Gomshall to Guildford (Shere, Albury Park, Albury Heath, Blackheath Common and the River Wey)

Extra Walk 1.14 – Gomshall to Guildford

Many SWC walkers will have known Sylvia Cummins whose anniversay is this week. She loved walking in Kent, Surrey and Sussex and this walk was one of many that she enjoyed.

Length: 15.6 km (9.7 miles). Optional longer morning route via Albury Park 18.0km (11.2 miles) Toughness ~3/10

London Bridge 10:15 Thameslink Brighton service, change at Redhill for the 11.00 Reading service and ariving at Gomshall at 11.21

or

10:30 London Waterloo Guildford service, change at Guildford for the 11.13 Redhill service, ariving at Gomshall at 11.30

There are several trains from Guildford to London Waterloo each hour (click for details).

Buy a return to Gomshall (via "any route permitted" to be valid for journeys via Guildford or Redhill)

Leaving Gomshall you are soon in the pretty village of Shere. On through Albury Park where an optional (2.4km, 1.5 mile) longer morning route takes a loop through the park instead of going along its edge. This takes you past an unusual Catholic Apostolic Church built for a new religious movement which originated in England in 1832. This is not open to the public, but in the middle of the parkland you can visit an unusual and interesting old Saxon Church. After lunch in Albury Heath, the walk continues through the open expanses of Blackheath Common before heading into woodland until you come to the River Wey where you follow the river into Guildford.

Lunch. The William 1V pub in Little London 01483 202685 serves good food and good beer. Best to phone ahead as it is popular. The best picnic spot is just before the pub on Albury Heath.

For post walk refreshment, there's a cafe in the foyer of the Yvonne Arnauld Theatre, a variety of cafe's in Guildford town centre (including GAIL's Bakery, on Tunsgate) and a choice of pubs on the route towards the railway station.

For full details and to download your copy of the directions see the L=1.14 web page.

Saturday Walk - Spa Valley Railway Beer Festival - Frant to Tunbridge Wells via Groombridge

Length: 13.2 miles (22km) 

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This walk is posted with the aim of visiting the Spa Valley Railway Beer. I'd originally thought of starting at Eridge, but that involves getting two single tickets. For beer enthusiasts, directions for including Eridge are provided. You do the route to Tunbridge Wells, diverting to Tunbridge Wells West  near the end, (at para 70 carry on along the main road, rather than turning up through the common) for the main part of the beer festival.

Trains: Get the 1008 Hastings train from Charing Cross (London Bridge 1017) arriving Frant 1107. Return trains from Tunbridge Wells at xx34 and xx00. Buy a return to Frant.

Walk including Eridge Summary

This is easier than it reads if you look at the respective routes on a map

Do the Frant to Tunbridge Wells as far as Eridge Green. At paragraph E 30, pick up the afternoon leg of the Eridge Circular at para L 66 to get to Eridge Station and the first stop on the beer festival trail. 

Leaving Eridge, either take the standard route to Groombridge, or for a short cut, instead of turning off Forge Lane, carry on until a right turn to Forge Farm and then rejoin the Frant route at para J 48 (on the "long" extension) to Groombridge. It might be tricky getting onto the route under Harrison's Rocks (which is more interesting) and you can just follow the path alongside the railway. Groombridge Station is the second beer festival stop. 

A note on beer festivals: you buy a glass at the start, usually a pint (marked in pint, half & third) or a half pint. Also a sheet of tokens for getting beer. You can buy pints, halves or thirds. So plan for rucksack space to carry your glass.

Lunch: Eridge or Groombridge

Tea: Tunbridge Wells

Saturday Walk - Autumn in The Chilterns: Saunderton Circular (via West Wycombe and Wheeler End)

Stargazer is away

 

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

Ascent/Descent: 692m

Net Walking Time: 6 ¼ hours

Toughness: 7/10 

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

 

Take the 09.07 Oxford train from Marylebone (09.18 Wembley Stadium, 09.30 Denham etc.), arrives Saunderton 09.58. For the shorter walks, the 10.07 is sufficient.   

Return trains are on xx.54.

 

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); 

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); 

The George and Dragon Hotel in West Wycombe (12.9 km/8.0 mi); 

The Chequers in Wheeler End (16.3 km/10.1 mi, under new management). 

The Golden Cross in Saunderton (under new management, at the end of the walk).

 

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

Evening Walk - Angel to Limehouse (without Victoria Park)

Length: 7.7 km/4.8 mi

Height Gain: negligible

 

Meet 18.45 hours prompt outside Angel Station (Northern Line - Bank Branch, Zone 1), travel time from Bank 5 minutes, from King’s Cross 2 minutes. 

Finish: Limehouse DLR and Mainline (Zone 2).

 

“A canal-side walk through North and East London. This is a simple walk, (keep the canal on the right) and ideal for early-autumn evenings.

 

Walk Options: bail out at Mile End (Central Line), after 4.7 km.

Refreshments: The Palm Tree (on Grove road in Mile End, across the park). Bread Street Kitchen & Bar and The Grapes, both a little off route at the end, in Narrow Street.

For a detailed route map, gpx/kml file, some photos and pdf directions click here. T=short.29

Wednesday walk - Staplehurst to Sissinghurst or Cranbrook

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Take advantage of the National Trust offer of free entry to one of its properties to visit Sissinghurst Castle. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/escape-into-autumn (offer available until 20 October)

Length: Staplehurst to Sissinghurst: 12.6km (7.8 miles), Staplehurst to Cranbrook: 15.2km (9.4 miles). Other options described in the directions.

Toughness:2 out of 10 to Sissinghurst,  3 out of 10 to Cranbrook

Trains: Take the 10.01 Dover Priory train from Charing Cross (10.04 Waterloo East, 10.09 London Bridge) arriving Staplehurst 10.59. Return trains from Staplehurst are at xx.18 and xx.48.

Buses run hourly to Staplehurst from Cranbrook (14.51, 15.57, 16.52, 17.50) and Sissinghurst (14.59, 16.05, 17.00, 17.58).

Lunch: The Bell and Jorrocks, Frittenden (01580 852415)

Tea: There  is a cafe at Sissinghurst. Details of options in Cranbrook and Headcorn can be found in the directions

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Sunday Walk: Wendens Ambo Circular

17.7 km., 10.8 mile. (full walk: 23.7 km (14.7 mile)
Difficulty 3/10
This Essex walk passes impressive old cottages - thatched, timber-framed, pargetted, the works. Gently rolling hills, pretty villages, an old church and a friendly lunch pub. The 10.8 mile version using Shortcut 1 is suggested.
Trains Get the 10:25 Ely train from Liverpool Street (Tottenham Hale 10:38) to Audley End station, arriving 11:22.
Trains:return from Audley End at xx:47and xx:10. Get a return to Audley End. (Wendens Ambo’s station is named after the nearby stately home).
Lunch:  The Axe and Compasses in Arkesden 01799 550272. Restored after a devastating fire, this pub re-opened last month. (The later Elmdon Dial, is still closed).
Anyone up for the 14 miler could visit the Red Cow in Chrishall tel:01763838792
Tea:
The Bell, Wendens Ambo (01799 540382)  open to 6.
Walk Directions here  Shortcut 1 recommended.
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Sunday Walk: Into Narnia (Chipstead to Kingswood)

15.25 km, 9.5 miles
Difficulty: 5/10
That's right, Narnia. This undulating walk near London takes in a varied landscape of ancient woodland, open downs and farmland and visits a 16th century country pub for lunch. Narnia themed sculptures decorate an early stretch through Banstead Woods.
Trains
Get the 10:12 Caterham train from London Bridge (East Croydon 10:30) change at Purley for the Tattenham Corner train (arrive 10:39 platform 6, depart 10:44 platform 5). Arrive Chipstead at 10:55.
Trains return from Kingswood at xx:19, changing again at Purley. 
Both stations are in Tfl zone 6. Kingswood is the further stop.
Alternatively, try your wardrobe.
Lunch: the Well House Inn, Mugswell (01737  830640)
Tea:  the Kingswood Arms near the station (01737 354053)
Directions: here
Main walk suggested.  gps recommended. T=swc.177

Saturday Walk: Pulborough to Amberley

10.3 miles / 16.6 km

Historic Pulborough, gentle hills, a gem of a pub, an RSPB marshland, and up and over the South Downs to Amberley.

Trains: 09:34 London Victoria, (09:41 Clapham Junction, 09:50 East Croydon), 10:52 Pulborough.  Return trains from Amberley at xx:17 with an additional service at 16:50.  Buy a day return to Amberley.

Lunch: The recommended stop is The Rising Sun, Nutbourne, Tel: 01798 812191.  Further on, there is a cafe at RSPB Pulborough Brooks.

For refreshments at the end of the walk, The Riverside Tea Rooms (open til 5pm) and the Bridge Inn are both near Amberley station.

Full walk details here

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Ash Vale to Worplesdon - Surrey heaths, woods and commons

Length: 19.8km (12.2 miles) T=SWC.136

9.24 train from Waterloo (9.31 Clapham Junction) to Ash Vale, arriving 10.14.

If you just miss this, get the 9.30 train to Woking, arriving 9.54, to connect to the above train departing 10.00.

Buy a day return to Ash Vale. 

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

This walk has not had an outing since February 2019. It is even longer since I did it, but I remember a mix of scenery - a canal stretch to start, some heaths, woods, fields: classic Surrey in other words. 

For a pub lunch the choice seems to be the Royal Oak in Pirbright after 7.2 miles, which does food all afternoon. It is described in the walk notes as popular, but many such pubs have been less busy recently. Otherwise the White Lyon and Dragon, 9.6 miles into the walk has now closed, and I can’t tell from its website if the nearby Worplesdon Place Hotel is a pub or all posh and high falutin’. 

The main walk route has no tea stop, but a recommended short (0.5km) diversion is provided - in the walk directions at least: I am not sure it is included on the GPX - to the pleasantly rural Jolly Farmer pub, situated in the middle of nowhere on the edge of Whitmoor Common. The slight downside is that the 1 mile or so walk to the station from the pub includes a stretch along a modestly busy road. Allow 25 minutes to get to the station to be on the safe side. If aiming for the 6.40 train or later a torch is recommended. 

Trains back from Worplesdon are at 40 past the hour