Whit Bank Holiday Walk - Berwick to Seaford - Alciston, Berwick Church, Alfriston, High and Over Hill, Exceat, Cuckmere Haven and along the cliff-tops to Seaford

SWC Walk 90 - Berwick to Seaford

Length: main walk using alternative start: 18.3 km (11.4 miles). Options to shorten to 7.5 miles and 4 miles

Toughness: full walk:  7 out of 10.  Shorter walks omitting High and Over Hill:  3 out of 10

Note: Different to usual departure railway station (due to engineering works)

London Bridge: 09-25 hrs    Southern service to Eastbourne    East Croydon: 09-42 hrs 

Arrive Lewes: 10-27 hrs       Change trains

Leave Lewes: 10-47 hrs        Southern service from Brighton to Hastings 

Arrive Berwick:  10-56 hrs 

Return    Seaford to London Bridge changing at Lewes:  25 and 53 mins past the hour 

Rail ticket    Either a day return to Berwick (Sussex) or a day return to Seaford is usually acceptable. I tend to buy the latter. 

Covid-19 Compliance: please note the current guidance on this website and observe social distancing. You should all come prepared to exchange contact details for track and trace purpose. You can either pre-register for this walk (not essential ) by e-mailing me at swc-marcus@walkingclub.org.uk  or, if you prefer, please write your name, e-mail address and contact 'phone number on a small piece of paper for handing to me on the train or when we assemble at walk start. Thank you.  

I was unable to post this walk in early March - as in previous years - as we were still in Lockdown, so we missed the new born lambs in the fields below Seaford Head.  Never mind - this walk merits an outing at any time of year, as it is arguably one of the best walks in our entire SWC repertoire.

I suggest today we take the alternative start in the Directions to enable us to visit the pretty village of Alciston, with its interesting church, then Berwick Church to admire the 20th century Bloomsbury Murals  (for those into luvvies). We then head down and up a vast field before dropping down a road into the village of Alfriston where we stop for lunch. Picnickers usually head for the grassy lawns around the church. The three pubs in the village will all be busy today, being a Bank Holiday, but all have beer gardens for outdoor dining.  Those on the shortest 4 mile walk can take a bus to Seaford from the village.

Otherwise, after lunch the walk continues beside the Cuckmere River (the Book 1 side is less muddy) and after passing by the village of Littlington we head up the broad grassy slopes of High and Over Hill, not forgetting to look back over the shoulder to enjoy the magnificent panoramic view. Down the Hill on its other side and we head for Exceat - where there is a regular bus service to Seaford - for those on the 7.5 mile walk. The rest of us have another 3.9 miles still to go - but it is an exhilarating leg and is recommended for those up to walking a little further. We gradually ascend the Vanguard Way to come up above Cuckmere Haven with wonderful views of the Seven Sisters. From here we have an undulating clifftop walk to the outskirts of Seaford, where we drop down to the sea front. Then it's along the promenade and into the town for the refreshment options noted in the Directions. 

The provisional weather forecast for Whit Bank Holiday Monday is good - and warmer than of late - so we could be in for a really nice day's walking.  Do join me ! 

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Walk Directions are here:  L=swc.90

Sunday Walk: Constable Carry on - Manningtree Circular

Length: 17.3 km. 10.7 miles

Difficulty:  4/10

A walk through Dedham Vale area of outstanding natural beauty, revisiting scenes from Constable’s paintings. There's some interesting churches along the way.  After plans for East Bergholt's church tower were put on hold, the bells were rung by hand in a temporary cage in the churchyard. Five centuries later, they still are.(Top marks for indolence, I say).  Inside the church, if open, be on the lookout for an early camel and some "putrid slime".  A later church, in Stratford St Mary, has unusual flint lettering on the outside.

Trains: 9:30 Ipswich train from Liverpool St.(Stratford 9:37), arriving Manningtree at 10:23.

Return trains at xx:21 and x:50 (fastest)

Lunch: It is hard to rely on pubs right now so bring a picnic (and water) in case you need it. 

The popular Sun Inn, Dedham 01206 323351 has tables in the garden. The nearby Marlborough appears to require booking.

The Dedham Craft Centre cafe is doing takeaways 01206 322677.Also in Dedham, the Essex Rose tea room 01206 323101 appears to be open.

There are more pubs in Stratford St Mary. Two appear to be open.

Tea: the National Trust tearooms at Flatford Bridge are open. It is near to Flatford Mill, the setting for Constable's Haywain (it's a wagon, not a type of pizza). Unfortunately, Manningtree's fabled station buffet closes at 2 on Sundays.

Covid-19 Compliance: please note the current guidance on this website and observe social distancing. Please sign up for this walk in advance if you can, using the London Walkers User Group site. (This saves time collecting contact details). Otherwise bring a piece of paper with your legible email address on it, which will be put in an envelope and accessed if needed for contact tracing. To report a Covid case after this walk, use covid@lwug.co.uk 

Walk Directions: here.The walk can be shortened by missing out Stratford St Mary. Should be a pleasant diversion this time of year.

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Ashurst to Buxted (or Ashurst Circular) - Up and over Ashdown Forest

Ashurst to Buxted: 22.1km (13.7 miles) T=3.29

Ashurst Circular: 15km (9.3 miles), 19.5 km (12.1 miles) or 24.3km (15 miles)

9.33 train from East Croydon to Ashurst, arriving 10.08

The above train starts at East Croydon today due to engineering works, but there are connecting trains as follows:

- 8.50 St Pancras Thameslink - 9.05 London Bridge - 9.18 East Croydon

- 9.07 London Bridge - 9.23 East Croydon

- 9.00 St Pancras Thameslink - 9.15 London Bridge - 9.28 East Croydon.

Buy a day return to Buxted, or to Ashurst (Kent) if planning to do an Ashurst Circular option

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

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

**** It would be very useful if you could pre-register for this walk for contact tracking purposes at www.lwug.co.uk: if not, please bring a piece of paper with your email written on it, which will be kept in an envelope and only used if a case of Covid arises on the walk. To let us know if a contract tracing requirement arises as a result of this walk, use covid@lwug.co.uk ****

This idea (ie Ashurst to Buxted) was suggested to me a while back by one of our Tunbridge Wells-based walkers. It is based on the fact that the most southerly point of the Ashurst Circular Walk is only 1.5 miles from the lunch pub on the Buxted Circular. By joining the two together you have a gentle climb up, a walk across the heartlands of Ashdown Forest, and then a descent into pleasant countryside that we normally only visit in muddy autumn or winter, due to the shortness of the Buxted Circular walk. Note that the connecting section is map-led, but the path is fairly obvious, a broad track across open heath.

You can of course ignore all this and just do the Ashurst Circular walk, which comes in three flavours - short, not so short, and long. All three options have extensive Winnie the Pooh associations, which you can read about in the walk document. 

On the Ashurst to Buxted walk, your lunch options are the (usually rather popular) Dorset Arms in Withyham after a paltry 3.6 miles, or holding on till the lunch pub on the Buxted walk, the capacious the Crow and Gate in Poundgate, which is 8.9 miles into the walk. This offers food all afternoon, so a late arrival may help you to get a table. If you wanted to book, I would assume arrival at about 2.30pm. Otherwise, the heathland of Ashdown Forest will offer plenty of places to eat sandwiches. 

After lunch, it is just 4.8 miles, a lot of it downhill, to Buxted. For tea, there are two pubs in Buxted, both near the station, and both of which look to be open all afternoon.

On the Ashurst Circular, the only refreshment options after the Dorset Arms (see above) are in Hartfield, only about 5.5 miles into the short walk, 8.3 miles into the main walk. Here you will find the Anchor Inn, and the Pooh Corner tea rooms (ex Piglet's Tea Room, Kanga's Tea Room: if they fancy another rebrand I would suggest Eeyore's Eerie or Tigger's Lair ...) the latter open till 5pm.

Note that it is 3.8 miles from Hartfield to Ashurst station and there is diddly-squat to do in its vicinity if you miss the hourly train: allowing 1 hour 45 minutes at least for this section might be wise.

Trains back are at 48 past from Buxted, 07 past from Ashurst: note that the train in the other, southbound direction leaves Ashurst at much the same time: make sure you get on the right one.

Watton-At-Stone Circular

SWC Walk 94 – Watton-at-Stone Length: 18km (11.2 miles) 

Catch the 10:13 train from Moorgate (Highbury & Islington 10:21, Finsbury Park: 10:27) to Watton-at-Stone, arriving 11:12. 

Return trains xx:05 xx:35. 

Will try for an early lunch at The Lordship Arms as The Boot, Dane End does not open until 14:00. (However in these current times still advisable to bring an emergency snack just in case.) 

For track and trace purposes visit London Walker User Group, sign on, click on the Events button, choose your walk and click on the Pre-register button, confirm you're covid clear.

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Evening Walk - Trent Country Park and Enfield Chase

COVID 19

Track-and-Trace: please provide email address (preferred) or mobile phone number at the start

Rule of Thirty: up to June 21

 

Length: 7.9 km/4.9 mi 

Meet 19.00 hours prompt outside Cockfosters Station (Northern Terminus of the Piccadilly Line in Zone 5), travel time from King’s Cross 31 minutes, from Finsbury Park (Victoria Line) 23 minutes.

 

Parkland at the end of the line in leafy Northern London. Trent Park is a former part of Enfield Chase, a royal hunting ground. The Gates will be closed starting at 21.30 hours.

Refreshments: The Cock Inn, Cockfosters. 

 

For a detailed route map, gpx/kml file and some directions click here. T=short.10

Wednesday walk Chorleywood to Chesham - the Chess Valley

SWC 81: Chorleywood to Chesham

Length: 16 km (9.9 miles)   with options to shorten

Toughness: 5 out of 10    Several steady inclines but nothing too strenuous

London Marylebone:  10-27 hrs     Chiltern Railways service to Aylesbury

Arrive Chorleywood:  10-54 hrs

Return: Chesham LT Metropolitan (branch) Line to Chalfont & Latimer, changing for main Met Line or Chiltern Railway service back to Central London. Trains from Chesham are every half an hour. 

Rail ticket: options set out in Directions

Covid-19 Compliance: please note the current guidance on this website and observe social distancing. You should all come prepared to exchange contact details for track and trace purpose. You can either pre-register for this walk (not essential ) by e-mailing me at swc-marcus@walkingclub.org.uk  or, if you prefer, please write your name, e-mail address and contact 'phone number on a small piece of paper for handing to me on the train or when we assemble at walk start. Thank you.  

My walking notes tell me the only time I have been on this walk was in January 2012.  I can recall the lovely views along the Chess Valley, and some opening fields prone to becoming waterlogged: I hope after the rain during May footbeds are not too damp today.

Lunch is best taken in the pretty village of Chenies, just over 4 miles into the walk. I dined at the Red Lion back in 2012. 

There are several good tea stops in Chesham, per the walk notes. I recall the Drawingroom is popular with SWC walkers 

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Rather than witter on, I leave it to you to read the description of the walk's highlights in the Walk Directions here   L=swc.81

Sunday Walk - Buttercups and Views on the North Downs ridge: Sandling to Wye

COVID 19

Track-and-Trace: please provide email address (preferred) or mobile phone number at the start

Rule of Thirty: up to June 21

 

Length: 21.7 km (13.5 mi)

Ascent/Descent: 429/476 m

Net Walking Time: ca. 5 hours

Toughness: 6 out of 10 

 

Take the 10.12 Margate train from St. Pancras I’nal (10.19 Stratford), change at Ashford (Dover Priory train, 10.50/11.04), arriving Sandling at 11.15. 

The Dover Priory train changed onto at Ashford is the 09.40 from Charing Cross via Waterloo East, London Bridge, Orpington (10.05) and Sevenoaks (10.15). 

Return trains: xx.18 to Victoria via Bromley South, change at Ashford for Charing Cross or St. Pancras services. 

Buy a Wye or a Sandling return, they are the same price. Buy a High Speed-surcharge if travelling on the High Speed-trains from/to St. Pancras. 

 

This lovely walk follows one of the finest sections of the North Downs Way along the edge of the North Downs escarpment with fine views for nearly the whole walk. There is just one 3 km section mid-afternoon when you are away from the escarpment edge. There can be intense displays of buttercups on this walk.

While the route for the most part follows the North Downs Way exactly (once it has climbed from Sandling up onto the ridge), the creation of Access Land in 2000 has also opened up some escarpment sections that were formerly off limits to walkers. Where these improve the walk, they have been included in the route. 

 

Walk Option: above kilometerage assumes you descend from the Downs to the lunch pub. Picnicking on the ridge cuts 1.1 km and a re-ascent up the hill.

 

Note: while the North Downs Way is waymarked, it is not always comprehensively so, and in places the waymarks are confusing or missing. The path is not always as obvious as one might expect from such a major long-distance footpath. Hence full written-up directions are provided in pdf form on the website on top of the more-sparse directions at the bottom of the webpage.

 

Lunch: The Tiger Inn in Stowting will apparently re-open, but only on May 29; The Five Bells Inn in Brabourne (11.7 km/7.3 mi, food to 18.00, a table has been booked for 14.00 hours). 

Tea: Kings Head, Wye Coffee Shop and Kitchen (closing at 16.00), Tickled Trout, all in Wye. 

 

For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.24

Robertsbridge Circular - Bodiam Castle and a bit of the X Factor

Length: 18.5km (11.5 miles) T=2.20

Toughness: 4 out of 10

10.15 train from Charing Cross (10.18 Waterloo East, 10.24 London Bridge) to Robertsbridge, arriving 11.34.

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

As well as passing possibly Bodiam Castle - the most perfectly-formed castle in the world, the kind of castle a child would draw if you gave them crayons - this walk also has another attraction which I am keeping secret. Call it the X Factor. To find out what it is, you have to come on the walk.

Otherwise, we are in pleasant Wealden territory. This walk has always suffered in the pub lunch department, its original one being too early in the walk and now closed for good anyway. There is a Waterside Cafe five miles in which may or may not be a place to get lunch (ie I have no idea if it will be booked up). If you can hold on till you get to Bodiam Castle, 7.8 miles into the walk, the Castle Inn is open all afternoon: as to its table availability, who knows?

Bodiam Castle, which you can walk right past on public footpaths, is otherwise a grand place to have tea, there being both a NT tea kiosk (by the castle entrance?) and the "Wharf Tea Rooms" beyond it. Both close at 4.30pm, though. 

There will be a Kent & East Sussex steam train arriving at Bodiam Station at 4.21pm and departing at 4.40pm, if anyone is interested: you can't ride on it without pre-booking a round trip from Tenterden, but it is a cute thing to see. And no, this is not the X Factor alluded to above

2km before you get back into Robertsbridge, I see that the Salehurst Halt pub is also cited as a tea stop in the walk directions, though it is not mentioned on the walk home page. Just by Robertsbridge station is the quirky Ostrich (if it is open: its website says it is resuming food service on Sunday 9 August - which was last year...)

Trains back are at 14 past the hour

It would be very useful if you could pre-register for this walk for contact tracing purposes at www.lwug.co.uk: if not, please bring a piece of paper with your email written on it, which will be kept in an envelope and only used if a case of Covid arises on the walk. To let us know if a contract tracing requirement arises as a result of this walk, use covid@lwug.co.uk

Saturday Walk Baldock Circular - vast fields and open views, the Icknield Way, a rescued church, and a charming Hertfordshire Village with 3 good pubs

SWC 91 - Baldock Circular

Length: 19.6 km (12.2 miles)  or 9.1 miles if concluding walk at Ashwell & Morden railway station

Toughness: 4 out of 10

Thameslink service from Brighton to Cambridge, with stops at:

East Croydon: 09-31 hrs

London Bridge: 09-46 hrs

City Thameslink: 09-54 hrs

London St Pancras: 10-01 hrs   Platform B

Finsbury Park:  10-12 hrs     with connection to LT Victoria Line

arriving Baldock:  10-47 hrs

Return

Baldock to London Kings Cross:  26 & 56 mins past the hour

Baldock to St Pancras:  17 & 48 mins past the hour

Ashwell & Morden station to Kings Cross: direct trains at 21 & 51 mins past the hour

                                            to St Pancras: direct trains at 43 mins past the hour

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Baldock -  or Ashwell & Morden if planning to do shorter walk 

Covid-19 Compliance: please note the current guidance on this website and observe social distancing. You should all come prepared to exchange contact details for track and trace purpose. You can either pre-register for this walk (not essential ) by e-mailing me at swc-marcus@walkingclub.org.uk  or, if you prefer, please write your name, e-mail address and contact 'phone number on a small piece of paper for handing to me on the train or when we assemble at walk start. Thank you.  

SWC's resident archivist and historian will correct me if I say (in error) that this is the first time this walk has been giving an outing other than on a Sunday - for Ashwell at Home, in May - or August Bank Holiday Monday - for the Ashwell Show.  As unfortunately the delightful Ashwell at Home open house day has been cancelled for the second year running, due to Covid, I thought why not impose this walk  on unsuspecting Saturday walkers - so here it is.

Now - if you like challenging hills, water features, woodland trails and forests etc, this walk may not excite you or be to your liking. It is mostly flat, over vast fields, but with sweeping Hertfordshire views. But it has its own charms, in a different sort of way to our South Downs walks,  so Saturday walkers, why not give it a go ?  

The Village of Ashwell is worth exploring when you reach it after 9 km of walking for your lunchtime stop.  The impressive church with its tall tower might not have reopened its doors yet to visitors  - but the village's three pubs should have - for indoor and outdoor dining. I've dined in all three and all are good.

That's The Rose and Crown with its large pub garden, The Bushel and Strike , with large outdoor dining areas, and the quaint The Three Tuns Hotel.  The best place for picnickers is probably the precincts of St Mary's Church.

After lunch and sightseeing, those on the short walk head east along the road to Ashwell and Morden. The main walk continues to the west with a long, steady hill after leaving the village, about the only incline today. You soon arrive at the hamlet of Caldecote with its small church recently restored by the splendidly named "Friends of Friendless Churches" organisation. Onwards then - and a bit of road walking - to the village of Newnham, with another interesting church. You next cross a sweeping field to soon link up with the Icknield Way, for your return to Baldock. When you reach the main road you can turn left for a direct route to the railway station, but the walk's directions take you through a local nature reserve and  woodland on the Kingfisher Way and on into the town of Baldock. There are pubs and cafes in the town which should be open and eager for your custom.

Recommended !

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Walk Directions are here:  L=swc.91 

Scotland: Roybridge

Due to current advice from the Government and BMC to stay home (and off mountains), the trip to Roybridge planned for 16 May to 23 May 2020 has been postponed to 22-29 May 2021. The trip will go ahead as originally planned at that time.
For more information on the area, see Roybridge information. For more information about the trip and to check availability, please contact goepfertkarenATyahooDOTcom.

Wednesday walk Merstham to Epsom - The North Downs Way, Gatton Park, Reigate Hill, Banstead Heath and Epsom Downs - on the Coal Tax Post Walk

SWC Walk 4 - Merstham to Epsom (or Tattenham Corner)

Length: 18.25 km (11.3 miles)  or  17 km (10.6 miles) to Tattenham Corner   Shorter options available

Toughness:  4 out of 10

London Victoria:  10-09 hrs    Southern service to Reigate    CJ 10-16 hrs,   EC 10-28 hrs

Arrive Merstham: 10-44 hrs

Return

Epsom to Victoria:  01, 23, 31 and 53 mins past the hour

Epsom to London Waterloo: 19 and 49 mins past the hour

Tattenham Corner to London Bridge: 09 and 39 mins past the hour

Rail ticket   Merstham and Epsom are both one stop beyond the travelcard zone. Depending on the travelcard you possess, your best option is probably a single to Merstham from the boundary of Zone 6, and a single from Epsom to Ewell East / West (the boundary of Zone 6). If returning from Tattenham corner, this station is within Boundary Zone 6.

Covid-19 Compliance: please note the current guidance on this website and observe social distancing. You should all come prepared to exchange contact details for track and trace purpose. You can either pre-register for this walk (not essential ) by e-mailing me at swc-marcus@walkingclub.org.uk  or, if you prefer, please write your name, e-mail address and contact 'phone number on a small piece of paper for handing to me on the train or when we assemble at walk start. Thank you.  

This enjoyable walk not far from London takes you through Gatton Park, landscaped by Capability Brown, and now a boarding school, and on to Reigate Hill to enjoy some lovely views. Its cafe should be open for elevenses, where service hopefully is more efficient than that at Leith Hill Tower.  You walk along the ridge of this Hill which continues as Colley Hill before dropping down to Banstead Heath, where you can take lunch at the Sportsman pub, Mogador. I am told the cuisine on offer by the new landlord is more basic than that offered by his long-term predecessor, but it is probably worth a try - with dining back indoors, too !

Shortly before Mogador you pass the first of many coal tax posts on this walk. I leave it to you to work out what they were all about and why they are to be found on this walk.

From the Sportsman you head over Banstead Heath and beside a golf course, then through woodland to Walton-on-the-Hill, where alternative lunch options, pubs and restaurants can be found (but please note - the Blue Ball pub did not survive Covid lockdown). From Walton-on-the-Hill you head towards Epsom, first along a long bridleway, then up onto Walton Downs then onto Epsom Downs and its famous racecourse. You cross over the expansive racecourse and head for Chalk Lane which goes downhill to the outskirts of the town. On through Rosebery Park and you are in the centre of Epsom, with its shops and refreshment options. The railway station is close to the town centre.

Whilst up on the Downs you might like to take the diversion to Langley Vale Centenary Wood, a newly planted wood created by the Woodland Trust to commemorate World War One.

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Walk Directions are here:  L=swc.4

 

Tuesday Evening: Rousing Richmond

Richmond Park Short Walk T=Short.7

Distance:         Approximately 4.4 miles or 7.6 km for those more metrically minded

Difficulty:        2 out of 10

Meet:              In front of the Richmond train station

Travel:             18:20 South Western Reading bound train from London Waterloo, arriving at Richmond at 18:36. Richmond is also reachable on the District Line. Return trains and tube run frequently.

This walk takes a varied route first along the Thames river, then past the impressive Ham House before entering Richmond Park. Once in the park, the route climbs the escarpment for some fine views across the Thames valley.

Please ensure you keep a safe distance from any deer spotted in Richmond Park and do NOT feed them.

Various options exist for post walk drinks and/or meal…..so, hopefully, we can improve on last Thursday’s refreshment options….possibly even going inside....

No more groups of 6!  However, to facilitate the collection of contact details, please pre-register for this walk on the "events" page at https://www.lwug.co.uk/. You will need to first sign-on and possibly register if you have not previously registered on the site.

If you test positive for COVID within a week of attending this walk, please contact me by emailing covid@lwug.co.uk.

More information about the route can be found here.

Enjoy the walk!

Orchards and Bridges: From East Malling to Maidstone, Yalding, Beltring or Paddock Wood

SWC Walk 337:  East Malling to Maidstone, Yalding, Beltring or Paddock Wood t=swc.337

Distance:  About 11.7 miles or 19.0 km for those more metrically minded to finish in Maidstone (with various options to shorten) and slightly shorter to finish in Yalding. 

About 14 or 17 miles (23 or 25 km) respectively to finish in Beltring or Paddock Wood

Difficulty:  3 out of 10

Train:  Take the 9:25 AM Ramsgate train from London Victoria (stopping at Bromley South 9:42), arriving at East Malling at 10:20.  Return trains from Maidstone East are at 59 past the hour; Yalding at 12 and 47 past the hour; Beltring at 15 and 44 past the hour and Paddock Wood on the hour and 19 minutes past. Buy a day return to Maidstone or Beltring or Paddock Wood (depending on how far you plan to explore). 

This walk starts by passes through some orchards before descending towards the Medway passing an interesting Medieval manor house.  It also passes by 4 interesting bridges displaying fine examples of Medieval workmanship. The main routes continues into Maidstone; however, for those of an adventurous spirit, I would propose that we pick up the afternoon instructions of the Yalding Circular at West Farleigh (the location of the recommended lunch stop on both walks). The route back to Yalding is slightly shorter than going to Maidstone – but offers an exploratory extension to either Beltring or Paddock Wood – eyeing the map, it looks like an alternate route to Beltring exists that passes by a different pub in Laddingford and avoids the family park and busy road crossing mentioned in the instructions. You can find more information about the walks and download the walk instructions here and here.

The recommended lunch venue is the Tickled Trout in West Farleigh which appears to offer outdoor dining.  Both endings of the walk will undoubtedly have some al fresco post walk refreshment options.

It is expected to walk in groups of no more than six and provide contact details. To facilitate the collection of contact details, please pre-register for this walk on the "events" page at https://www.lwug.co.uk/. You will need to first sign-on and possibly register if you have not previously registered on the site.

If you test positive for COVID within a week of attending this walk, please contact me by emailing {remove the AAA} AAAcovid@lwug.co.uk, a private dedicated COVID reporting email address.

Enjoy the walk!

Goring Circular via Hill Bottom - Maybe still some bluebells?

Length: 18km (11.3 miles), with a 7km (4.5 mile) extension possible to Pangbourne T=3.243

Toughness: 4 out of 10

9.57 train from Paddington (10.05 Ealing Broadway) to Goring, arriving 11.04

Note: this is a local service out of Paddington and so is not affected by the current disruption to long-distance Great Western services due to reported cracks in train bogies

Buy a day return to Goring & Streatley (not Goring-by-Sea!!)

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

This walk promises good bluebells and plenty of beech woods, which at present should be displaying gloriously bright green foliage ("eye-ache green", I call it). But it has to be said that a couple of past SWC attempts to catch the bluebells at their best have not been entirely successful. Will we be more lucky this time? I am banking on the fact that bluebells have been widely late this year, and Chilterns ones tend to be a bit later than those further south. Cross fingers, is all I can say.

The walk also has a slightly iffy history regarding lunch pubs. The Sun Inn has been both praised and slammed for unimaginative food in the past: the Red Lion was considered the best option on the last outing, but who knows if any of these pubs have survived the pandemic anyway? Bring a sandwich, says I. Hopefully Goring will be more reliable for takeaway tea or drinks (if it is not raining one can enjoy them by the Thames).

After tea/drinks, the optional 4.5 mile walk along the Thames Path into Pangbourne is always a pleasure. A GPX is provided for this but not walk directions, but the route is fairly obvious and well-waymarked anyway.

Trains back from Goring are at currently only hourly, at 48 past (52 past from Pangbourne)

This will hopefully be the last Saturday where we have to split into groups of six. It would be very useful if you could pre-register for this walk contact tracking purposes at www.lwug.co.uk: if not, please bring a piece of paper with your email written on it, which will be kept in an envelope and only used if a case of Covid arises on the walk. To let us know if a contract tracing requirement arises as a result of this walk, use covid@lwug.co.uk

Saturday Walk - Late bluebells, wild garlic, rape oil seed fields, lonely valleys, the South Downs ridge: Rowlands Castle Circular

COVID 19

Track-and-Trace: please provide email address (preferred) or mobile phone number at the start

Rule of Six: from start to finish please, and up to May 16 

 

Length: 25.5 km (15.9 mi) [longer and much shorter walks possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent: 488 m

Net Walking Time: ca. 6 hours

Toughness: 9 out of 10 

 

Take the 09.00 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (09.25 Woking), change at Petersfield (same platform, 10.04/10.13), arriving Rowlands Castle at 10.22. 

From Clapham J take the 08.52 stopping service to Portsmouth & Southsea, direct to Rowlands.

The 10.00 train would be sufficient for the short walk. 

Return trains: xx.45 (direct). 

 

This demanding West Sussex walk in the undulating western part of the South Downs is characterised initially by a mixture of park- and woodland, then steep lonely valleys and some far views to the main South Downs Ridge.It starts off towards Stansted House along a 1.5 km-long beech avenue – one of the best in England according to Pevsner, and then heads north along the easterly edge of Stansted Forest and across fields via the hamlets of West, Up and East Marden to a very remote pub in Hooksway, with particularly nice views on the route between the hamlets, including up to the northern escarpment of the South Downs.From lunch you climb back out of the secluded valley on a westerly route to Compton, from where another couple of hills need to be crossed to finish along the westerly edge of Stansted Forest back into Rowlands Castle, with its teashop and a choice of pubs.

The walk (especially the extended version) features several sustained, steep climbs and descents. 

 

Walk Options:

A shortcut around lunch cuts 9.4 km and 307m ascent/descent (rated 4/10).
An extension after lunch adds 3.4 km and 162m ascent/descent. It follows a lonely, narrow, wood-fringed valley to the main northerly escarpment of the South Downs and then follows one of the most undulating sections of the South Downs Way with unrivalled far views from Pen Hill and Beacon Hill, making this a real challenge. The extended walk is rated 10/10.
All three routes share the start, up to West Marden, and the end, from Compton.

Bus Service 54 (Petersfield – Chichester) serves West Marden (the early lunch stop) and Compton (the late lunch/early tea stop), about every two hours, to late afternoon (last at 16.37/16.39).

 

Lunch: The Victoria Inn in West Marden (6.3 km/3.9 mi) seems to have lost its publicans and is for sale, but there is a recent review on Trip, so they may still be open for biz; The Royal Oak in Hooksway (12.6 km/7.9 mi, food to 14.00, bookings only!), The Coach & Horses in Compton (8.7 km/5.4 mi on the short walk, food to 14.30). 

Tea: The Village Shop & Tea Room in Compton (7.4 km/4.6 mi from the end, open to 17.00), plus three pubs and a café in Rowlands Castle; check page 2 of the walk directions pdf. 

 

For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.68