Book 1: Walk 16: Balcombe Circular
Travel: Take the 10:05AM Thameslink Brighton train from London Bridge (East Croydon 10:19) arriving 10:46. Return trains are xx25 xx55.
Length: 19km (11.8 miles)
Difficulty: 5 out of 10
This walk is full of small delights: a nature reserve and lake with Japanese pavilion down by the stream below the impressive gardens and park of Nymans (National Trust) with its part-ruined manor house; a churchyard in Slaugham (pronounced 'Slaffam') with a 600-year-old yew tree some 10 metres in circumference; the ruins of Slaugham Manor; then a walk down to the River Ouse. You should use the online directions in order to get the route to a tunnel under the A23 (motorway). More information and the instructions/gpx can be found here.
Lunch: Early in Handcross at the Red Lion, after 3.5 miles, 5.6km. After 7.6km there is the Heritage in Slaugham, an altogether more upmarket place which seems to require advanced booking. After 7.5 miles, 12km (3 hours) you get to Staplefield and The Victory Inn (tel 01444 400 463) all day at weekends for a late lunch or early tea. On the other side of Staplefield Green, some 300 metres north of the Victory Inn, The Jolly Tanners (tel 01444 400 335), a family run village pub with a pleasant beer garden. This gives you only 3 miles left to get to the station.
Tea: The Balcombe Tea Rooms which tends to close early or, for stronger stuff, The Half Moon, an excellent community pub.
#2026-10-17T10:05
T=1.16
L=1.16
