Evening Walk - Thames Path: Twickenham to Teddington

Length: 9.2 km 

Ascent: negligible 

Net Walking Time: 2 hours

 

Take the 18.03 Bracknell service from Waterloo (calls Vauxhall, Clapham J, Putney), arrives Twickenham 18.26. 

Return trains: six per hour (there is a pub right by the station).

 

Variation of the Richmond Circular walk, cutting out the enervating Teddington – Twickenham stretch along a main road: A Thames Path walk through one of its prettiest stretches through London. It follows long arcs of the river giving sweeping views, and is surprisingly rural.

 

Walk Options: 

Join at Richmond Bridge, crossed after 3.3 km. 

Finish at Kingston-upon-Thames Station.

Refreshments: Plenty of options.

For a detailed route map, gpx/kml file and pdf directions click here.t=short.52.b

Wednesday walk - Yalding to Borough Green

Length 16.8km (10.4 miles)

Toughness 3 out of 10

Trains: Take the 10.04 Dover Priory train from Charing Cross, 10.07 Waterloo East, 10.13 London Bridge changing at Paddock Wood (10.53) to catch the 11.03 Strood train, arriving Yalding 11.10.

Return trains from Borough Green and Wrotham: xx:30 to London Bridge and Charing Cross,  xx.18 and xx :45 to London Victoria

Buy a day return to Yalding.

This is an easy walk through the woods and fields of the Kent countryside, without too much in the way of hills. The walk starts beside the River Medway, follows the Greensand Way to Roydon Hall and then heads gently uphill to East Peckham and St Michaels Church. The route now takes you to the village of Mereworth, Mereworth Woods, the village of Crouch, then through woodland to Basted and on to Borough Green.

Lunch : For a pub lunch, The Swan on the Green, West Peckham (tel 01622 812 271), some 6.8 km into the walk is the most popular.

Picnickers have previously found benches near The Swan and in the the porch of the Church of St Lawrence in Mereworth.

Tea : Melias Place coffee shop in Borough Green or other options mentioned in the walk directions.

L=1.50

 

• 
  

Sunday Walk: Tring to Berkhamsted via Tom's Hill

13 km (9.8miles)

Toughness 2 out of 10

Clocks go back today (boo, hiss) and, as ever, they're kicking off about it. 

After a start along the Grand Union Canal, this walk climbs gently, past alpacas, through ancient woodland and commons, enjoying extensive Chiltern views. After lunch, you go along Golden Valley, past an impressive college building and, later on, trenches dug by World War I trainees. Finish in Berkhamsted with a choice of waterside pubs. You should do alright for daylight but maybe start bringing a torch. Get there early enough and you could look round Berkhamsted Castle. next to the station, It's a classic Norman motte and bailey, built by one of William the Conker's rellies. (Free, most likely closes at 4)

Lunch: Bridgewater Arms, Little Gaddesden (01442 842408) best to book

Tea 

You first encounter the Crystal Palace. Head SE along the Canal, and you’ll find the Boat, then the Rising Sun, popular for real ale. 

If you prefer your end-of-walk drink hot, Platform Wine at the station also serves as a cafe.There are teashops on the High Street, but many close early on Sundays,

Simmons Bakery, drinks, cakes, has tables, open to 5pm Sundays; Bel Caffe, open till 5pm daily. Starbucks, Caffe Nero (open to 6.30pm daily) and Costa Coffee 4.30pm Sunday.

Trains 

Get the 9:25 Coventry train from Euston arriving Tring at 10:02

Trains return from Berkhamsted at xx:20 and xx:50 Buy a day return to Tring.

Directions here

For a much shorter 4 mile walk, stay on the canal towpath at Cowroast Lock and continue beside the canal all the way to Berkhamsted. 

t=swc.366

Sunday Walk - Balcombe to East Grinstead

Balcombe to East Grinstead

Train: Take the 10.03AM from London Blackfriars (10.29 East Croydon) to Balcombe arriving 10.56. Trains back from East Grinstead run at xx.12 and xx.42. Off peak single tickets are recommended as Balcombe and East Grinstead are on different lines. If you have a travel card up to zone 6, buy tickets from there to Balcombe and back from East Grinstead.

Length: 17.2km (10.7) miles

Toughness: 6 out of 10

This pretty walk gentle undulates and passes by many points of interest, including Wakehurst Place and Priest House Museum. It also passes through several sections of wood which should hopefully have some color at this time of year. More information on the walk and the walk instructions and GPS file can be found here.

Lunch: The suggested lunchtime stop, 8.4 km into the walk, is the Cat Inn (tel 01342 810 369 ) in West Hoathly. This is a popular place, please book a table in advance.

Tea: The suggested tea stop is The Old Dunnings Mill pub (tel 01342 821 080 ), about 2km before the end of the walk. Allow 30 minutes from here to reach the station.

For more details T=1.34

Saturday Walk - Saunderton Circular via West Wycombe and Wheeler End

Length: 24.1 km (15.0 mi) [shorter walk possible] 

Ascent/Descent: 692m 

Net Walking Time: 6 ¼ hours 

Toughness: 6/10

 

To shorten : walk the ‘normal’ version (17.5 km/10.8 mi, 4/10) or even the ‘short’ version of the ‘normal’ walk. 

Take the 09.52 Aylesbury train from Marylebone (10.02 Wembley Stadium, Northolt Park 10.08, South and West Ruislip etc.), arrives Saunderton 10.51. 

Return trains are on xx.57.

 

The standard version of this walk combines a fairly easy stroll in The Chilterns through a mixture of woodland and sloping meadows, with an optional visit to Hughenden Manor and Hell-Fire (West Wycombe) Caves. The route heads south east over the Chiltern Hills to Bradenham, and continues through Naphill Common, and Flagmore Wood to Hughenden Manor. The route from Hughenden heads west across Downley Common to West Wycombe lunch/early tea. Today’s walk will then extend this by a westerly loop to Wheeler End, adding a fair bit more undulation to it, before picking up the standard walk again in Hearnton Wood.

 

Lunch/Tea:  

Hughenden Manor Tea Room (8.0 km/5.0 mi. open 10.00-17.00); 

Le De Spencer’s Arms in Downley Common (9.8 km/6.1 mi, food to 15.00); 

Hell-Fire Caves in West Wycombe (12.6 km/7.9 mi, open 10.00-17.00); 

The George and Dragon Hotel in West Wycombe (12.9 km/8.0 mi, for food service times: 01494 571 500); 

The Chequers in Wheeler End (16.3 km/10.1 mi, food served to 14.30);  

The Golden Cross in Saunderton (at the end of the walk, open all day).

 

For summary, map, height profile, photos, walk directions and gpx/kml files click here.t=2.3.a

Saturday Walk - Eynsford via Otford Circular - Autumn colour in the Darent Valley

Length: 21.5km (13.4 miles) for the whole walk: options from 14km (8.7 miles) to 18.8km (11.7 miles)

9.29 train from Charing Cross (9.32 Waterloo East, 9.38 London Bridge) to Swanley, changing there (arrive 9.59, depart 10.06: usually the same platform) to Eynsford, arriving 10.11 

or

9.16 Thameslink train from Blackfriars, which goes to Eynsford (arr 10.11) direct via innumerable South East London stations, one of which may be your local.... T=swc.59

Buy a day return to Eynsford, unless you plan on finishing at either Otford or Shoreham, in which case get a day return to one of those stations: a ticket to Otford covers all eventualities.

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

A walk around the wooded rim of the Darent Valley, very familiar SWC walking territory, with some hopefully colourful woods and fine views.

It is the last day before the Great Darkness descends, so it seems a pity not to make the most of the daylight (sunset at 5.47pm and light for walking until 6.30pm or so, which won't be the case again till early March...)...

.....but if you want a shorter outing this walk offers a number of options - ending in Otford, ending in Shoreham, lunching in Shoreham, a shorter afternoon route: see the walk home page with its interactive map for details.

Unless you shortcut to Shoreham, which has other options, lunch will probably be at the Bull in Otford - a chain pub with all their typical attendant virtues and vices - though the Hospices of Hope tea room might provide an alternative for lighter meals.

Tea is one of the pubs in Eynsford, unless you tweak the walk (ie divert off the stated route a bit) to descend to the nice cafe at the Lullingstone Visitor Centre, open to 5pm.

Trains back are at 05 and 35 past, and both get you via many stops to Blackfriars in 54 minutes

- For a much faster journey, get the 35 past, changing at Swanley (arr 40 past, depart 48 past: same platform usually) for a fast train to London Bridge, the latter taking just 19 minutes and the whole journey therefore taking 32 minutes.

- Alternatively on the 05 train you can change at Bromley South (arr 22 past, depart 33 past) and get to Victoria at 51 past - a journey time from Eynsford of 46 minutes.

Saturday Walk - Aldermaston to Woolhampton via Frilsham

SWC Walk 260: Aldermaston to Woolhampton (via Frilsham)

Distance: 14.1 miles or 22.7 km for those more metrically minded (with longer (16.7 miles/26.9 km) and shorter (bus or SWC 117 which shares start and finish) options available)

Difficulty: 7 out of 10 (8 out of 10 for the longer option)

Train: Take the 9:32 AM Great Western train from London Paddington, changing at Reading (arrive 9:55; depart 10:12), arriving at Aldermaston at 10:25. Return trains (all requiring a change at Reading or Newbury) from Midgham (Woolhampton) are at 23 past the hour, except for a 19:26 and 19:27. Buy a day return to Midgham.

Traditionally, one of the highlights of this lovely walk was a fabulous lunch at the very remote Pot Kiln which specialised in local game. The pub has sadly changed hands/management and has been reincarnated as a Basque-themed destination. Some of us investigated the new version of this pub last year and found it enjoyable with tasty food in a stunning location -- but not quite the same as the prior game oriented extravaganza.

In addition to a destination pub, this long walk is very enjoyable at this time of year and explores the undulating territory of the West Berkshire Downs, part of the Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It includes ancient woodland, commons, including Bucklebury Common (the largest in SE England) and pretty villages. You can find more information about the walk and download the walk instructions here . For those preferring something shorter, SWC 117 shares the same start and finish – but has a completely different (and shorter) middle section.

The recommended lunch pub on the main walk is the Pot Kiln Inn (01635 201 366) in Frilsham (5.5 miles/9.6 km into the walk). Note that this is an Basque-themed foodie pub. I would recommend booking a table of you would like to eat here. There are some earlier and later lunch options mentioned in the walk instructions if this does not appeal.

Tea can be had at the very pleasant Rowbarge Inn near Midgham Station or if pressed for time the Angel pub passed in the village.

Enjoy the walk!

T=swc.260

Evening Walk - Greenwich to Canary Wharf via Millwall [New Evening Walk]

Length: 5.0 km Height Gain: negligible

Take the 18.32 Slade Green train from Cannon Street to Greenwich (calls London Bridge 18.37 and Deptford 18.43), arrives 18.45.  

You can also get to Greenwich by DLR from Bank via Canary Wharf.

 

This is the start of SWC Short Walk 42 Greenwich to Woolwich, passing Cutty Sark DLR Station (which is closed for refurbishment though), combined with the end of SWC 215 Blackheath – Canary Wharf. 

From the Cutty Sark, we walk through the 370m long Greenwich foot tunnel onto the Isle of Dogs and turn left along the Thames Path through Millwall with views of Greenwich, Deptford and Rotherhithe, to finish at Canary Wharf (Jubilee and Elizabeth Lines, DLR).

 

Note 1: the start of the walk is not outside the main station entrance but down some steps from the rear end of the platform from London, as described in SWC Short Walk 42. 

Note 2: both lifts in the foot tunnel are currently out of service, but the North one (back to street level) ought to be back in working order by the time of the walk. Else it will be 87 steps = ca. 20m height gain!

 

Refreshments:  

The Ferry House in Island Gardens, just after the foot tunnel.  

Numerous options in Canary Wharf.

 

For detailed route maps, gpx/kml files, photos and walk directions click here and here.t=short.70