This walk consists of two loops around the attractive Kent village of Shoreham, nestling in the valley carved out of the North Downs by the River Darent. There is a good mix of woodland and open countryside with some fine views from the steep-sided hills overlooking the valley, interspersed with easier stretches along the valley floor.
Length: Main Walk: 20 km (12.4 miles). Alternative Walk: 15¼ km (9.4 miles). Shorter options detailed in the directions.
I'm going to suggest we follow the Alternative Walk to facilitate group cohesion and allow time for collecting sloes but individuals or sub groups are free to do variations.
Toughness: 6 out of 10 for the main walk (4 for the Alternative Walk, 3 for the Short Walks).
Trains: The 9.46 train from Blackfriars (Elephant & Castle 9.50 platform 4)gets you to Shoreham for 10:46 with lots of stops in south east London along the way. From Victoria you could take the 9.55 train to Bromley South (10.11) where you can pick up the Blackfriars train at 10.23. Or, from London Bridge take the 9.53 train to Sevenoaks where you change for the 10.22 train to Shoreham arriving 10.32
Return trains Shoreham run at xx:02 and xx:32 to Blackfriars. Change at Bromley South for Victoria trains. There are also trains at xx:15 and xx.32 to Sevenoaks where you can change for connections to London Bridge. Or, you could finish in Otford and get a train from there back to Victoria.Tea: There are options in Shoreham, Otford and Lullingstone.
For more detailed information click L=swc.289
4 comments:
For a really fast (35 mins) and easy journey to London Bridge, take the northbound Thameslink trains and change at SWANLEY: the fast London Bridge train is eight minutes later on the same platform. This train also goes to Waterloo East and Charing Cross
The outward train from Blackfriars actually starts at Welwyn Garden City. It calls at Finsbury Park (9.29), St Pancras Thameslink (9.37) and Farringdon (9.42)
17 assembled at Shoreham station after the slightly delayed Blackfriars train pulled in. One set off to do the full figure of 8 while everyone else chose to do the shorter option which followed quiet paths unfamiliar to many with dense vegetation and a meadow which one walker declared to be spectacular in spring. w=Showers-turned-to-heavy-rain-persisting-as-lighter-rain-all-morning. One walker decided to get the train home from Otford, another stopped for a beer before carrying on to Shoreham. On reaching Shoreham a late arrival joined the group bringing the total to n=18. The majority had picnics in churchyard but four were lured into the Kings Arms by the 'Seniors special'. Another had mussels stewed in white wine at the Samuel Palmer with chips and a beer, all highly rated. One went to to the Crown and was told there would be a long wait for food as group was booked in. Some planned to go there there for a drink at the end of the walk. Two took a train back from Shoreham after lunch, one went home from Eynsford. Two had tea at Lullingstone before completing the loop back to Shoreham. One revisited White Hill to observe its busy insect life. Others may have done variations in the afternoon. Feel free to add comments.I don't know if anyone picked sloes.
after lunch, most of the picnickers left Shoreham together but split just before the Lullingstone visitor centre, where most carried on to have tea and/or do the longer loop through the golf course. Two of us proceeded with the suggested route, enjoying the woodland walk, and were caught by one who had been to the Kings Arms for a drink. We met a late starter who was walking the afternoon in reverse.
An uneventful walk back into Shoreham where we sampled the Crown which was by then empty and welcoming. About five more joined us there later, and all caught the 1632 or 1702 train. A good day out, nice to do a different route in a familiar area.
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