Sunday Walk – Waddon to Colliers Wood

SWC Walk 273a – Waddon to Colliers Wood

Length: 14½ km (9.0 miles). Toughness: 1/10

10:30 Epsom Downs train from Victoria (Battersea Park 10:34, Clapham Jct 10:39, etc), arriving Waddon (TfL Zone 5) at 11:08.

At the end of the walk Colliers Wood is on the Northern line (Zone 3). The directions point out stations and tram stops along the route if you want to drop out earlier (eg. Morden after 12¼ km).

The main version of this walk starts at Mitcham Junction, but as the evening walkers did that leg earlier this year I thought I'd post its alternative start from Waddon. It's a rather urban route but it does take in more of the waymarked Wandle Trail. The afternoon section continues along the course of this south London river, with some attractive stretches through parkland and nature reserves including the National Trust's Morden Hall Park.

For lunch there's a choice of pubs or cafés in Carshalton, with some places overlooking the large ponds beside its High Street. The NT café in Morden Hall Park makes a convenient tea stop and there are also several pubs on the final leg to Colliers Wood.

If you want a longer walk you could continue along the Wandle Trail to the River Thames at Wandsworth, an extra 6 km or so.

Please bring the directions from the L=swc.273.a page.

Sunday Walk - Festive Arundel High Road Circular

Book 1 Walk 32 plus Book 2 walk 22 makes for a High Road Arundel Circular

Distance: Something for everyone…..the full proposed distance is about 13.5 miles/22 km. However, you could do the book 1 walk as written (11.7 miles/18.8 km, with various options to shorten, including a short circular version of 8.5 miles/13.6 km) or for late starters, you could plan to arrive in Amberley about 12:30ish and do the afternoon leg of 9 miles/14 km….

Difficulty: 3-5 out of 10, depending on route taken….

Train: 9:35 AM Portsmouth Harbour train from London Victoria (9:42 Clapham), arriving in Arundel at 11:02. Return trains from Arundel are at 54 minutes past the hour. Please note that for some reason these trains do not stop at East Croydon today -- so plan accordingly.....Buy a day return to Arundel.

The Arundel and Amberley area provides a wealth of delightful walking options, both high along the hills and lower down along the river valley. Additionally, during the month of December, Arundel provides holiday cheer with pretty Christmas decorations and festive fun, making it an ideal place to start and/or finish a walk. I am not sure how many events will take place on Sunday -- but I believe the decorations will be up and lit....Options available today range from a long walk to much shorter options allowing you to spend more time visiting Arundel.

The main proposed route combines two walks from our repertoire for a “high road” circular from Arundel to Amberley for lunch (at the Bridge Inn) and back again on a mostly high route across the downs to Burpham and then along the river to Arundel. The full route is admittedly long for this time of year. However, the last two miles are mostly along the river which is easy to follow in low light.

The route starts with Book 1 Walk 32 on its route through Arundel and Arundel Park which you follow to point 24 where you take the short cut and turn left towards Houghton Bridge…..then pick up Book 2 walk 22 just outside the Amberley train station.

You can find more information about the walk(s), including the various options available, and download the walk instructions here and here.

Look forward to seeing you there!

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Saturday Walk - Coulsdon South to Whyteleafe

Length: 16 km (10 miles). Toughness: 4/10

This is a variation on the Whytleafe circular and has a variety of options to shorten the walk. It's worth looking at the map if using the gpx, as the walk has a couple of loops. If doing the full walk, there is a short diversion described below.

After the aerodrome, comes another loop, taking you onto Riddlesdown, which is well worth doing. It requires a short diversion of approx 1km whilst the railway crossing is being upgraded. At point 48 in the directions, do not cross Valley Road, but turn left and follow the road to Kenley Station (trains to London Bridge), where you turn right onto Hayes Lane down to Godstone Road. You cross Godstone Road to bear right uphill, aiming to rejoin the route at Riddlesdown Road.

Trains: Get the 1008 Reigate train from London Victoria (Clapham 1015, East Croydon 1026) arriving Coulsdon South 1035. There are also trains from London Bridge arriving 10 minutes before or 9 minutes after 1035. Return from Upper Warlingham to Victoria at xx:02 & xx:32, or Whyteleafe to London Bridge at xx:01 & xx:31; both via East Croydon. These stations are all in Zone6.

Lunch: The Fox (01883-340737) on Coulsdon Common, reached after 6.5 km. This is the only place on the walk route, but shortly before reaching it you could detour to The Boundary on the Green (01883-818087) in the Caterham Barracks development, which had a positive report from a Sunday walk in August.

Tea: the small Pavilion Café open to around 4.30pm, in the Recreation Ground, a friendly place serving hot drinks and a selection of home-made cakes.

On the A22, between the two stations are the refurbished Whyteleafe Tavern and the (recomended) Radius Arms micro-pub.

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Saturday Walk - The Greensand Way from Pluckley to Ham Street or just to Ashford (SWC Walks 152 & 153)

Length: 25.8 km (16.0 mi) or 16.4 km (10.2 mi) 

Ascent/Descent: 200m or 150m 

Net Walking Time: ca. 5 ½ hours or 4 hours 

Toughness : 4 out of 10 or 2 out of 10

 

Take the 09.34 Ramsgate train from Charing X (via W’loo East and London Bridge (09.43)), arrives Pluckley at 10.46. 

Alternatively, take the 09.40 Margate train from St. Pancras I’nal (via Stratford I’nal (09.48), change at Ashford (10.18/10.30), arrives Pluckley 10.37.

Return trains from Ashford are on xx.02 and xx.30 to Charing X, xx.16 and xx.40 to St. Pancras and xx.56 to Victoria. 

Return trains from Ham Street are on xx.02 (change at Ashford). There is also Bus Line 511 to Ashford, leaving from opposite the station at xx.52 to 17.52.

Buy a Ham Street or an Ashford return.

This is a pretty route, combining two stages of the Greensand Way. Check out the photos on the website, they were taken in winter. The route starts along a link route through pastures to Pluckley village, where you pick up the Greensand Way proper. You then pass through a sequence of orchards to Little Chart and continue through a variety of interesting and pretty landscapes, from pastures, woods, commons and bogs to the very large Godinton Park Estate to Great Chart. From there, … 

    -- For the Ashford Ending, you finish with an acceptable urban stretch along a link route into Ashford's centre, following the Stour Valley Walk, largely through parks and along the Great Stour river, to Ashford International station.  

    -- For the Ham Street Ending, you skirt Ashford's sprawling suburbs with its many new estates and pass a couple of walker-unfriendly farms. Some pretty countryside follows though, with tranquil pastures and the enchanting Ham Street Woods National Nature Reserve (the latter along a mud-prone bridleway), all the way to the fine village of Ham Street.

Notes: 

The route shown on the route map reflects the waymarking on the ground as of December 2020; this differs widely from the route shown on OS maps and as described in Kent Council's outdated resources. All changes improve the route by avoiding busy roads or arable field crossings. 

At the end in Ham Street, the Greensand Way leads to the train station first, then on to its official finish at the pub in the village centre. To get to the pub first, fork left in the car park at the far end of Ham Street Woods, along a tarmac lane, and at a T-junction in the village turn right towards the pub at a crossroads. From there turn right towards the station.

 

Lunch: The Swan and Dog in Great Chart (12.7 km) or The Queen's Head in Kingsnorth (17.7 km). 

Tea: [Ashford] Curious Brewery Taproom & Restaurant or The Everest Inn (Nepalese). 

[Ham Street] The Duke’s Head.

 

For walk directions, map, height profile and gpx/kml files click here and here. 

t=swc.152&swc.153 

Saturday Walk - Leigh to Sevenoaks

Length: 14.5km (9.0 miles),

Difficulty: 5 out of 10

The walk starts in the picturesque  village of Leigh (pronounced 'Lie' ) through the churchyard,  past the parkland of Hall Place, and carries on through fields, farms, oast houses, and finally through the grounds of Knole park with it’s magnificent trees (and deer).  Appropriate footwear for this time of year is recommended.

Trains Take the 9:21 from London Bridge;  Norwood Junction 9.32; East Croydon 9.36; arriving Redhill at 9.52 where you CHANGE onto the train departing at 10am to Leigh arriving there at 10.26.  

Trains back from Sevenoaks to London Charing Cross, London Bridge or Blackfriars are frequent.

Ticket: Get a return to Leigh, Kent

Lunch: The White Rock pub (tel 01732 833 112), Underriver, some 9 km into the walk. Phoning ahead is advised.

Tea: Knole Park's Brewhouse Tearoom is open till 5. There are more places in Sevenoaks, such as the Malabar Coffee House (01732 743055) at 81 High Street, and Gails in the shopping centre is open till 6.30.

Walk directions here

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Evening Walk - Rotherhithe and Bermondsey - The Finnish Christmas Fair and (optional) Winter by the River (Surrey Quays to Bermondsey or London Bridge)

Short version of the 'Rotherhithe away from the River' walk, due to Southwark Park closing at dusk...

 

Length: 5.1 km to Bermondsey, a little longer to London Bridge 

Ascent: negligible 

Net Walking Time: up to 1 ½ hour (plus time spent at the Xmas Fair)

 

Meet: Surrey Quays Station (outside the gate line at street level) at 17.00 hours (Overground). 

Finish: Bermondsey or London Bridge Underground. 

Dropouts: Canada Water Underground and Overground (3.2 km), Rotherhithe Overground (3.7 km). Bus stops are never far away.

 

From Surrey Quays Station, we cut across to Greenland Dock, one of the few remnants of the once ubiquitous ponds and water channels of the Surrey Commercial Docks, used mainly for timber and grain trading, before walking along the spine of the peninsula through the enchanting Russia Dock Woodland, an infilled dock with plenty of visible reminders of its past.

 

A short loop through the Stave Hill Ecology Park leads up to one the finest low viewpoints in town: Stave Hill, a 9-metre artificial mound with surround views to the Olympic Park, Canary Wharf, the City of London, Westminster and most high points in South East London.

 

You then skirt around Surrey Water and follow the well-maintained Albion Channel (more remains of the former docks and quays) to Canada Water, currently one of London’s largest regeneration sites, before a final loop through the historic Rotherhithe village and – for a short stretch – along the Thames River, passing some famous pubs and ending back in Bermondsey.

 

At Albion Street, turn left to the Suomen Merimieskirrko/Finnish Church’s Christmas Fair, which closes at 20.00.

Option at the end: walk on along the Thames through Shad Thames to Tower Bridge and the former Town Hall and on to London Bridge Station. On this last stretch you venture through the Winter by the River Fair, which closes at 22.00.

Eat/Drink: Some legendary London riverside pubs en route, plus a restaurant or two. Check the webpage for details. Plus many food and drink stalls at the Winter by the River Fair.

p.s.: This year, for reasons unknown, the Norwegian (and also the Swedish) Christmas fairs are on different weekends than the Finnish one t=short.54

Wednesday walk - Holmwood to Reigate

This walk in the Low Weald of Surrey follows broad paths through gently undulating country with glimpses of the North Downs ridge to the north.

Length: 16km (10 miles)

Difficulty: 2 out of 10

Trains: 09.41 from London Victoria, (09.48 Clapham Junction) stops at multiple stations en route to Holmwood arriving 10.47.

Return trains from Reigate: xx.02 and xx.32 go direct to London Victoria, xx.08 and xx:38 go to Redhill where you can change for trains to London Bridge.

Buy a return to Holmwood which is valid from Reigate though it may not work at the ticket barrier.

Lunch: The Plough in Leigh 01306 611348

Tea: Monty Bojangles and other options available in Reigate.

For more detailed information follow the link L=swc.32

Sunday Walk - A Walk Like No Other: Benfleet Circular via Canvey Island

This slot swapped with Stargazer against the next Sunday...

 

Length: 23.2 km (14.5 mi) [much shorter walk possible, see below] 

Ascent/Descent: 40m 

Net Walking Time: 4 ¾ hours 

Toughness: 2/10

Take the 09.48 Shoeburyness train from Fenchurch Street (09.52 Limehouse, 09.57 West Ham, 10.03 Barking), arrives Benfleet 10.33. 

Return trains : xx.17 and xx.47.

 

A flat walk, that starts and finishes with a busy road stretch, features a fair amount of hard surface paths and some A-road noise near the end, and passes - in succession - a golf course, a static caravan park, an ex-landfill site, housing estates, another caravan park, a sewage plant, an LNG terminal, an oil product terminal, an oil refinery, the site of a never-finished oil refinery, another oil terminal and another - larger - landfill site?????? And yet, and yet...

This is one not just for the Industrial Romantic, or for fans of the Pub Rock legends Dr. Feelgood, or for students of the lives of the ex-East End White Working Classes.
Without navigational challenges (as all you do is: walk to the seawall and follow it) you experience an ever-changing scenery of tidal creeks and mud flats, river marshes, salt marshes, flood barriers, sluices and sandbanks, get views of the Benfleet Downs, of Hadleigh Castle & Country Park, the Essex cliffs, Southend with its Pier, the North Sea and the busy river traffic, of ships big and small, boatyards, yacht clubs and marinas, pass sandy beaches and enclosed pools on the foreshore, jetties, extensive seawall murals telling Canvey Island stories and - post lunch - long tranquil stretches past grassy marshes with abundant birdlife.
The recommended lunch options are the iconic Labworth Beach Bistro in its modernist building with panoramic views of the Thames estuary, or the legendary smugglers' inn the Lobster Smack.

Still a walk like no other.

Shorter Walk: Canvey Island is linked to Benfleet station by many regular buses, enabling you to start or finish the walk at almost any point along the way (in the first half of the walk), as bus stops are often just a short distance from the walk route. For a route map of the bus network, you should check here: http://www.plusbus.info/benfleet. The most logical shortcut to a bus stop, right after the late lunch stop, is described in the directions. It results in a 14.6 km/9.1 mi walk (rated 1/10).

Lunch: The Labworth Beach Café (9.7 km/6.0 mi, food to 15.00), in its modernist building with panoramic views of the Thames estuary; The Lobster Smack (13.2 km/8.2 mi, food all day) is the oldest surviving building on Canvey and a classic pub which has so much history it even features in the Dickens novel ‘Great Expectations’. 

Tea: Three pubs and two sub-continental restaurants on High Street, just past the station (see pdf for details).

 

For summary, map, height profile, photos, walk directions pdf and gpx/kml files click here. t=swc.258