35. Return trains are pretty frequent with the faster services being 20:34; 21:39; 21:49; 22:04; and 22:39.

It is that time of year again…..the last couple of years, we have had a September sunset walk on Boxhill….thought we would try Chanties Hill this time around, using the beginning of SWC 57 as far as St. Martha’s Church with its fine sunset viewing point (sunset should be at 19:14). We will then back track a bit, cross through a dip and return to Guildford via Pewley Down (reversing the beginning of Book 2 walk 13).

Post walk refreshments and possibly a meal can be had at various establishments in Guildford.

More information about the route can be found here (SWC 57) and here (Book 2 walk 13).

Enjoy the walk!

Sunday Walk - Train 6 minutes earlier!!! Two Rothschild Estates, the Thame Valley, Rolling Buckinghamshire Countryside: Haddenham to Aylesbury via Waddesdon

Length: 25.2 km (15.7 mi) [shorter versions possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent: 300m; Net Walking Time: 5 ½ hours

Toughness: 6/10

Take the 10.00 Oxford train from Marylebone, arrives Haddenham & Thame Parkway 10.44.

Return trains to Marylebone are on xx.18 (via Amersham), xx.30 (via Princes Risborough) and xx.48 (via Amersham).

Buy a Haddenham & Thame return; as this is dearer than an Aylesbury return, it should hopefully be accepted in the unlikely event of a ticket inspection, although there is no overlap of the lines if you travel via Amersham. If you travel back via Princes Risborough (i.e. xx.29), your ticket IS VALID from Risborough onwards though.  

This walk through some scenic northerly parts of Aylesbury Vale combines tranquil stretches of the Thame Valley Walk with more energetic climbs in between, heading north through Upper Wichenden and the Rothschild’s Waddesdon estate, finally along a long tree-lined avenue up towards Waddesdon Manor, situated on a prominent hill. After lunch in Waddesdon village, Eythrope Park (another Rothschild estate) is passed through and the route follows the Thame River and Bear Brook into Aylesbury.

Alternative (shorter) finishes in Stone by the Rose & Crown (hourly buses to Aylesbury [xx.41] or Haddenham [xx.19]) or at Aylesbury Vale Parkway station are described. There is also a shortcut just before lunch. See the pdf for details.

Lunch: The Long Dog (13.7 km/8.5 mi, food all day). Nearby there is also The Lion (food to 14.30).

Tea: lots of choice in Aylesbury, see the pdf for details.

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

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Saturday Walk – Whyteleafe Circular [New Walk]

Extra Walk 363 – Whyteleafe Circular
Length: 16½ km (10.3 miles), or 12 km (7.5 miles) if skipping Chaldon. Toughness: 5 or 3/10 respectively.

10:17 Caterham & Tattenham Corner train from London Bridge (East Croydon 10:32), arriving Whyteleafe (TfL Zone 6) at 10:51. You need to be in the front (Caterham) section when the train divides at Purley. Use Oyster PAYG or contactless.

Alternatively, take the 10:20 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:27, East Croydon 10:40), arriving Upper Warlingham (also Zone 6) at 10:52. The directions include an alternative start from this station. This bubble will only be a few minutes behind the other one and can try to catch up or maintain their distance, as they wish.

Each group must get together and exchange contact details at the start, preferably in the station forecourt/car park where it's less crowded.

For the return journey, the fastest trains are the xx:02 & xx:32 from Upper Warlingham to Victoria, with the xx:25 & xx:55 from Whyteleafe to London Bridge as a somewhat inferior alternative. The xx:05 & xx:35 from Whyteleafe are provided solely for aficionados of unhurried trains to the less visited parts of south London.

This is a new but not particularly novel walk on a stretch of the Green Belt now being plugged as the South London Downs National Nature Reserve. It was created in those trying times when we were only supposed to exercise in one-hour chunks, hence its eccentric design of interlocking loops. Some parts will be familiar from Book 2's Coulsdon walk, inluding The Fox on Coulsdon Common: you might be able to get fed and watered there if you can comply with its long list of Covid-19 requirements, but it would be wise to bring some provisions. There are plenty of open spaces on Coulsdon Common or Happy Valley for a picnic.

As noted above you could skip one of the loops (out to Chaldon church) to make a shorter walk. Please bring the walk directions with you in some form or other from the Whyteleafe Circular walk page, as others might choose to do a different option or drop out at one of the stations passed on the afternoon leg. T=swc.363

Saturday walk - Henley Circular via Turville - Murder most foul

Length: 24km (15 miles), or 21km (13 miles) with a bus at the end. T=3.223

Longer walk of 27.5km (17.2 miles) possible.

9.57 train from Paddington (10.05 Ealing Broadway) to Twyford, changing there (arrive 10.37, depart 10.46) for Henley, arriving 10.58. There will be a 28-strong Meet Up group on the same train, drat it. But they are doing a different walk - Henley Circular from book 1, by the sound of it, for the bargain price of £28 per person... Don’t join the wrong group! We true blue SWC-ers will meet at Henley in the car park by the toilet block.

Buy a day return to Henley-upon-Thames (not in-Arden) 

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

This walk takes you to the pretty village of Hambleden and then on up the valley to further pretty villages, territory used in the filming of Midsomer Murders, apparently. It has all sorts of pubs scattered along its route, and though all are usually popular, one may deign to allow you to eat there, who knows.

From memory there is then a woody, hilly bit and you then finish along the tranquil west bank of the Thames to Henley, where you may just get to the Chocolate Cafe before it closes at 6pm.

To shorten the walk to 19km (11.9 miles) you have to get a bus from the main road just before the final river section: these run at 06 and 37 past until 18.37.

For heroic types there is a longer version of the afternoon, increasing the walk length to 27.5km (17.2 miles).

Trains back from Henley are at 01 and 31 past the hour until 19.31, then 20.04, 21.04 and 22.04

Saturday Walk - West Wiltshire Downs: Tisbury Circular via Alvediston (Clockwise!)

Length: 26.0 km (16.2 mi) [shorter walk possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent: 738m; Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ½ hours

Toughness: 9 out of 10 

Take the 09.20  Exeter St. David’s and Bristol Temple Meads train from Waterloo (Clapham J. 09.27, Woking 09.46), arrives Tisbury at 11.06.
You have to be in the Exeter part of the train (and in the front three coaches of that).

Return trains: 17.01, 18.01, 18.27, 19.03, 20.01, 21.01 and 22.02.

This is the blurb describing the anti-clockwise original walk:

"This walk heads south from the Vale of Wardour through the southerly parts of the West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is spectacular walking country with some breath-taking views. The full walk reaches the hilltop boundary with the Cranborne Chase AONB (with views all the way to the coast, around Bournemouth and Poole). You’ll find picturesque villages and atmospheric pubs in the beautiful undulating countryside, as well as a wooded Iron Age hill fort site and plenty of dry chalky U-shaped downland valleys. The middle part of the walk especially leads through – or around the rim of – several very pretty coombes.

The walk starts with a gentle ascent out of Tisbury across fields but features a few short and sharp ascents later on as well as three more prominent ascents, spread out through the day, before descending back into Tisbury, a remarkably unspoilt village." 

Note: this walk is written up in both directions, with both versions available in separate pdfs. Be sure to print the clockwise version if you want to walk with the group. 

Shorter Walk:

A Shortcut after lunch, limiting the effort to 8/10, is described.

Bus number 29 (Shaftesbury to Salisbury)  stops outside the lunch pub in Ebbesbourne Wake (13.49, 15.34, 16.49, 18.04) and in Alvediston (13.45, 15.30, 16.45, 18.00, approx. 40 mins journey time).

Bus number 26 (Salisbury to Tisbury) stops in Swallowcliffe, St. Peter’s Church at 15.38 and 17.18 (6 minutes journey time). 

Lunch: The Horseshoe Inn, Ebbesbourne Wake (9.7 km/6.1 mi) into the walk. Open 12.00-15.00. Food served 12.00-14.00;
The Crown Inn, Alvediston, (16.3 km/10.1 mi) into the walk. Re-opened in 2018 after long closure, as a tea room initially but might have opened as a pub again (the www is a bit inconclusive, but there are recent Tripadvisor reviews).

Tea en route: The Royal Oak, Swallowcliffe. (21.5 km/13.4 mi) into the full walk and 16.5 km (10.3 mi) into the short walk. Open all day every day. This usually makes for a wonderful tea stop, before the last serious ascent of the walk. But as of Sep 1 it has not re-opened yet  after the Covid-lockdown!

Tea in Tisbury:  Tisbury Fish & Chips, Beatons Tearooms and Bookshop, The Beckford Bottle Shop, Genius Coffea, The Benett, The Boot Inn (for all these: see the pdf for details).

For walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml  files click here. T=swc.250.a

Evening Walk - The London Wall (Tower Hill to Blackfriars or Circular) [New Walk]

Length: 4.5 km (2.8 mi) or 6.8 km (4.2 mi) for the Circular Walk Options

Ascent/Descent: negligible

Net Walking Time: ca. 1 ½ or 2 hours,

Toughness: 1 out of 10

Meet at 18.30  outside Tower Hill Underground Station’s Main Exit, facing Trinity Square.

This highly interesting walk follows as closely as possible the course of the London Wall as it would have run during Roman times around the settlement of Londinium, starting at the (medieval) fortress of the Tower of London and leading through the modern-day City of London past the sites of the former city gates to the westerly wall end at modern Blackfriars. It also passes the site of the much older first Roman Fort (built AD 120) at the north westerly corner of the city, whose walls were later incorporated into the Wall (built ca. AD 190-230).

Street levels would have been up to 7 metres lower than today, so many remaining parts of the Wall are now hidden from view in the basements of buildings or under roads, but the route still passes a surprisingly large number of publicly accessible exposed sections of the Wall above ground (plus one section below ground on an optional extension). Wall parts as seen today have been much altered during the Middle Ages and some of the info panels or the walk directions point out these alterations. The route initially closely follows a signed London Wall Walk established by the Museum of London in 1984 for the section from the Tower to the Museum and passes the remaining info panels from that time plus several modern-day replacement panels.

At the end of the 3^rd century, following a series of raids by Saxon pirates, an additional riverside wall along the Thames was added, but no evidence of it survives today. Nevertheless, two options are described to make this a circular walk, either along the modern-day waterfront or along the line of the Roman Era waterfront, which ran further inland. 

Walk Options:

Dropout points are aplenty along the route at tube stations or bus stops.

An Extension leads to a large section of the Wall in the underground London Wall Car Park (320m each-way).

The route can be made into a circular walk by following a choice of routes back to the Tower, both add 2.3 km to the route:

·        The Thames Path along the modern-day waterfront (including several small diversions around river fronting residential or office buildings);

·        A meandering route following as close as sensible the line of the Roman era waterfront.

Refreshments: Plenty, both en route and at the end of all walk options. Check the pdf for details.
 
For walk directions, maps, height profiles, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.47