Length: ~9.66 km 6.0 miles Toughness 1/10
10:35 Dorking service from London Bridge. Change at Sutton for the 11:19 Southern service to Epsom Downs, arriving at Belmont 11:22. If you are south of the river you could alternatively take the Southern service to Epsom Downs at 10.45 from Streatham Hill (where it starts today).
Belmont and South Coulsdon stations are in London Travelcard Zone 6
Return trains to London Bridge are xx.54 from Coulsdon South (direct) or at xx.24 from Coulsdon Town (but you have to change at Purley, from where there are 4 trains an hour to London Bridge). Or TFL bus 60 will take you the short distance from Coulsdon High Street to Purley train station
Note: To reach Coulsdon South station at the end, turn right along the High Street and continue for ~10 minutes
This short map-led walk has a surprisingly rural feel for being a short distance from London. After crossing Banstead Common, it follows the London Loop for a while, then continues through Oaks Park and Little Woodcote Estate. Note there are not any written instructions for this particular option so you'll need to print the map or download the GPS from the L=Short.23 webpage.
You pass 2 cafes en route: Oaks Park Cafe(hot and cold food) and Naturally Thinking Farm Cafe (cream teas, pastries and cakes). There are various eateries in Coulsdon at the end of the walk, including the lovely Poppy's Cafe in Coulsdon Memorial Ground (hot food and homemade cakes) and The Pembroke pub on Chipstead Valley Road
2 comments:
Planning to start where the path crosses the B2218. Train services look OK from Coulsdon Town.
9 at the station. A w=cloudy_start_turning_sunny_later Dry underfoot. The group split into fast and slow, the slow being intent on identifying every plant encountered, the fast being, well, faster.
A n=10 th walker was discovered lurking near the Oaks Park cafe, for some, the lunch opportunity. Others pressed on through a woodland trail and down verdant hedgerows to the Naturally Thinking compound and its tearoom. Coffee and carrot cake for Mr Tiger. Lavender shortbread for another. After more verdant hedgerows and a long haul through suburbia, Coulsdon was reached. Here, the group elements reassembled in the Pembroke’s sunny, if unremarkable garden for a last drink before heading for the station.
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