Main Walk: 16.8km (10.4 miles). There is also a Short Walk 2.a available at 11.5km (7 miles)
5 out of 10 (3 out of 10 for short version)
9:50 East Grinstead train from London Victoria Clapham Junction: 9.57; East Croydon:10.10 arriving Woldingham at 10:26. Or London Bridge 9.45 Thameslink Brighton service and change at East Croydon to join the above Victoria train at ((arrive 9.59, depart 10.10). Buy a return to Oxted
Trains back from Oxted are at xx:20 to London Bridge and at xx:23 and xx:53 to Victoria
A Surrey walk, not far out of London. First a stretch through Marden Park and Marden Park Woods, then the North Downs Way to a fine viewpoint on Gravelly Hill.
After lunch in the attractive village of Godstone, you largely follow the Greensand Way to Oxted. This is a more open landscape dotted with small settlements, one of which is Tandridge, famous for its ancient yew.
Lunch: Godstone, 9½ km along the main route. The Hare & Hounds (01883-742296) serves typical pub food; the more up-market alternatives are the White Hart (01883-742521) and the Bell Inn (01883-743216). Light lunches may be available at the cafe on the cricket green and the Green Room cafe. I haven't checked if the cafes are open.
If you opt for the Short Walk, it goes through Old Oxted after 5½ km, with three pubs close together on its short High Street. A little further is The Haycutter (01883-776955) in Broadham Green.
Tea: Various options in Oxted (on either side of the station), including several cafes and Wetherspoons pub by the station.
You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.2
2 comments:
On a W=cloudy day N=9 set off from the station and soon got strung out into smaller groups. After passing Woldingham School two took a shortcut to avoid an inconvenience of cattle in the field ahead, but the beasts turned out to be extremely placid and no bother at all. The famous Godstone Sinkhole also proved to be something of an anti-climax, although remarkably the High Street is still closed to traffic eight months after it first appeared.
On our pit stop at the Hare & Hounds we puzzled over an olive-like tree with tiny pear-like fruit; a learned app was duly consulted but none of us were inclined to believe its rather dubious verdict of "willow-leaved pear". At this point a few who'd observed that the North Downs seem to be getting higher and steeper every year might have been tempted by the frequent buses passing through the village, but at least six made it to Oxted in time for a 4pm train.
Adding the person who headed off on the short walk just before Marden Farm, we could call in #10
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