Saturday Walk: Lewes to Saltdean

9.6 miles / 15.5km

Add an extra 4 miles to continue on from Saltdean to Brighton.

This walk heads up over the South Downs to Rodmell for lunch, and then on to the coast at Saltdean.  From here there are frequent buses to Brighton.  You can also walk along the seafront all the way to Brighton, or pick up a bus somewhere along the route.

Trains:  09:55 London Bridge, (10:12 East Croydon), 10:57 Lewes.  

Return trains from Brighton 4 per hour, but no trains to London Victoria today.  A return ticket to Lewes is valid for return from Brighton.

Lunch: Abergavenny Arms, Rodmell, now serving food all day.   Inside tables (only) can be booked, but expect to have to pay a deposit for a group of 6+.  Tel 01273 472 416.

Full walk details here

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Saturday Walk - Sevenoaks to Westerham

Length: 18/6km (11. 6 miles)

9.45 train from Charing Cross (9.48 Waterloo East, 9.54 London Bridge) to Sevenoaks, arriving 10.19. (*** Notice the change to train time from the one I posted earlier in the week: this is the fast train...)

Buy a day return (or single: see ** below) to Sevenoaks T=swc.20

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

This walk was posted back in the autumn sometime, when it poured with rain and only six people turned up, the poster (who had planned to check the directions) not being one of them because he had the lurgie (honest...).

So I thought I would give it another go at what is the best time of year to do it - bluebell season. This walk has a number of very nice bluebell woods on the climb up to the Greensand ridge and around Ide Hill. One caveat: I had alarming reports that they were at their absolute best ten days ago, so hopefully they will still be looking good now....

Otherwise this is a lovely Wealden walk with gorgeous views and some hills to put the glow in your cheeks. The afternoon is a very familiar hill and woods walk into Westerham.

For a pub lunch one option is the quite small and rather cute Windmill in Sevenoaks Weald, 4.8 miles into the walk and requiring a 1km diversion off the walk route. It might be an idea to ring this pub before diverting to eat there, just to be sure it has room. Otherwise you are dependent on the Cock Inn in Ide Hill, 8 miles into the walk - a popular place which we usually manage to squeeze into somehow. It used to serve food all afternoon, which made life easier, but now only does so until 3pm.

Ide Hill also has a nice community shop, with some tables, which makes a tea or light lunch stop, and just 1.1 miles after Ide Hill you come to the National Trust-run Emmetts Garden, which has a cafe open till 4.30pm. At the end of the walk in Westerham there are lots of refreshment options - cafes, pubs, shops.

To get back from Westerham you get the 246 bus, which leaves at 22 and 52 past until 18.22 and then hourly (22, 23 or 24 past) till late. This gets to Hayes station in 30 minutes and Bromley South station 15 minutes later. It is a TFL bus, so you can use Oyster/contactless and you pay the standard £1.65 TFL bus fare. For holders of 60+ cards or season tickets extending to zone three it is free (** and for them there is there is therefore no need to get a return to Sevenoaks: you can just get a single, not that it makes much difference price-wise)

Saturday Walk - Varied Woods, Bluebells, the Dun, Wallop Brook & Test Valleys and Broughton Down: Dean to Mottisfont & Dunbridge [Swimming Walk]

DAC is away...

 

Length: 27.7 km (17.2 mi) [shorter option: 22.6 km/14.1 mi, splits post-lunch] 

Ascent/Descent: 438/453 m

Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ½ hours [short walk: 326/341m, 5 hrs] 

Toughness: 7 out of 10 [short walk: 5 out of 10]

 

09.20 Exeter St. David’s train from Waterloo (09.27 CJ), changing at Salisbury for Chandler’s Ford (arrives 10.42, usually platform 4; departs 10.56, usually platform 6), arrives Dean 11.08. 

Return from Mottisfont & Dunbridge at xx.56 via Salisbury (from 113 mins journey time) or at xx.14 via Southampton Central (125 mins journey time). Buy a Mottisfont Return.

 

Or make it a weekend: stay at The Mill Arms Inn in Dunbridge and explore Mottisfont Abbey & Gardens and/or walk all or part of SWC 58 (Dunbridge to Romsey) on Sunday. 

 

This walk explores woods and rolling chalk hills in the Dun, Wallop Brook and Test Valleys of remote West Hampshire. Rising out of the Dun Valley through varied woods and along field boundaries and farm tracks (some tarmacked), the walk takes on a very different aspect upon approaching the steep sided chalk downs near Broughton, with splendid views north east across the Wallop Brook valley. After lunch in Broughton you follow the rim of the wide valley south easterly to cross the meadows of the Test River, Hampshire's longest and finest chalk stream. The Test is a prominent feature of the afternoon, as its several arms are crossed twice. 

In between you climb again, up to the hills along the easterly side of the Test valley, walk through some quiet woods and past scenic side valleys to then steeply descend back to the Test Meadows. The finish is through the NT-owned Mottisfont Estate, past Mottisfont Abbey, a historical priory, and its grounds, as well as the 12^th century St. Andrews church, one of the few Grade I-listed churches (on a short diversion).

The River Test offers a great wild swimming opportunity mid-afternoon. 

Lunch: The Greyhound, in Broughton (11.4 km/7.1 mi, food to 14.30), as well as an earlier option and a couple of later options (on the full walk only) [see page 2 of the pdf for details]. 

Tea: The Mill Arms Inn in Dunbridge, metres from the station, or one of the options at Mottisfont Gardens, if walking the short walk. 

 

For summary, map, height profile, walk directions and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.265

Friday walk Tring to Berkhamsted - Ivinghoe Beacon, then bluebells in Dockey Wood and Flat Isley

Book 2 Walk 5b - Tring to Berkhamsted

Length: 22 km (13.7 miles)   Back to Tring: 17.6 km (11 miles)

Toughness:  4 out of 10   Some steady inclines in the morning as you approach the Beacon. The afternoon is mostly flat, easy going.

London Euston: 10-24 hrs  West Midland service to Northampton   Watford Junction  10-40 hrs

Arrive Tring: 10-58 hrs

Return

Tring to Euston:  15-27, 16-00, 16-18, 16-37, 16-57, 17-17, 17-27, 17-59 and so on

Berkhamsted to Euston:  16-05, 16-23, 16-32, 16-46, 17-02, 17-23, 17-32, 17-48, 18-05, 18-26, 18-30 and so on 

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Tring

This is an "extra" bluebell walk, one of the best in south-east England, on account of Dockey Wood. But timing is tricky - last  year I posted the walk a week too early: back in 2019, I was a week too late. This year it looks as though bluebells are appearing early - so I am taking a punt on Friday 29 April.

Leaving the railway station the walk starts through light woodland before a ridge path takes you over grassy plateaus and fields before a steady uphill path takes you up into light woodland then down to the foot of Ivinghoe Beacon. You can climb it if you wish. Afterwards, or otherwise, keeping to the main route today (not the shortcut) you walk along field edges and through a wood to the base of Wards Hurst Farm - you should find lots of wild garlic in this wood and either side of a steepish path which takes you up and through the farm. You now take a detour from the original TO Book route as you head towards Dockey Wood - famous for its carpet of bluebells. Do spend a little time here enjoying the 'bells before returning to the TO Book route (although I just walk along the road) until you reach the hamlet of Ringshall. From here you take woodland path to the village of Little Gaddesden, for lunch at the good Bridgewater Arms pub. Booking ahead is advisable unless you are happy dining in the pub's beer garden, to the side of the pub. Your e.t.a is 1-25 pm  01442 842408.

After lunch you enter the main grounds to the Ashridge Estate as your head for some more lovely bluebell displays - Flat Isley being the best. On then to the Bridgewater Monument, for a possible early tea stop. Here it's decision time: to return to Tring, or head to Berkhamsted. If you have the energy, the latter is recommended today, as the route takes you initially through some more bluebell woods. Crossing the B4506 road you say goodbye to bluebells today as you now head to Berkhamsted, through a mixture of woodland, farmland and via a nature reserve before you drop down to the town. If you are not in a hurry to return home, pass by the railway station and head for one of the three canal-side pubs for post walk refreshments.  For those of you who like to purchase "supplies" for your journey home, the shop in the railways station has an excellent selection of wines.

If you like bluebells you will like this walk.

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Walk Directions are here:  L=2.5

Evening Walk - Bluebells in the evening: Shooter's Hill

Through ancient woodlands up to Shooter's Hill with far views across the Southeast, on to Severndroog Castle Folly 

 

Length: 6.3 km, Ascent/Descent: 124m 

Net Walking Time: ca. 1 ½ hours, Toughness: 1 out of 10.

 

Take the 18.15 Southeastern service on the Kent Loop Line from Cannon Street (London Bridge 18.20, then via Lewisham and Blackheath), arriving Falconwood 18.47.  

From Victoria take the 18.04 Dartford train via Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye and Nunhead, arriving Falconwood at 18.38.  

Return trains: xx.11 and xx.41 to Charing Cross, 20.28 to Cannon Street and xx.18 and xx.48 to Victoria (chg at Lewisham for London Bridge). Falconwood is in Zone 4. 

 

This is an undulating route in the Royal Borough of Greenwich through several mostly ancient woodlands with a rich variety of plants and trees, up the southerly flank of Shooter’s Hill, past a large south facing meadow with far views across South East London (and a café) and on through more woods past remnants of a stately home’s gardens to the architecturally interesting folly of Severndroog Castle, with its tearoom. The descent back to the station passes another terraced garden and drops along Oxleas Meadows to cross over into Shepherdleas Woods for the return to Falconwood station. 

 

Tea: The Falcon A Harvester pub right by the station. 

 

For walk directions, map, photos, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.44

Wednesday Walk Shiplake Circular (or Shiplake to Henley) - bluebell woods, Rotherfield Greys and Greys Court - and the River Thames

Book 1 Walk 9 - Shiplake Circular Walk - or Shiplake to Henley

Length: Circular Walk - 18.2 km (11.3 miles) Walk to Henley via High Wood - 14.7 km (9.1 miles); Direct route back to Henley cuts out another 4km.

Toughness: 4 out of 10    No steep hills today

Either

London Paddington: 10-27 hrs   Great Western service to Didcot Parkway   Ealing B'way 10-35 hrs

Arrive Twyford: 11-07 hrs   change trains

Leave Twyford: 11-12 hrs  Great Western service to Henley

Arrive Shiplake: 11-19 hrs

or - for holders of London Councils Freedom Passes 

London Paddington: 10-13 hrs  TfL Rail service to Reading   Ealing B'way  10-22 hrs

Arrive Twyford: 11-01 hrs  change trains

Leave Twyford: 11-12 hrs  Great Western service to Henley

Arrive Shiplake: 11-19 hrs

Return

Henley to Paddington via Twyford:  15-57, 16-27, 16-59, 17-35, 18-07 and so on 

Shiplake to Paddington via Twyford: 4 mins after Henley departures

Rail ticket: Holders of Freedom Passes travelling on the TfL Rail train have free travel as far as Twyford, leaving them to buy day returns from Twyford to Henley-on-Thames. Everyone else - buy a day return to Henley-on-Thames

This is my favourite bluebell walk and I post it at this time of year, every year. If that is boring - tough !

The Maltsters Arms pub in Rotherfield Greys is not answering the 'phone so I presume it remains temporarily CLOSED (as noted on its web page ) until the brewery finds a new tenant to take on this lovely pub. So lunch options today are either an early pub lunch at the Bottle & Glass Inn - see below - or a picnic en route.  The best spot for this is in the beautiful bluebell paddock just before you start your approach to Rotherfield Greys. 

As for today's walk,  I suggest we do the High Wood option at the start, for its bluebells, instead of the main riverside route. But as this will mean your missing out on the water feature for the day (the River Thames), you can make up for this by continuing the walk from Henley back to Shiplake, mostly beside the Thames. But before this: shortly after exiting High Wood you arrive in the village of Binfield Heath, where you have today's pub lunch option at the popular Bottle & Glass Inn.  If not stopping here you continue on through fields and over farmland to the picnic spot mentioned above or into the village of Rotherfield Greys, where you can picnic near the church.  

Leaving the village it's decision time: you can take the direct, valley route to Henley,  or - and recommended today - you continue on the main walk to Greys Court, where its impressive bluebell paddock should be in full flower. On then to Lambridge Wood, for more bluebells, where many a SWC walker has got lost, including me.  Even though I wrote up the recent directions I have wandered off piste more than once and become hopelessly lost in these woods. So do please take care when following the directions - or the line on your hand-held gizmo.  Having made it through these woods you come out onto a golf course, which you traverse before heading past the late Mr George Harrison's estate and on into the centre of Henley. Here, as mentioned earlier, you can conclude your walk, or continue on alongside the River Thames back to Shiplake. Tea options are plentiful in Henley - with the Chocolate Cafe  being a favourite with SWC walkers. The only refreshment stop in Shiplake happens to be a good one - the Baskerville pub, next door to the railway station. 

Enjoy !

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Walk Directions are here: L=1.9

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Monday Walk - Grindleford Circular via Chatsworth House [Sheffield/Hope Valley Trip]

Length: 24.7 km (15.4 mi) [shorter or longer walk possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent: 567 m

Net Walking Time: ca. 6 hours 20 minutes

Toughness: 7 out of 10 

 

Take 09.14 Manchester Piccadilly train from Sheffield, arrives Grindleford 09.29. 

The train from Edale etc, down the Hope Valley, arrives at 09.49, so you’d be a little behind the Sheffield group (but maybe some of us will have a tea at the café and wait for you…). 

From London, take the 07.02 Sheffield train from St. Pancras International, arriving Sheffield at 09.04 and connect to the above train. [Or take a later train and play catch-up.]

Return trains up the Hope Valley depart on xx.29. 

Return trains down the Hope Valley to Sheffield: xx.50 to 19.50, then 21.49 and 23.20. The last train connecting to London is the 19.50! 

 

From Grindleford Station, you ascend through ancient oak woodlands to the eastern rim of the wooded Upper Derwent Valley flanked by a continuous series of some of the most famous of the gritstone escarpments - or edges - of the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park, named after the colour of the grit stone. You follow the edges south, with views along this stretch back along the Derwent River encompassing much of the Central Peak District: Higger Tor and Stanage Edge, Win Hill, Lose Hill and the Great Ridge, Kinder Scout as well as Eyam Moor across the valley.  

After lunch you follow permissive paths through the Chatsworth Estate and drop down through the steep wooded edge and past the magnificent Chatsworth House (the UK's most liked Country House). You then join the Derwent River and return along it through the scenic Chatsworth Park, landscaped by 'Capability' Brown and Sir Joseph Paxton, situated in a glorious setting surrounded by wooded hillsides, looking up to the classic gritstone edge scenery walked along earlier. You pass through Baslow and a few other, more quiet villages, some woods, marshland, a wooded wetland and finally along ancient packhorse routes through quiet lush pastures back to Grindleford Station.

 

Walk Options (see the webpage or the pdf for details): 

Plenty of bus routes that can cut off bits of the walk. 

An alternative - more challenging - return route re-ascends the edges from Baslow village along the grassy slopes of the valley and through the Curbar Gap to cross the upland Big Moor along the lonely White Edge. 

 

Elevenses or Lunch: Jolly's Catering Company in a car park off Clodhall Lane (100m off route, 5.6 km/3.5 mi into the walk; The Robin Hood Inn in Baslow (10.4 km/6.4 mi, food all day); or several options at the Chatsworth Estate (13.6 km/8.4 mi, open to 16.00 at least). 

Tea: plenty of options in Baslow, Calver, Grindleford and on the descent from the moor (White Edge ending). See webpage or pdf for details. 

 

For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.322