Sunday Walk – East Farleigh to Wateringbury (or Yalding), via the North Pole

Extra Walk 336d – East Farleigh to Wateringbury or Yalding

Length: 13½ km (8.4 miles) to Wateringbury, or 16¼ km (10.1 miles) if continuing to Yalding. Toughness 2/10

10:29 Ramsgate train from Charing Cross (Waterloo East 10:32, London Bridge 10:38, Sevenoaks 11:02), changing at Paddock Wood (arr 11:17, dep 11:25) for the Strood train, arriving East Farleigh at 11:41. Buy a return to East Farleigh.

Return trains are hourly at xx:08 from Wateringbury and xx:11 from Yalding, again changing at Paddock Wood (these branch line trains no longer run through to Tonbridge).

This is one of several options which were added to the Wateringbury Circular walk in 2022. Unlike the others, this one makes a loop to the north of the River Medway for a lunch stop at the intriguingly-named North Pole, which describes itself as a “traditional English freehouse pub and restaurant”. It's got a pleasant rear garden but you might need to call ahead if you want to be sure of a table inside.

The walk itself is a mix of riverside paths, woods and orchards, and should be good for bluebells and apple blossom. There's a small riverside café in the boatyard at Wateringbury for a tea stop, after which you can decide whether to head for the station (don't get caught out by the level crossing) or walk upstream to Yalding. This 3 km leg will take around 40 minutes and there's nothing near Yalding station, so time your departure carefully to avoid a long wait for the hourly train.

You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.336.d – if you're going to be relying on your GPS device, it would be worth glancing at this page and clicking the ‘Alternative Walk’ line in the list of Walk Options to clarify the route on the Walk Map.

Sunday Walk: Knebworth to Hitchin

Bluebells, bluebells, bluebells. This walk passes through Knebworth Park, glimpses Knebworth House and, later, passes near the ancestral home of the Queen Mother. You also pass a church associated with the family that’s worth a look. But the big stars of today are the bluebells. These ones could eat Dockey Wood’s offerings for breakfast. (Last year, even this jaded, seen-it-all-before bloobosceptic was impressed). 11.6 miles, difficulty 4/10.
Trains
Get the 10:03 Royston train from Kings Cross (Finsbury Park 10:09) arriving Knebworth 10:39.
Return from Hitchin at x:00 and xx:30. Get a return to Hitchin.
Lunch
The recommended choice, after you’ve turned onto the Hitchin walk, is the community-owned, Camra-recognised Red Lion in Preston 01462 459585. You should reach this about 1:30. Booking advised.
An earlier possibility would be a short diversion to the village of Whitwell, using the Knebworth directions, to find Emily's Teashop 01438 871928. (The Bull Inn there is not currently doing food).
Note, too, that the Strathmore Arms (tel 01438 8717654) in St Pauls Walden doesn’t seem to do food on a Sunday - only on special pre-booked days.
Tea  The directions recommend  Halsey's Deli in Hitchin - near St Mary's Church - open till 5.
If it's beer you're after, Mr Tiger would recommend the Half Moon 57 Queen Street (01462 452 448), winner of several Camra awards. To find this, when you've crossed the main road in paragraph 27 (Hitchin section), turn right and Queen Street is one of the roads off to the left.
Walk Directions here
We're doing Knebworth to Hitchin, not the circular. After you get to paragraph 17 (the box labelled H on page 10 *), the directions to Hitchin continue on page 21*.  (If you do finish in Knebworth, trains back are at xx:44).  t=swc.353  

*Page numbers are for current version. Differ slightly in older ones.

Saturday Walk: Haslemere Circular

8.7 miles / 14.0 km

A beautiful walk through mixed woods and heathland.   A climb after lunch takes you up to Black Down, the highest point in Sussex.  An optional detour goes via the Temple of the Winds, a fine viewpoint.

Trains:  10:10 London Waterloo, 11:08 Haslemere.  Return trains at xx:03, xx:30, xx:45.

Lunch:  The Red Lion, Fernhust (01428 643112).

Full details and walk directions here

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Kelvedon Circular

SWC Walk 216 - Kelvedon Circular 

Length: 16.3 km (10.1 miles) 

Longer walk incorporating loop to Marks Hall 23.2 km (14.4 miles) 

Toughness: 3/10 

Catch the 10:02 train from London Liverpool Street, arrives Kelvedon: 10:51. 

Highlights of the walk include an old mill, medieval abbey buildings, and the town of Coggeshall with its numerous listed buildings including Paycockes an ornate 15th century merchants house. 

Return trains xx:23 xx:54 18:01 xx:23 xx:54 

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Yalding to Sevenoaks - Bluebells, apple orchards and a perfect slice of Kent

Length: 21.2km (13.2 miles) ** T=swc.41

9.22 train from Victoria to Paddock Wood, arriving 10.17, changing there for the 10.30 to Yalding, arriving 10.37. Note that trains are a bit different today due to engineering works between Hither Green and Orpington.

Buy a day return to Yalding, which is valid for return from Sevenoaks

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

This gentle walk through Kent has a bit of everything - several nice bluebell woods, a stretch through commercial apple orchards (which may just be coming into blossom), some cute villages, the occasional grand house, pretty churchyards, and a lovely stretch that slowly climbs the escarpment of the Greensand Ridge, with fine views. You are following the Greensand Way throughout and it is mostly well waymarked.

There are three lunch pubs, all of which have nice al fresco dining options (or "gardens" as they are commonly known - Ed). The Swan in East Peckham is fairly gastro and a bit too early in the walk at 3.5 miles. The Kentish Rifleman in Dunks Green is a more traditional pub and reached after a respectable 6.1 miles: it serves food until 3pm. Lastly the capacious Chaser Inn (7.5 miles) is always busy but has the advantage that it serves food all afternoon.

For tea I find it hard to get past the Natural Trust tea rooms at Ightham Mote (8.4 miles into the walk). That way you are not rushing the next stretch of the walk, which is really lovely. Otherwise the National Trust Brewhouse at Knole Park, near Sevenoaks, closes at 5pm. In Sevenoaks itself your best bet is probably Gails Bakery, open till 6pm: it is not mentioned in the directions but is not far off the walk route: google it. 

Trains back from Sevenoaks are normally too frequent to list, but the situation is more complex this week due to engineering work:

    -  The two fastest trains are the 16 and 46 past to Victoria, taking 29 minutes. 

    - A 20 and 55 past go to London Bridge and Charing Cross, but by a diversionary route between Orpington and London Bridge and so take 41 minutes to London Bridge and 49 minutes to Charing Cross. 

    - The 07 train to Victoria stops everywhere and so do the 22 and 52 past Thameslink services to Blackfriars. But some in South London may find these trains give them a quicker journey home.

** There no longer seem to be Saturday buses from the Chaser Inn in Shipbourne, as described in the walk details, so you have to do the whole walk or nothing: but this is delightful territory and the miles fly by...

Evening Walk: Wood anemones and bluebells in Oxleas Wood

Evening Walk: Wood anemones and bluebells in Oxleas Wood

Distance:          Approximately 4 miles or 6 km for those more metrically minded

Difficulty:        2 out of 10

Train:               18:07 Southeastern Dartford bound train from London Victoria, arriving Falconwood 18:45 OR 18:12 Southeastern Gravesend bound train from London Cannon Street, changing at Lewisham onto the Victoria train (arr. 18:26, dep. 18:32)

Return:            Return trains every 10-20 minutes alternating between Cannon Street and Victoria until about 23:00

First off, apologies to those on last week's walk when I flagged Tuesday for this week's evening walk -- I adjusted my weekend schedule and Thursday proved more convenient after all.  This short walk follows an undulating route 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 Southeast London and on through more woods past remnants of a stately home’s gardens to the architecturally interesting folly of Severndroog Castle. Along the way, we should hopefully find wood anemones and bluebells!

More information about the route can be found here.

Enjoy the walk!

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Hurst Green to Chiddingstone Causeway (= Penshurst station)

Length: 20.5 km (12.7 miles) 6/10

I've picked this walk because it has been recommended as a promising area for bluebells, as well as being an excellent walk from memory: a mixture of woods and open views, not too far away, and passing interesting places including Churchill's house at Chartwell.

Travel: 0950 from Victoria arriving at Hurst Green at 1034 or 1007 from London Bridge arriving 1038.

Returning from Penshurst station there are two trains an hour to Tonbridge where you change for Charing Cross, and two to Redhill where you change for London Bridge. A return to Penshurst should work; if returning via Tonbridge make sure your ticket covers that. 

Lunch: the original lunch pub on this walk has closed and the best non-picnic option looks like the NT cafe at Chartwell (tel 01732 863087), 7.5 km from the start of the walk, which serves good food from noon to 4 pm. There is a possible late pub stop at in Ide Hill, 13 km from the start of the walk - the Cock Inn (tel 01732 750310).

Tea: the Little Brown Jug Chiddingstone Causeway, Tonbridge, TN11 8JJ (01892 870318). I recall this pub having erratic opening hours but apparently it is now open noon-11pm Mon-Sat and offers tea and coffee.

Short walk option: The Book 2 description and walk directions include a 9 km route, following the main walk to Limpsfield Chart and finishing at Oxted. If you do this and start later, you could lunch at the Carpenters Arms (tel 01883 722209), 4 km from the start of the walk. There doesn't appear to be a GPX track for this route but if you followed the final section of walk SWC 63 from Limpsfield Chart you wouldn't go far wrong. You'll only need a return to Hurst Green if you do this walk. There is a plethora of other options on the walk's web page with different starts and finishes.

For walk directions, map and GPX click here

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Sunday Walk: Knockholt Circular

18.5 km 11.5 miles Difficulty 7/10
A pretty, rural walk teetering on the edge of zone 6. It has hilly bits, stiles and some good views. In spring, parts of this walk are good for wild flowers and there are bluebell woods..(Last year, almost to the day, there was an impressive field full of cowslips and dandelions). Shortly after lunch, you pass Down House, once home to Charles Darwin and now open to visitors. (Admission £14.30)
Trains: Get the 10:10 Sevenoaks train from Charing Cross (10:20 London Bridge, 10:35 Hither Green) arriving Knockholt at 11:01. Trains return at xx:44 and xx:14. Get a return to Knockholt. It is within London Zone 6, so a 1-6 travelcard would do. 
Lunch: The Queens Head (01689)852145 or the George and Dragon (01689) 889030 across the road. Both in Downe village. 
Tea: Arthur's at Coolings Garden Centre is almost on the route but it closes 4:30.
A diversion to the Rose and Crown Otford Lane, Halstead, (01959 533120) is another possibility, 600 metres off route. (see text). (The Cock Inn there seems to have given up the ghost)

No inns or cafes near the station -so allow, say, 45 mins from Coolings and 30 mins from Halstead   T=swc.7
Walk Directions here  

Sunday Walk - East Grinstead to Wivelsfield or Sheffield Park: bluebell-rich woodlands then heathery commons, or shorter walk via bus or via return by steam train

Length: 31.6 km (19.7 mi)

Ascent/Descent: 482/571m

Net Walking Time: ca. 7 ½ hours 

Toughness: 8 out of 10 

Take the 09.21 service from Victoria to East Grinstead (CJ 09.28, EC 09.39), arriving 10.18. 

From LBG, take a train to East Croydon no later than the 09.12 Caterham service.

Return trains from Wivelsfield: xx.01 (to Victoria, change Burgess Hill), xx.15 (Thameslink), xx.39 (to Victoria, direct) and xx.45 (Thameslink). 

Buy an East Grinstead return, you then will have to buy an additional single from Wivelsfield to East Croydon, if you want to stay honest.

 

This route in the East/West Sussex boundary lands descends from East Grinstead into the Upper Medway Valley and past Weir Wood Reservoir and then meanders through an undulating landscape of hills, streams, ponds, heaths and mixed woodland, rich in bluebells and wood anemones in season. For the most part, it largely shadows the course of The Bluebell Line steam railway, and lunch is either in tranquil Horsted Keynes or in Scaynes Hill, near the (Sussex) Ouse River. Later you pass through several parts of the large Chailey Common heathlands and continue westbound through flatter ground – mostly pastures with fine South Downs Views – to Burgess Hill (for Wivelsfield station).

 

An Alternative Finish at Sheffield Park, the terminus of the Bluebell Line, is possible if a little expensive (in money or kilometrage): the 121 bus is not running on Sundays, but you could either take the steam train back to East Grinstead (at 15.00 or at 16.15), but only pricey day tickets are available, or you could walk out-and-back to the interesting station (adds 5.0 km).

 

Shorter Walk: Start at Forest Row/Brambletye (i.e.: opposite The Chequers Inn, route from there described in the pdf, cuts 3.6 km) or even Horsted Keynes/Lewes Road (right on the route, cuts 13.7 km): bus line 270 from East Grinstead (09.25, 11.25…) or Wivelsfield (09.35, 12.19…) or Haywards Heath/Perrymount Road – by the station (09.51, 12.37…). 

 

Lunch: The Green Man (Greene King, food to 15.00) or The Crown Inn (food to 16.00) in Horsted Keynes (13.7 km/8.5 mi); The Sloop Inn in Scaynes Hill (19.2 km/11.9 mi, food to 16.00). 

Tea: The Sloop Inn (as above), and The Watermill Inn in Wivelsfield, right by the station; or The Bessemer Arms in Sheffield Park.

For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.27

Saturday Walk - Hollingbourne Circular walk via Hucking

Length: 20km (12.4 miles)  (5 out of 10)

"From the station you are soon striding across vast farm fields to meet the North Downs Way (NDW) at the foot of this open downland. Here, the 'Hucking Extension' makes a longer exploration of the attractive Hucking Estate. This 4½ km circuit goes out along grassy rides and woodland paths to the tiny hamlet of Hucking and loops back along a wide open valley. The walk climbs the ridge and continuing along the southern edge of the Woodland Trust's Hucking Estate, an unexpected oasis of grassland and woodland (including bluebells) in a landscape dominated by arable farming. 

The final loop is around Leeds Castle on public footpaths. Modestly describing itself as “the Loveliest Castle in the World”, the moated setting of Leeds Castle is certainly spectacular. 

Note: You are advised to use the latest directions, as the two Hollingbourne walks have had modifications, and are now combined into one document.  

Train: Get the 0955 Ashford International train from Victoria (Bromley South 1012) arriving Hollingbourne 1109. Return trains at xx:16

Lunch: In Hucking (after 8 km) the Hook & Hatchet Inn (01622-880272) has a particularly attractive garden and serves “simple and delicious” home-cooked food all day. The Dirty Habit in Hollingbourne is closed for renovation.

Tea: About ten minutes before Hollingbourne station there are two pubs in Eyhorne Street. The Windmill,  an up-market pub/restaurant, while the Sugar Loaves is a more traditional village pub. Both have back gardens away from the street. T=swc.253

Scottish Warm-up: Rowlands Castle Circular (from Grand to Petit)

SWC Walk 68 and 313:  Rowlands Castle Circular t=swc.313

Distance:  Something for everyone – From the Grand Circular of 23 miles/37 km to the Petit Circular of 10 miles/15 km with various options in between. SWC walks 68 and 313 are both circular routes from Rowlands Castle and share a lunch pub (except the shortest SWC 68 option) – so it is possible to mix and match the routes to create a walk of desired length.

Difficulty:  12 out of 10 for the full Grand Circular; 7 out of 10 for the main SWC 68 walk (3 out of 10 for the shorter walk and 8 out of 10 for the extended walk)

Train:  For those aiming for the Grand Circular, take the 8:00 AM Portsmouth Harbor train from London Waterloo, changing at Haslemere (arriving 8:53 and departing 8:57) to arrive at Rowlands Castle at 9:23.   All others can take the 9:00 AM Portsmouth Harbor train from London Waterloo, changing at Haslemere (arriving 9:53 and departing 9:57) to arrive at Rowlands Castle at 10:23.

Return trains from Rowlands Castle are hourly at 28 past the hour until 20:28; then 21:45 and 22:46. Buy a day return to Rowlands Castle. 

There are very few walks in the SWC SE repertoire that have over 1000 meters of ascent and the RC Grand Circular is one of them – so perfect for those aspiring to reach the summit of Munros on the upcoming Scottish trip. However, others should not despair, as there are plenty of options between the two Rowlands Castle walks to devise a walk of desired length. For example, you can do the longer morning of walk 313 with the shorter afternoon of walk 68 OR start with the shorter morning and do a longer afternoon. I will note though that the longer morning of SWC 313 covers some terrain not visited on other SWC walks -- so is worth an exploration.

All the routes cover a lovely section of the western part of the South Downs with undulating hills and great views far and wide.  You can find more information about the walks and download the walk instructions here (SWC 68) and here (SWC 313).

The recommended lunch spot is the Royal Oak (01243 535 257) in Hooksway (8 miles/13 km into the SWC 68 walk and 11 miles/18km into the SWC 313 walk) which serves food until 2:00pm – so do keep an eye on the time.  Tea and other post walk refreshments can be had at the Castle Inn -- a stone’s throw from the train station.    

Enjoy the walk (which ever route you choose)!

Wadhurst Circular

Distance: 11.8 miles

 See walk notes for Short Walk: 6.2 miles/ 10.0 km

 Difficulty: 4 out of 10

 Train: 9.38 from Charing X; 9.47 depart from London Bridge  arrives Wadhurst 10.43

 Return Trains: 25 and 51 mins past the hour

 Buy a day return to Wadhurst

 This is a lovely walk through the High Weald – designated An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

 Lunch:  Suggested lunch pub for the standard walk is The Rose & Crown Inn (tel 01435 872200), Mayfield 8km from the start of the walk.

Another option is The Middle House, Mayfield 01435 872146

For the Short walk you can try The White Hart (tel 01892 782878), Wadhurst 7km from the start of the walk,

 There are plenty of places along the route for a picnic.

Plenty of tea options in Wadhurst

 Full details on this walk, including map, GPX, short route etc can be found here: L=2.18

 

Evening Walk - Bluebells in the Evening: Beckenham Place Park - 8 weeks on, the same walk again, now with bells (but w/o whistles)

Length: 4.9 km (3.0 mi)

Ascent/Descent: 70/82m

Net Walking Time: ca. 1 ¼ hours

Toughness: 1 out of 10 

 

Take the 18.16 Thameslink train from Blackfriars (originates from Welwyn Garden City) to Sevenoaks (calls Elephant, Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye 18.31, Nunhead, …, Catford 18.40, …, arrives Ravensbourne 18.47. 

From London Bridge: 18.14 Hayes (Kent) train (via Lewisham and Ladywell) to Catford Bridge (18.29), walk across to Catford. 

From Victoria: 18.12 Rochester train, change at Denmark Hill (18.21/18.28). 

Return Trains: xx.00 and xx.30. Both stations are in Zone 4.

 

This partly undulating route winds its way through an attractive park in South East London, partly on grounds formerly used for a public golf course. The park is bounded to the east by the Ravensbourne River and the route initially follows parts of the well-waymarked Waterlink Way along it through open meadows. You then cross the railway line into the more undulating westerly part of the park, famous for its bluebell displays in season. Recent major investments in the landscaping of the park have spawned some interesting new features: A Mounded Garden, a Wet Woodland, a Wild Swimming Lake and the replanted Ornamental Garden with its beautiful café in the former homestead of the mansion.

 

Tea: Both the Mansion Bar and Café in the Palladian Beckenham Place Mansion and the Homestead Café may still be open, but if not options are available down the train line to London, for example when changing at Catford Stations or at Peckham Rye or Elephant. The Bottle Bar & Shop in Catford proved to be a very good option last time around…

 

For walk directions, maps, height profiles, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.46