Saturday Walk: Chorleywood to Chesham

 15.8km (9.8 miles) Difficulty 5/10

A meander along the the Chess Valley, a beautiful and tranquil part of the Chiltern Hills with a number of fine panoramic views.  For lunch the walk visits the village of Chenies followed by a pleasant walk high along the valley rim on a permissive path. Just when you think it’s all over, there is a climb over the hills, then down again into the heart of Chesham for tea.
Trains: Get the 10:34 Metropolitan line (Amersham direction)from Baker Street (Liverpool St 10:15). Arrive Chorleywood at 11:16.
Return from Chesham at xx:00 and xx:30
Chesham is in Tfl zone 9, and Chorleywood zone 7. Freedom Passes valid.
Lunch:
We usually stop at the Red Lion (01923 282 722) a smart, friendly pub with outside seating. 
An earlier stop is possible at The Cock Inn in Sarratt (01923 282 908) (though this is not on the short cut).
Note that the later Bedford Arms is closed till November.
Tea: The Drawing Room Frances Yard, Chesham (01494 791 691) is an SWC favourite. There’s also a Caffe Nero, a Costa’s and at least one pub, The Queen’s Head.  
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Directions here.
The "Short Cut to Chenies" (option a) offers a shorter morning and conveniently avoids areas prone to flooding after heavy rain.

Saturday Walk - A varied walk through the green spaces of London's ‘Northern Heights’, with some panoramic views of the city: Finsbury Park to Hampstead

Length: 18.9 km (11.7 mi) [for a shorter walk see below]

Ascent/Descent: 335/321m

Net Walking Time: ca. 4 ½ hours

Toughness: 4 out of 10 

 

Meet at 10.15 outside Finsbury Park Station (Main Line Services from Kings Cross, and Victoria and Piccadilly Lines), Station Place/National Rail Exit.

 

This is an urban stroll through the green spaces of London's ‘Northern Heights’, starting with a section along the Parkland Walk, a linear nature reserve created along the trackbed of a disused branch line off the East Coast main line, followed by a succession of woods, parks and playing fields on the way to an early 20^thC example of town planning, Hampstead Garden Suburb.

The remainder of the walk is now almost entirely on Hampstead Heath, 325 hectares of woods and parkland.

After a break for lunch (and a brief excursion into Golders Hill Park) the walk route takes you to a fascinating survival from one of the grand properties built around the edge of Hampstead Heath.

The walk now heads north-east to the Kenwood Estate, where you have the opportunity to visit Kenwood House.

The full walk ends with a short exploration of Hampstead's old streets, taking in some of its many historic buildings. 

 

Short Walk: 

Start from Highgate Underground (3.7 km and 80m ascent into the route) or from East Finchley Underground (another 2.3 km along). 

 

Elevenses: Plenty of options in Highgate. 

Lunch: the Old Bull & Bush in North Hampstead (11.0 km). 

Tea: numerous options in Hampstead, see the pdf for details.

 

For walk directions, map, photos, height profile, and gpx/kml files click here. t=swc.257.x

Guildford Circular via Chantries Hill

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Length: 20km; various shortcuts are available
Toughness: 4 / 10
Transport: Take the 9:45 from London Waterloo arriving in Guildford at 10:29. Return trains from Guildford at xx:49 with last (slow) train at 17:49 !!

They really mean it this time: Only this connection and the one to Reading are still running. Everything else is shut. However, this is always an enjoyable walk up Martha's Hill, around Albury Mill and through Blackheath Forest. I would recommend to start the walk through the grounds of Guildford Castle and then connect to the bottom of Chantries Hill. This slightly shortens the walk and avoids duplicating the stretch along the Wey Navigation.

Evening Walk - Frieze Sculpture Park (just opened): Regent's Park and Primrose Hill

Length: 5.0 km (3.1 mi)

Net Walking Time: 1 ½ hrs 

 

Meet: Regent’s Park tube station at 18.30 hours. Regent’s Park is on the Bakerloo line in Zone 1. 

Finish: Chalk Farm or Camden Town stations, which are on the Northern Line and in Zone 2. 

 

A stroll through Regent's Park, including a check on this year’s offerings of Frieze Art Fair’s Sculpture Park (20 sculptures) and along the Grand Union Canal, to then climb Primrose Hill for fine views over London. Find a review here.

 

Regent’s Park closes at 20.00, which leaves plenty of time for dawdling after a good look at the sculptures. "Primrose Hill has no usual closing times” (source: Royal Parks website). 

 

Eat/Drink: The Princess of Wales, The Engineer or The Pembroke. 

 

For walk directions, map, photos, and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.6

Surrey woods, lanes and a quaint village - Witley to Haslemere

Length: 14.5 km (9 miles) 3/10

A favourite Surrey walk with lots of woodland, history and the attractive village of Chiddingfold for lunch before a pleasant amble to Haslemere in the afternoon. Chiddingfold is less than half way (6.1 km) so I'm suggesting a latish start.

Travel: 1045 from Waterloo (CJ 1052, Woking 1113) arriving at Witley 1142. Four trains an hour back from Haslemere. Get a return to Haslemere.

Lunch: A good choice in Chiddingfold: The 12th century Crown Inn in (tel 01428 682 255) serves lunch till 2.30. The Swan is a good alternative and Elliott's coffee shop has good sandwiches.

Tea: Hemingways (tel 01428 643 048) or Darnleys (tel 01428 643 048) on Haslemere High Street, and several nearby pubs.

Shortening the walk: You could get a bus from Chiddingfold to Haslemere - about once an hour. Otherwise you can only shorten the walk by missing out Chiddingfold - an obvious short cut from Langhurst House (head south on a footpath to rejoin the route at grid ref SU727343) cuts out two miles.

For walk directions, map and GPX click here

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Sunday Walk – Edenbridge Figure-of-8

Extra Walk 344 – Edenbridge Figure-of-8

Length: 14¼ km (8.8 miles). Toughness: 1/10

10:51 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:58, East Croydon 11:09), changing at Oxted (arr 11:33, dep 11:38) for the Uckfield train, arriving Edenbridge Town at 11:47.

Trains back from Edenbridge Town are hourly at xx:10, again changing at Oxted. If there are problems on this line there's another Edenbridge station with trains to Redhill at xx:24 (tickets are issued to 'Edenbridge Stations' and valid on both routes).

In the May timetable revision Southern unaccountably withdrew the Sunday service which connected with the 10:38 Uckfield train, which up to now has successfully dissuaded our Sunday posters from choosing any walks on this line. This short walk is one of the few which is just about feasible with the train an hour later, although it would be advisable to book ahead if you want a pub lunch: you'll arrive back at Edenbridge at around 1.30pm, peak time for Sunday lunch. The suggested pub is The Old Eden; I haven't tried Ye Old Crown since it resumed serving food but it looks like a reasonable alternative.

The walk itself is undemanding, with the first loop through farmland and meadows to the east of the town and the second through water meadows (and a farm airstrip) to the west. At the end there's a Costa Coffee on the High Street (open to 4.45pm) as well as the two pubs.

You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.344 page. You can save a page or two by clicking the Main Walk option.

Sunday walk - Princes Risborough to Wendover

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Length : 16.9 km (10.5 miles). If you omit the detour to the lunch pub at Great Kimble, the walk length is 14.1 km (8.8 miles).

Toughness 6 out of 10 

This walk is easy to follow, being mainly along the Ridgeway and is very much uphill and downhill, but not strenuously so. The way is predominantly through high beech woods and chalk downlands, including the Grangelands Nature Reserve and has views out from Coombe Hill over the Vale of Aylesbury and surrounding counties. The walk ends by descending into the pleasant old town of Wendover.

Trains: Take the 10.00 train from London Marylebone arriving Princes Risborough 10.33.

Return trains from Wendover leave at xx.27 and xx.57

Tickets: As your journeys are on different branches of the Chiltern Railways network you will need to buy a return ticket to Aylesbury, where the two branch lines converge. Make sure your ticket is valid on both branches by purchasing a Day Return Any Route Permitted .  

Lunch:  The suggested lunch stop is The Swan (tel 01844 275288) in Smokey Row (Great Kimble), a family owned Free House, some 8.2 km into the walk.

Those starting later or not wishing to detour to the Swan can take an early lunch (a little over one hour into the walk) at the Plough (tel 01844 343 302) in Lower Cadsden, some 5.1 km into the walk. It serves food midday to 2pm daily

Tea: The suggested tea place for chocaholics is Rumsey's Chocolaterie (tel 01296 625 060), five minutes from Wendover Station, which is open until 5.30pm 

For directions, map and GPS click here

Sandy to Arlesey [new walk]

Sandy to Arlesey, via Jordans Mill

Length: Length: 17¾ km (11.0 miles). Toughness: 2/10

10:07 Thameslink Horsham to Peterborough train from London Blackfriars (BUT calls at multiple stations, including Coulsdon South 9:25, Purley 9.29, East Croydon 9:36, City Thameslink 10:09, Farringdon 10:12, St. Pancras International 10:16, Finsbury Park 10:23, etc...), arriving Sandy at 11:05

Buy a Super Off Peak return to Sandy.

Return trains from Arlesey are at xx:05 and xx.35

Adapted from the walk notes: The morning section of this new walk by Sean takes in the The Lodge, the UK headquarters of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) where it explore parts of the nature trails in this oasis of heathland, acid grassland and woodland. The walk then continues across Biggleswade Common to the riverbank, where it joins the Kingfisher Way for the remainder of the morning section.

The suggested lunch stop is the Riverside Cafe (01767-603940) at Jordans Mill, a “food heritage attraction situated on the banks of the River Ivel”. Visitors can freely wander around its attractive garden of cereals, fruit and vegetables as well as ornamental flowers (there's a charge for tours of the Victorian mill building itself). The afternoon section uses a new permissive path alongside the river before passing Henlow Grange and, towards the end of the walk, a short loop alongside the River Hiz takes you to Arlesey station.

For end of walk refreshment, there is a traditional pub with a garden 150m beyond Arlesey station, The Old Oak (01462-612536)

For full details and to download your copy of the directions see the L=swc.412 page.

Saturday Walk - Billingshurst to Amberley

Length: 22.4 km (14.5 miles) 5 out of 10 

Starts in gentle countryside, with the South Downs a thin line on the horizon, then via some steep hills and hidden valleys to finish on the crest of the South Downs with a panoramic view.

After lunch, there is an option to reduce the walk by 1.5 miles, by taking the afternoon route of the Pulborough to Amberly walk

Trains: Get the 0935 Bognor Regis train from Victoria (Clapham 0942, East Croydon 0953) arriving Billingshurst 1045. Return trains from Amberley 1650, 1717, 1817, 1917, 2017. Buy an Amberley return. At the time of writing, there are some advance tickets available.

Lunch: Rising Sun, Nutbourne (01798 812191) 9.3 km (5.8 miles) into the walk. With a cosy interior and a pleasant garden. It offers a varied menu with good walker-sized portions from 12pm to 2.30pm 

Tea: The Bridge Inn by the station

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Saturday Walk - Haslemere to Midhurst via Temple of the Winds and Henley

Stargazer is away

 

 

Length: 22.6 km (14.1 mi) [with shortcut options, check the webpage or pdf]

Ascent/Descent: 438/555m

Net Walking Time: 5 ½ hours

Toughness: 6/10 

 

Take the 09.00 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (09.25 Woking, 09.33 G’ford), arrives Haslemere 09.53. From Clapham J, take the 08.57 Frome service and change at Woking (09.15/09.25). 

Return to Haslemere from Midhurst by bus number 70 (16.05, 17.05, 18.10 and 19.15, journey time 25 mins). 

Return trains from Haslemere are on xx.01, xx.10, xx.30, journey time from 52 mins.

 

From the medieval town well in Haslemere to the stocks and pillory in Midhurst, this walk is an epic journey partially in the footsteps of a poet. It gently climbs the highest point in Sussex (the Black Down), and then drops steeply to traverse a valley along a roller coaster of a path through some light woods before entering more thickly planted pine forests, allegedly haunted by the ghost of the last wild bear killed in England.

After lunch in the idyllic hamlet of Henley at a pub boasting views back to the Temple of the Winds, the route again gently climbs a second hill offering stunning views back across your journey of the morning before a long descent into Midhurst across the Cowdray Estate with the mighty South Downs ahead, passing by the intriguing ruins of Cowdray House en route where various historic figures of note were either voluntary visitors or held captive prior to execution.

Lunch: The Duke of Cumberland Arms in Henley (13.2 km/8.2 mi, food to 14.30), or Banyan Indian Restaurant a little earlier on a 1 km diversion (11.9 km/7.4 mi, food to 15.00). 

Tea: lots of choice in Midhurst (see the pdf for details), recommended are Cowdray Farm Shop & Cafe (2 km from the end), Garton’s Coffee House, The Swan Inn, The Spread Eagle Hotel, The Crafty Pint, The Bricklayers Arms,  The Wheatsheaf and Fitzcane’s.

 

For summary, map, height profile, some photos, walk directions and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.263