Evening Walk - Along a canal through inner north and east London: Angel to Limehouse

This has actually not had an outing in summer for a few years, despite being “ideal for mid-summer evenings”, so here you go.

Length: 7.7 km/4.8 mi (if cutting out Victoria Park)  

Height Gain: negligible

 

Meet 18.45 hours prompt outside Angel Station (Northern Line - Bank Branch, Zone 1), travel time from Bank 5 minutes, from King’s Cross 2 minutes.  

Finish: Limehouse DLR and Mainline (Zone 2).

 

“A canal-side walk through North and East London. This is a simple walk, (keep the canal on the right) and ideal for mid-summer evenings.”

 

“Victoria Park opens at 7am and closes at dusk,…” says Tower Hamlets' website, and if you do beat dusk to gain entry, you are looking at an 11.5 km walk (assuming you also beat dusk to get out of the park).

 

Walk Options: 

Bail out at Mile End (Central Line), after 4.7 km. 

Walk on to Canary Wharf (tube/DLR).

 

Refreshments:  

The Palm Tree (Grove Road, Mile End).  

Bread Street Kitchen & Bar and The Grapes, both a little off route at the end in Limehouse (Narrow Street). 

Many more, if you extend the walk to Canary Wharf.

 

For a detailed route map, gpx/kml file, some photos and walk directions click here. T=short.29

Wednesday walk: Goring circular via Aldworth and maybe Moulsford

Length: 18km/11.2 miles or 20km/12.4 miles, 4/10

Starting with views over the Thames, then up on to the ridgeway, down to Aldworth and a characterful pub. After the pub, the main route goes back to Streatley over more hills

It is is also possible to switch on to the route of walk SWC 49 Cholsey to Goring, heading northeast over Moulsford Downs and finishing along the Thames with a possible swimming spot (although last year when this was mooted it was very hot and we all voted against extending the walk). Thanks to Stargazer for suggesting this alternative finish.

Trains: 1008 from Paddington (Reading 1053) arriving Goring & Streatley 1105 OR 1015 (Paddington to Cardiff) changing at Reading on to the Goring train. You could make your way to Reading on the Elizabeth line and change there, but it's a slow journey - 0948 from Paddington, 0956 Ealing Broadway. Return trains at around 18 and 48 (a few minutes earlier or later after 5 pm).

Lunch: The Bell Inn Aldworth, RG8 9SE (01635 578272) has been in the same family since the 18^thC. Twice CAMRA pub of the year. Big garden. Lunch served noon – 2.45pm. It is 7.5 km from the start of the walk.

Tea: Pierreponts cafe in Goring (01491 874464) is open till 5. According to the walk description it does delicious cakes, light meals and refreshments which you can also take out to eat by the nearby weir on the Thames. Last year we stopped at the Catherine Wheel “the oldest pub in Goring” which is handy for the station. Across the Thames at Streatley there's also the up-market Swan (01491 878800), and there's a Tesco Express near the station.

Shortening the walk: Streatley Youth Hostel (YHA) have produced a 12.5km (8 miles) version of this walk. Their Goring via The Bell pub at Aldworth Circular is almost the same in the morning, with a shorter but hillier route at the start. The afternoon's return route is 2 miles (3 km) shorter.

For walk directions etc. see L=swc.17. For the alternative finish via Moulsford you will also need directions for walk SWC 49 Cholsey to Goring.

Sunday Walk – Dormans Circular, via Lingfield

Extra Walk 329b – Dormans Circular, via Lingfield

Length: 15¼ km (9.5 miles). Toughness: 2/10

10:21 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:28, East Croydon 10:39), arriving Dormans at 11:13.

Trains back from Dormans are half-hourly at xx:16 & xx:46, calling at Lingfield three minutes later if you choose to finish there.

Some of you will have done the morning section of Walk 329, a circuit around Dormans Park to the south of Lingfield rounded off with a trot up the finishing straight of its Racecourse. Pub lunchers have generally been happy with The Star on the edge of the Old Town and there's a churchyard nearby for sandwichers.

For the afternoon I'm proposing to substitute the standard loop to the north of the town with a relatively untrodden route back to Dormans. You'll still get the chance to pick some fruit in Lingfield's Community Orchard (not just apples and pears) and the route goes near Lingfield station if you want to drop out. If you do complete the circular walk there's The Old House at Home in Dormansland for further refreshment before the final 1 km to the station.

Please bring the directions from the L=swc.329.b page. If you're printing it from this page you can save a few sheets of paper by first clicking the ‘Short Circular Walk’ heading (option b).

A bridge over Eden Brook on the afternoon leg was still being repaired when last checked, but the directions include an alternative route if that footpath is closed.

Sunday walk - Watton-at-Stone circular

Length: 20km (12.4 miles). There is an option to shorten the walk by 3.3km to 16.7km.

Difficulty: 2 out of 10

This walk is in the rolling hills of rural Hertfordshire.

Trains: The 10.12 Stevenage train from Moorgate calls at Highbury and Islington (10.20),  Finsbury Park (10.27) and several other north London stations reaching Watton-at-Stone at 11.10.

Return trains from Watton-at-Stone are at xx.07 and xx.37

Lunch:  The walk details are in need of updating and some pub recommendations are out of date. The Boot pub in Dane End has closed so best bring a packed lunch for a picnic in the churchyard or you could try Shiphill Golf Club's restaurant ( see comment below). A later option is The Robin Hood pub Tonwell (14km into the walk on the longer route.)

Tea: The Bull 113 High St, Watton-at-Stone, SG14 3SB (01920 831032) may be the only option. 

For more details click l=swc.94

Saturday Walk - Woldingham to Oxted via Titsey Place

Extra Walk 244a – Woldingham to Oxted via Titsey Place

Length: 13¾ km (8.5 miles). Toughness: 4/10

10:20 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:27, East Croydon 10:40), arriving Woldingham at 10:56. Buy a return to Oxted.

Trains back from Oxted are at xx:20 to London Bridge and xx:23 and xx:53 to Victoria.

This walk goes through a mix of open valleys, woodland and parkland, with a fair bit of climbing packed into its short length.

The up-market Botley Hill Farmhouse (01959 577154) is popular so booking ahead is strongly recommended if you want to eat there but it does have a first-come first-served Sheep Shed Tea Room. The other option would be to skip the out-and-back climb to the pub and carry on to the Titsey Place Tea Room, which now offers light lunches as well as a tempting selection of cakes. The House and gardens are open from 1-5pm (admission £7.50 or £10.00 if you want to tour the house).

I've chosen the Short Walk option because it has a much better set of refreshment places later in the walk, with a pub and coffee shop in Limpsfield as well as several more places in Oxted itself. But if you're feeling energetic you could stick to the more strenuous Main Walk after Titsey Place and circle back to Woldingham.

You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.244.a page.

Saturday Walk - Lewes to Seaford with cooling dip in the sea!

SWC 181: Lewes to Seaford with cooling dip in the sea t=swc.181

Train: Take the 9:54 AM Southern service from London Victoria (10:01 Clapham Junction and 10:10  East Croydon), arriving Lewes at 10:56. Return trains from Seaford are half hourly at 24 and 53 past the hour.  Buy a day return to Seaford.

Distance: 13.9 miles/22.3 km with shorter options available -- see the walk notes.

Difficulty: 7 out of 10

This walk is mainly along ridges and offers superb downland views throughout with an excellent lunchtime pub. The beauty of this walk is that you can see the way ahead so direction finding is fairly easy. In addition to the fine views throughout, this walk offers the reward of a cooling dip in the sea when you arrive at the waterfront in Bishopstone.  More information and the walk directions can be found here.

Lunch: The recommended lunch stop is the Ram Inn in West Firle 5.5 miles (9km) into the walk. Please call ahead as it is a popular place!

Tea: Various options in Seaford.....including the lovely pub on the station!

Saturday Walk - Farnham to Godalming

Length: 21.23km (13.19 miles) 5.5 hours

"This walk starts and ends along the River Wey. It follows the start of the North Downs Way through a narrow forested valley. It passes close to the ruins of Waverley Abbey (English Heritage), and goes through woods to Charleshill. There are further sandy bridleways through woods before entering the open parklands of the Peper Harrow estate which has its own church and cricket pitch. Then along a narrow wooded valley beside the River Wey to tea in Godalming's ancient centre.

The majority of this walk is within shaded woods, hence it can be undertaken on a hot summer's day without feeling uncomfortable. Conversely, because many of the paths (particularly after lunch) are sandy bridleways, the walk tends not to be as muddy as other walks can be."

Trains: Get the 0954 Alton train from Waterloo (Clapham 1001) , arriving 1055. Return trains to Waterloo are at: xx10, xx42, xx51.

Buy a return to Farnham. You will also need to buy a single from Godalming to Guildford at the end of the walk.

Lunch: The Donkey is closed, leaving The Barley Mow after 4miles. as an early stop.

Tea: The long afternoon can be broken with a short diversion to the Stag on the River pub in Lower Eashing. Godalming has various tea options with The Star being the favoured pub.

T=1.12

Prom - Beethoven Symphony No.5 and more

This year, we will be doing three proms.  Here is the first in the series. 

The booking has just opened.  To book your ticket, please click here.  Alternatively, you can also get a promming ticket on the day. 

Please note this concert starts at 6:30pm.   

Pre-concert F&B:   Meet at the steps of Albert Memorial from 5:30pm for picnic. 

A WhatsApp group will be set up near the time.  If you wish to be on it,  please email your moble number to swcsocialATgmailDOTcom.  The group will be deleted after the event.

Programme

Rameau Les Indes galantes – suite 24’

Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 5 in F major, ‘Egyptian’ 29’

Jay Capperauld Bruckner’s Skull 16’

Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C major 31’

Alexandre Kantorow piano

Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Maxim Emelyanychev conductor 

Evening Walk - Harrow-on-the-Hill

This has been posted solely as a winter walk in recent years, so let's give it a whirl in bright light for a change...

Length: 5.0 km (3.1 mi)  

Ascent: 160m 

Net Walking Time: 1 ½ hour

 

Meet at Northwick Park (Metropolitan Line, Zone 4) at 18.40. (18.17 or 18.22 Metropolitan Line from Baker Street).

Alternatively, start from South Kenton station (Zone 4) at the same time, the routes converge after a few minutes. For that, either take the 18.14 Watford Junction train from Euston (calling, amongst others, at South Hampstead, Queens Park, Kensal Green, Willesden Junction, Wembley Central), arriving South Kenton at 18.40, or the Bakerloo Line (takes 35 minutes from Oxford Circus, for example). 

Return trains from Harrow (Zone 5): frequent and fast trains and tubes (Chiltern Trains services to Marylebone in about 15 minutes; Met Line to Baker Street in about 17 minutes, then on to Aldgate).

 

This is a short excursion in Northwest London through a park and then the playing fields of Harrow School, one of the country's leading ‘public’ (i.e.: fee-paying independent) schools, up onto the hill that is dominated by the school buildings, its chapel and Harrow’s church. You walk down from the hill through the hanging cemetery and skirt around the hill to re-ascend through residential streets to the High Street, lined by historic school buildings and tea options. The walk finishes with a descent along a wood and across a grassy open space down to ‘modern’ Harrow and its busy station.

 

Tea: plenty of options en-route in Harrow (we often stop at The Castle pub, in a Grade II-listed building, featured in the Good Beer Guide 2025 and ***-rated on the CAMRA Register for historic interiors) plus The Indian Gastro Kitchen for dinner near the station.

 

For walk directions, map, height profile, and gpx/kml files click here . T=short.40