Evening Walk: Cruising the Canal -- Angel to Limehouse

Evening Walk: Angel to Limehouse (without Victoria Park) T=Short.29

Distance: Approximately 4.8 miles/7.7 km

Difficulty: 1 out of 10

Meet: 18:30 at Angel Underground Station

Finish: Limehouse -- DLR or Canary Wharf – Jubilee Line, DLR, Liz Line, Clipper

This variation of the Angel to Limehouse walk always makes for a nice winter evening walk, along the Regent canal with less traffic than usual. There is usually plenty of light to see the way forward….Refreshments can be had mid-route at the very interesting Palm Tree in Mile End (cash only) and at the end at the Grapes or further along into Canary Wharf where there are a number of chain establishments….

More information about the route can be found here.

Wednesday Walk - Leytonstone to Loughton or newly written up continuation to Epping

13.5km (8.4 miles) 1/10 or 20.4 km/12.7 miles 2/10

Leytonstone to Loughton makes a short walk covers the southern part of the ancient woodlands of Epping Forest, starting in London’s East End and heading generally NNE to Loughton in Essex. You have to cross some busy roads but apart from the urban start and finish, it is an outing through open woodland and more densely forested areas. Recommended as a winter walk and this part of the forest shouldn't be as muddy as more northern sections. Mid-walk, you pass Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge, a unique timber-framed survivor from Tudor times (free entry, open 10-4).

On the approach to Loughton, there is the option of continuing to Epping along the Centenary Walk. This is not the longer Loughton-Epping route sometimes done as a day walk (you could try that but the underfoot conditions won't be great) but the more direct “evening” walk variation of walk 197), all on good tracks, adding 7 km/4.3 miles to give a total walk of 20 km/12.7 miles.Although this is route is fairly frequently walked by the club, I've only just added proper directions and a GPX for it to this page, so a check would be useful.

Travel: The whole walk is within TfL zones 3-6. Get to Leytonstone underground station (Central line) for a 1045 start. Loughton and Epping are also on the Central line with about 9 trains an hour back towards central London.

Lunch: The Larder at Butlers Retreat 12 Rangers Road , Tel 020 7998 7858. Originally a 19th century barn, it is now an up-market licensed café doing good lunches as well as more snacky options (the Royal Forest Brewer's Fayre pub is closed).

Tea: In Loughton High Road, off the direct route to the station, there are a number of cafés and pubs; the Wagon Boulangerie 174 High Road was nice on the last visit. Similar choice in Epping where the walk route goes past the Forest Gate Inn and the High Street (slightly off route) has more pubs and cafés.

Shorter option: You could finish the walk at Chingford (London Overground Weaver line), about 10 minutes walk from the lunch stop, giving a walk of about 10 km/6 miles.

For walk directions, map and GPX click here.

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Sunday Walk – Morden to Putney: POSTPONED

Short Walks 13+25 – Morden to Putney

POSTPONED: This walk will be badly affected by Wednesday's major diesel spill in the River Wandle and in any case the public are being advised to avoid the area. I'll reschedule this on another date.

If you want to do a shorter walk on Sunday than Stargazer's Guildford–Farnham, join that one but loop back from Compton to Guildford, a version of the Short Circular walk.

Length: About 13 km (8 miles). Toughness: 1/10

Take a Northern line tube to arrive at Morden (TfL Zone 4) by 11:15. It's a 30 minute journey from central London; if necessary, use the TfL Journey Planner from your local station. Meet upstairs in the ticket hall.

You can return from either Putney Bridge (District line) or Putney (six trains an hour to Clapham Jct & Waterloo). There are also several drop-out points on or close to the walk route: Colliers Wood on the Northern line plus Earlsfield and Wandsworth Town for trains to Waterloo. All these stations are in Zones 2 or 3.

I've decided to combine two short walks which together cover the final stretch of the Wandle Trail through south London, with a short extension along the Thames Path to finish. They're normally posted separately as evening walks but this combination should make a reasonable winter's day walk. The notes admit that this final stretch of the Wandle Trail “isn't the prettiest of walks” but there are parks at both ends, and as much of the route is on firm paths there should be little or no mud to contend with.

If you want a mid-walk refreshment break the notes mention the Louis Earlsfield restaurant just before you have to divert away from the river into Earlsfield. A little further on you'll pass two or three pubs on its High Street, including The Halfway House and The Wandle. There are plenty more places in Wandsworth and Putney too, with The Boathouse and The Rocket by Putney Bridge competing for your custom at the end of the walk.

As usual there's no walk leader so please download the GPS files and/or the directions from the Morden Hall Park and the Colliers Wood to Putney Bridge walk pages. NB. If you're running late you'll see from the route maps that there are some obvious short cuts you could take in Morden Hall Park.

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Sunday Walk - Guildford to Farnham (via Hogs Back)

Book 2 Walk 12:  Guildford to Farnham (via the Hogs Back)

Trains: Get the 10:00AM train from London Waterloo (Clapham 10:09AM) to Guildford arriving 10:40. Return trains from Farnham on the hour and half hour. Buy a day return to Farnham. 

Length: 13.8 miles or 22.2km

Difficulty:  6 out of 10

The main route to this walk to Farnham does not appear to be posted very frequently and is rumored to have a nice assortment of snow drops. Think Surrey, and you probably think of pretty villages, gentle green pastures. The first part of this walk conforms to that image, but the second, after lunch, takes you into the surprisingly wild and uninhabited Surrey heath-lands - a vast area of woods and heather-covered moors with hopefully less mud than some other places.... More information and the walk instructions can be found here.

I suggest the Hog's Back start for some nice views -- so pay attention to the route on leaving the station!

Lunch: The Good Intent in Puttenham, (01483 810387), located 8.9km (5.6 miles). Food 12-2.30pm. 

Post Walk Refreshies: The Mulberry , the pub by Farnham station serves tea and coffee well into the evening, but it becomes a party and sports pub on Friday and Saturday evenings -- may hopefully be quieter on Sundays. Other pub options nearby include The Lamb and William Cobbett on the other side of the A31.

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Saturday Walk - Edenbridge to Westerham

Length:  Main walk from Edenbridge to Westerham is 11 miles.

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A short ending to Westerham from Chartwell is  just 4.8km (3 miles), making a total walk from Edenbridge of 11.6km (7.2 miles).

See notes or GPX for shorter options, or option starting at Edenbridge Town station.

Toughness: 4 out of 10

Travel: Take the 10.18 from London Bridge ; 10.32 Norwood Junc; 10.36 E Croydon; 10.52 Redhill where you change onto the 11am train to Edenbridge

Ticket: Buy a day return to ‘Edenbridge stations’

Walk description: The walk starts in the Eden valley and climbs gently across fields up towards the Greensand Ridge, with increasingly pretty views.

Chartwell was the home of Winston Churchill.  The shorter ending from Chartwell to Westerham (see Walk Options), is ideal if you want to visit this property. The walk also takes in Emmetts Garden, another National Trust attraction, and offers a short cut to this in the afternoon if you want to spend more time there.

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

Lunch:

Chartwell National Trust cafe no need to pay to use café, toilets, shop etc.
On the full main walk only, a very late lunch (7.9 miles in) is possible at the Cock Inn in Ide Hill.

Fox & Hounds pub is now showing as permanently closed.

Westerham has plenty of options for tea or stronger stuff.  There is also a tea room in Emmetts Garden.

Return travel from Westerham is by bus.

Bus 246 to Hayes Station (29 minutes) departing at 15.07; 15.39; 16.10; 16.41; 17.12; 17.43

Bus 246 to Bromley South: as above and takes about 41 minutes

You can use your Oyster cards from Westerham to Bromley South and Hayes Station.

Bus 594 bus stop adjacent to Kings Arms Westerham.  Buses leave at 15.03 and 17.33 to Oxted station takes about 20 minutes.  Trains from here go to E Croydon, Victoria or London Bridge, and the above ticket will be valid for these journeys.

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Saturday Walk - Cookham to Maidenhead

Length: 16.81 km (10.45 miles), 3 out of 10 T=1.24

This is a figure of 9 walk, looping around the hills above Cookham with views over the Thames Valley, before returning to it for lunch. The afternoon follows a pretty stretch of the Thames Path to Maidenhead. 

The connection is normally fine, but with trains to Cookham being hourly, the best plan if missing it is to set off walking to Cookham rather than wait.

Trains: Get the 1008 from Paddington, change at Maidenhead 1030, for the 1034 to Cookham, arriving 1041. Alternatively, get the 0938 Elizabeth line from Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road 0941, Ealing Broadway 0956, changing at Maidenhead 1026, for the 1034 to Cookham.

Lunch: Before reaching Cookham Town you have the option of stopping on the River Thames at The Bounty pub, Cock Marsh (tel 01628 520 056) with its front garden overlooking the river.

The suggested place for lunch in Cookham is the Kings Arms (tel 01628 530 667) in the High Street, some 10 km (6 miles) into the walk. A varied food menu offering good value is available all day.

Tea: On the way into Maidenhead is the up-market terrace bar at Boulter’s Lock, which serves cream teas. 

The recommended route to the station bypasses the somewhat unattractive town centre, but if you choose to take a direct route through the town you will come across many pubs (including The Bear, a Weatherspoons), cafés and coffee shops, some with a few outside tables. There is also a refreshment kiosk on the station platform.

Saturday Walk - Eridge to East Grinstead (in reverse!)

SWC 109:  Eridge to East Grinstead in reverse!

Travel: Take the 9:20 AM Southern train from London Victoria bound for East Grinstead (stopping at EC 9:40AM). Return trains from Eridge at 50 minutes past the hour. Buy a day return to East Grinstead -- though the stations are not on the same line... so some questions may be asked....

Distance: 13.5 miles or 22 km, with shorter options -- such as taking a bus from East Grinstead to Forrest Row and starting the walk there. This would reduce the walk by about 2.5 miles -- so you could take the 9:50 train and have a reasonable chance to rendezvous with the main group.

Difficulty: 7 out of 10

So, I thought it would be interesting to do this walk in reverse -- principally because it seems such a shame to leave the lovely Huntsman Pub behind at the beginning of the walk when it is such a worthy destination on a long walk. Besides, it is always interesting to try walks in reverse! Based on the walk notes, I would suggest we set off on SWC 40 in reverse and switch to the reverse of SWC 109 at Cansiron Lane. 

Traveling in this direction, the recommended lunch stop would be the Bear Inn in Hartfield and of course post walk refreshments can be had at the Huntsman, a stones throw from Eridge station.

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Evening Walk -- Exploring Chelsea and the Battersea Light Festival

Evening Walk: Exploring Chelsea and the Battersea Light Festival

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

Difficulty: 1 out of 10

Meet: Outside Sloane Square Tube (Circle/District line) at 18:30

Return: Battersea Power Station (Northern Line)

This short walk explores the storied streets of Chelsea….and the Battersea Power Station development where the Battersea Light Festival will be taking place with eight illuminated installations near the river. There are plenty of opportunities for food and beverage around the Battersea Power Station development, including some pop-up winter-warmer venues before heading home from the Battersea Power Station tube station.

More information about the route can be found here and a map of the light installations here. As in past years, we will need to alter the course slightly to follow the Thames Path along the River through Battersea Park then follow the option ahead to the Battersea Power Station complex (rather than crossing back over the River).

Enjoy the walk!

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Wednesday walk - Hever to Dormans

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Length: 16.1 km (10.0 miles). Shorter option starting from Cowden reduces the distance by 3km (1.9miles).

Difficulty: 4 out of 10

Trains: Take the 10.07 Uckfield train from London Bridge (East Croydon 10:22) arriving Hever 10:49.

Or, you can take the 9.50 from London Victoria (10.01 Clapham Junction) and change at East Croydon to wait for the above train.

For those taking the shorter option, Cowden is one stop beyond Hever. The train arrives there at 10.53.

Return trains from Doormans to London Victoria. are at xx:10 and xx:40,  change at East Croydon for London Bridge. 

Buy a day return to Hever (or Cowden if starting there) and a single from Dormans to Hurst Green.

This walk covers a fairly remote area of the borders of Kent, Surrey and Sussex. It passes three historic manor houses, each from a different historic period, and climbs to an iron-age hill fort.

Lunch: The Fountain Cowden 01342 850528 is only 6.0 km (3.8 miles) into the walk. There are no refreshment opportunities after this pub so it might be wise to bring a packed lunch or snack in case the pub is busy.

After leaving the road at Cowden there are no further roads until reaching the outskirts of Dormansland at the end, and therefore no exits.

Tea can be had at Old House at Home pub on the western side of Dormansland just off the route. It is 0.8km (0.5m) from the station.

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Sunday Walk - Dover to Deal or Sandwich

Stargazer is (still) away

Length: 17.7 km (11.0 mi) or 26.2 km (16.3 mi) to Sandwich 

Ascent/Descent: 393m 

Net Walking Time: ca. 4 ¼ hours or 5 ¾ hours to Sandwich 

Toughness: 5 out of 10 or 7 out of 10 to Sandwich 

 

Sunset will be at 17.12, giving good light for walking to 17.45. The last 10-15 minutes on the Sandwich option are in town. This leaves one hour for lunch on the Sandwich option.

 

Take the 10.04 Deal train from St. Pancras I’nal (Stratford I’nal 10.12) arriving Dover Priory 11.13. 

Return trains from Deal: xx.27 (87 minutes to St Pancras). 

Return trains from Sandwich: none! There is a rail replacement bus to Deal at xx.00 (arrives xx.15). 

Buy a Sandwich return with High Speed Surcharge (same price as a Deal return). For a Super Off-Peak price: if the ticket machines do not show that option, try Southeastern's ticket window.

 

This simple walk (it should be impossible to get lost if you keep the sea on your right-hand side, once you have found it) is nevertheless one of the finest coastal walks in England, taking you right along the top of the famous White Cliffs of Dover. On a clear day, you get stunning views of the Channel, and the ferries buzzing in and out of Dover Harbour, and the French coast from Boulogne to Dunkerque.

There are two significant climbs, one out of Dover and the other out of St. Margaret's Bay. Otherwise, the terrain is level or gently undulating. The last quarter of the walk is totally flat, along a tranquil coast path behind the pebble beach of Deal. Though less dramatic than the White Cliffs, this section of the walk is full of historical and natural interest, passing Walmer and Deal castles, and a stunning display of coastal flora on Deal’s shingle beach.

“When using mobile phones on this walk, check they haven’t switched to a French network, as happens routinely at St. Margaret’s Bay, for example. Depending on your contract, you may incur roaming charges, and your phone may also switch to French time (one hour ahead of the UK).”

Extension to Sandwich - here is how I experienced it when I walked this: “Initially the beach is quite narrow just to your right, with the waves crashing a mere 20m away, then - once out of Deal – the route follows a longer stretch on the shingle seawall, with a links golf course on the left. You continue on tarmac from the Sandwich Bay Estate onwards, always with fine views of the Isle of Thanet and the (white) cliffs of Ramsgate ahead. Turn left along the Saxon Shore Way across the very scenic Royal St. George's Golf Course (well waymarked) and then cross or walk along several waterways, streams and ditches. Pretty and quiet, certainly very quiet compared to the hubbub that is Deal.” There are two sensible left turns into Sandwich from the coast, either along the Saxon Shore Way (as described above) or further along with the Stour Valley Walk.

Lunch: The Coastguard in St. Margaret’s Bay (7.7 km into the walk, food all day) or The Zetland Arms in Kingsdown (12.4 km into the walk, Shepherd Neame, food to 17.00). There are also three tea rooms and one tea kiosk in or around St. Margaret’s listed on the webpage. At least three of them appear to be open on winter Sundays, judging by recent online traces. 

Tea: plenty of options in Deal and Sandwich.

 

For walk directions, map, photos, height profile and gpx/kml files click here . T=2.30

Sunday Walk: Into Narnia (Chipstead to Kingswood)

Main Walk: 15¼ km (9.5 miles) 5/10

An undulating walk, just outside the London boundary through a varied landscape of ancient woodland, open downs and farmland.

Near the start, the walk follows part of the Banstead Woods Nature Trail. The woods contain a lion, a witch and a wardrobe. But, don’t you worry, they can't hurt you, they're all carved from dead trees. Later, a stretch in an open valley and through a golf course takes you to an out-of-the-way pub for lunch.

Return through a remote area of quiet country lanes, narrow paths, and woodland. 

Trains: 

You could get the 9:55 from London Bridge (Platform 4). Change at Purley (arr. 10:17 Platform 4, dep 10:44 platform 6). Arrive at Chipstead 10:55.

Or you could get the 10:09 from London Bridge (Platform 4). Change at East Croydon (arr 10:22 platform 3, dep 10:27 platform 6) This arrives Purley at 10:35 and departs 10:44 (same platform, 6). This may be the same train, split in two. Listen to announcements and make sure you are in the correct half (usually the rear). 

Return from Kingswood at xx:27, changing again at Purley, onto platform 3

Both stations are in TFL zone 6.

Directions: here Main Walk t=swc.177

Lunch: the Well House, Mugswell. (01737-830640.

Tea: the Kingswood Arms, opposite the station (01737-354053).

 

Saturday Walk - Yalding to Borough Green

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Length: 17km / 11m
Toughness: 3 / 10
Transport: Take the 10:04 from London Charing Cross, change at Paddock Wood for the 11:03 to Yalding arriving at 11:10. Return trains from Brough Green are at xx:11 to London Charing Cross and at xx:45 to London Victoria. Buy a day return to Yalding.

This very pleasant walk in Kent takes you from the river Medway to the foot of the North Downs passing Roydon Hall, a Tudor manor house, and St Michael's church. The very cosy Swan on the Green pub in West Peckham is the recommended lunch stop. A GPX for this variation is here. There also is an alternative route from Mereworth Woods to the river Bourne.