Length: 19.5km or 12.1 miles. 7 out of 10
Balcombe is a great place to walk - the one stop on the Brighton line that feels truly remote and rural. The moment you leave the station you are in a Wealden wonderland of hills, woods, pasture and hidden farms. These walks also feature Ardingly Reservoir, romantically set between steep hills.
Hopefully, the recent rain won't have been enough to turn this into a mud-fest.
Trains: Get the 0944 Thameslink Brighton train from London Bridge (0930 St Pancras, 0938 Blackfriars, 0958 East Croydon) arriving Balcome 1025.
Lunch: The Ardingly Inn (01444 892 214), 8.8km (10.1km (6.3 miles) into the Summer Walk, serves a basic menu, but with good quality and hearty portions.
Next door is the Ardingly Cafe (01444 891 113), which serves sandwiches, salads, soups and light meals until 4.30pm
Tea: Wakehurst Place 14.2km (8.8 miles) has a self-service cafe, the Seed Cafe, which is open until 5.30pm or the The Half Moon Inn in Balcombe
5 comments:
hello pete the leader , what time walk start ? is it 10:25? and name of station is ?
just like to make sure.
shira 07801 492106
The walk starts at Balcombe station at 10.25, yes. We usually meet on the arrival platform.
We have no leaders!!! This is very important!!! Please read the following very carefully if you are new to our walks.
https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/swc/index.shtml
Yes. No leader, Shira. You need to be independent - this is not the Ramblers. Don't offer up your personal details, helplessly. Take the instructions with you and you'll be very welcome indeed.
n=30 got off the train, to enjoy a fine day for this enjoyable & mud free walk. As usual, we quickly fragmented into smaller groups. The first picnic spot was by the reservoir and some in the churchyard. The Ardingly Arms wasn't doing food, but you could eat food from the Village Cafe next door in the garden. I think around 20 spent some time in the pub garden.
Wakehurst proved too difficult even for the committed tea stop walkers, so a bit after 4, 7 of us were sat outside the community owned Half Moon Inn, later to be briefly joined by another 6 (at a distanced table), with various walkers passing by on their way to the train. The front runners reportedly caught the 1604. Some of us thought we ought to support the pub in these difficult times & made up the rear on the 1834.
Will buy coffee in the cafe next door in future. Rip-off prices for coffee in Ardingly Arms, and very poor quality.
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