Midweek day walk - Stonegate to Robertsbridge

Stonegate to Robertsbridge

The High Weald, Kipling’s home, and panoramic views

Book 3* Walk 112

* Online only

Length :  16 km or 10 miles

Toughness :  4 out of 10

Getting there :  Catch the 10:15 am train from London Charing Cross (10:18 am from Waterloo East) to Stonegate

Meeting point :  Stonegate Station at 11:26 am

Tickets :  Buy a cheap day return to Robertsbridge

Brief Description

After last week's somewhat strenuous romp, I hope this weeks midweek offering will be somewhat easier and gentler.
If the weather is inclement, walkers may wish to downgrade to the shorter walk (about 2½ km less)
You may find full details of this walk here and download a PDF here

Suggested Lunch stops in Burwash

Rose and Crown, Ham Lane t: 01435 882600

Limehouse Tearooms t: 01435 882221

Bear Inn, High Street t: 01435 882540

Suggested Tea stops

Judges Bakery, 51 High Street Robertsbridge (open to 5 pm) t: 01580 880434
The Ostrich for something a little stronger- just by the station t: 01580 881737

Maps

OS Explorer : 136 and a wee bit of 124

Return train times

A train returns from Robertsbridge to London Cannon Street at 16:09
Other trains return from Robertsbridge to London Charing Cross at 16:42 | 17:08 | 17:43 | 18:14

Sunday Walk 2 – Lots of variety on this South Downs walk

Extra Walk 9 – Pulborough to Amberley
Length: 17.2 km (10.7 miles). Toughness: 5/10

10:02 Bognor Regis train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:08, East Croydon 10:18), arriving Pulborough at 11:19. Buy a day return to Amberley.

[If you just miss this train, the 10:06 Brighton train overtakes it and you'd have a sporting chance of catching it at Gatwick Airport.]

Trains back from Amberley are hourly at 20 minutes past.

There are quite a few SWC walks in the attractive area around Pulborough Brooks, and this one hasn't had a Sunday outing for nearly four years. Its relatively short morning section takes you into some gentle hills to the east of Pulborough, where there's a choice of two lunch pubs about 15 minutes apart. If neither of these are up to the task on Mother's Day, you'll definitely be able to get some refreshment half an hour later at the RSPB Nature Reserve at Pulborough Brooks. The final part of the walk takes you through woodland and up onto the South Downs ridge before dropping down into the familiar surroundings of Houghton Bridge, which offers a nice riverside tearoom and a friendly pub close to Amberley station.

You'll need to print the directions from this PDF document. T=swc.09

Sunday Walk 1 – A short easy walk to a Cathedral city

Book 1 Walk 7 – Garston to St Albans
Length: 14.0 km (8.7 miles). Toughness: 1/10

10:54 Northampton train from Euston, changing at Watford Junction (arr 11:14, dep 11:20) and arriving Garston at 11:25. The most flexible ticket is a day return to St Albans stations, which allows you to return from either station.

From the main (City) station in St Albans there are fast trains to St Pancras at 29 & 59 minutes past, but note that these aren't continuing through London this Sunday because of engineering works. Trains back from the Abbey station are hourly at 28 minutes past and go to Watford Junction, where you change for Euston.

I remember this undemanding Book 1 walk as a pleasant winter outing through woods, meadows, parkland and river valleys, though admittedly when I did it many years ago it helped that the ground was frozen rather than waterlogged (so be prepared for some muddy stretches). The walk finishes in the interesting city of St Albans with its Roman walls and imposing Abbey, now a Cathedral. There's much to admire inside, not least a full-size replica of a 14thC astronomical clock.

The suggested lunch stop is the the Moor Mill Inn, a Beefeater pub-restaurant, after 6 km. As it's Mother's Day its restaurant may well be fully booked but you should be able to get served in the bar area. If this doesn't work out you might have to push on to St Albans, judging by the discouraging comments on the walk's Feedback page about the pubs in the next village, Park Street. There are of course plenty of refreshment places at the end of the walk, with the Cathedral Cafeteria being convenient if you're visiting.

You'll need to bring Book 1 or print the directions from the Walk 7 page. T=1.07

Saturday Third Walk - Real countryside, close to London

SWC walk 82 - Hayes to Knockholt
Length: 16km (10 miles)
Toughness: 4 out of 10

9.47 train from Charing Cross (9.50 Waterloo East) to Hayes (Kent), arriving 10.26

Tickets: Hayes is in London Transport zone 5 and Knockholt in zone 6, so use Oyster.

For walk directions click here.

It seems to be my week* for picking walks with different train lines out and back (see First Walk above), but in this case it is no hassle as both trains are within the LT travelcard/Oyster boundary.

As with the First Walk, multiplicity of lunch pubs was also a draw, just in case there is a spillover effect from Mother's Day tomorrow. On this walk Downe has two while Cudham has another. If you see someone that looks like Nigel Farage in the Queen's Head in Downe, don't get him talking about Europe, because it probably will be Nigel Farage. (See photos)

These factors apart, this is a proper little country walk on the southern fringes of London (or the northern fringes of the North Downs, if you prefer), with a nice mix of scenery. I offer no opinions on the mud quotient, but isn't the underlying soil here chalk?

If you can get to it in time (it closes at 4.45pm), it is worth making the effort to divert into Coolings Garden Centre towards the end of the walk to sample their wonderful self-service cafe, which has excellent cakes. If not the Rose and Crown pub usually puts up with our strange walkery ways. Note that it is 2km - 40 minutes walk or so - from here to Knockholt station, in whose environs there is no comfort, refreshment or relief of any kind. But it is light these days till 6.15pm or so.

Trains back from Knockholt are at 14 and 44 past.  ***DON'T FORGET to TAP IN **** (easy to do, as there are no barriers)

* Stargazer is away.

Saturday Second Walk - Hill top villages in East Bucks. Panoramic views of The Chilterns and Aylesbury Vale

SWC Walk 195 – Cheddington to Leighton Buzzard

Length: 24.5 km (15.2 mi) [shorter walk possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent: 234 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 5 ½ hours

Toughness:  5 out of 10 

Take the 09.24 Milton Keynes Central train from  Euston (calls Watford Junction 09.41), arriving Cheddington at 10.04;

Return trains: xx.33, xx.53 and xx.59 (34 to 47 minutes journey time) to Euston; alternatively, at xx.24 there's a train to Clapham Junction (68 minutes journey time).

Buy a Leighton Buzzard return.

 “A splendid walk through East Buckinghamshire’s rolling landscape of fields and wooded areas on the edge of the Chiltern Hills, linking up a handful of delightful hill top villages to provide panoramic views across pleasant countryside. Broadly following the Thames/Great Ouse watershed in the morning, it initially heads west, mostly with grand views of the Chilterns (when not walking in wooded areas), to then turn north with far views into Aylesbury Vale to the west, on to lunch pubs at either Aston Abbotts or Cublington. The afternoon route is more level, but still features the hilltop village of Wing and ends with a fairly tranquil descent into Linslade (for Leighton Buzzard station).“

The walk includes several arable field crossings before lunch, this might be the right time of year to walk it. 
Please see the comments section on the website for one walker’s remarks on recent route changes. We will investigate them to then update the directions. 
Disclaimer: This walk involves a level crossing of a dual carriageway, close to the end. So far, every SWC walker has survived the experience intact.

It is possible to shorten the walk by taking a bus to Leighton Buzzard station, for details see the ‘Walk Options’ chapter on page 2 of the directions.

The recommended lunch options are The Unicorn in Cublington (13.9 km/8.7 mi) [a table has been booked], or (a little earlier and 250m off-route) the Royal Oak Inn in Aston Abbotts (11.5 km/7.1 mi). For tea, there are several pubs listed in the directions, they are all in the Linslade part of town, i.e. close to the station. There is also a new or re-opened pub in Leighton Buzzard’s centre (The Black Lion at 20 High Street), which has been voted ‘CAMRA Pub of the Year Bedfordshire’ in its first year. That is asking to be tried out. As is The Bald Buzzard, a new micropub at 6 Hockcliffe Street.

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

T=swc.195

L=swc.195

Saturday First Walk - Through the woods and down to the Thames

Book 1, walk 40 Gerards Cross to Cookham (or Marlow, or Maidenhead)
Length: 15.4km (9.6 miles) - with possible 1.5, 4.4 or 5 mile extension after tea
Toughness: 2 out of 10

9.43 train from Marylebone to Gerards Cross, arriving 10.02

This walk requires two single tickets, as it starts and finishes on totally different lines. But this is not that expensive with a Network Card. Outward to Gerrards Cross the fare is £5.95. Back from Cookham to Paddington it is £8.05. So £14 altogether, less if you are buying a ticket from a London Transport zone boundary. A six zone travelcard bought with a Network Card (available from rail ticket machines but not Underground ones) might also reduce the cost.

For walk directions click here.

I am not sure when this walk last had a Saturday outing, but I don't think it has had one for a while. If you can conquer your irritation at having to buy two single tickets, it is a very pleasant gentle walk through woods and fields down to the Thames at Cookham. One other reason I chose it for today is that it has three possible lunch stops, which may be useful if Mother's Day entertaining spills over from tomorrow to today.

For tea, as well as the three pubs in the Cookham high street, there is a tea room (described as "Infusions" in the walk directions but now the Teapot Tea Room, open till 5pm). Failing that, just before the station on the right is the Pizza Dreams Cafe, open till 9pm, and across the level crossing and to the left a Costa Coffee open to 6.30pm daily

Lengthening the walk

Looking at our walks database, I see two options are mentioned for lengthening this walk which have not been done since 2010.

- The nicest is to continue on the Thames Path from Cookham to Bourne End (1.5 miles) or Marlow (another 3.5 miles from Bourne End). The path is well signposted and to get to it from central Cookham either cross the churchyard, or take the path to the right on Cookham Moor 100 metres beyond the Crown. If you need directions when you come into Marlow, page eight of this document ("Riverside ending in Marlow") will help, taking you to the tea options and then the station.

- If you are only walking to Bourne End there is a quirky riverside pub as a tea option (stay on this side of the river when the Thames Path crosses the railway bridge and it is 200 metres on the left). To get to Bourne End station, take the path that doubles back up steps on the eastern side of the bridge on the north bank - it follows the railway line to the station.

- Alternatively you can follow the Thames Path from Cookham in the other direction, down to Maidenhead - a distance of 4.4 miles. Print off the directions for walk 24, Cookham to Maidenhead for this and follow them from point 37. This document also outlines the tea options. The last mile or so of this walk is along urban streets but it is otherwise very pleasant, and your fare back will be cheaper (see below)

Trains back 

From Cookham at 21 past the hour.
From Marlow at 06 past and the fare is £9.25 with a Network Card.
From Bourne End at 17 past.
From Maidenhead there are four trains an hour and the fare is £7.95.

Midweek day walk - Birchington to Herne Bay

Birchington to Herne Bay - Keep the sea on your right

Easy coastal walk, passing the dramatic ruins at Reculver

Book 3* Walk 28

*On-line only

Length :  14 km or 9 miles

Toughness :  1 out of 10

Getting there :  Catch the 10:27 am train from St. Pancras International (10:34 am Stratford International) to Birchington-on-Sea or
Catch the 10:07 from London Victoria (10:23 am Bromley South) changing at Rochester to join the St. Pancras train.
High speed train fares are now about £5 more than standard fares and I seem to remember someone managed to upgrade on a return journey for the difference, before the HST joined the Ashford to St. Pancras track. (Train aficionados comments welcome!)

Meeting point :  Birchington-on-Sea Station at 11:53 am

Tickets :  Buy a cheap day return to Birchington-on-Sea

Brief Description

It is possible to do this walk in reverse to avoid the prevailing winds, but hey, we're the Saturday Walkers! - Herne Bay also sports the better tea stop options.
For those of you wanting to extend the walk, you may carry onto Whitstable, adding about 7 km to the walk. (If I recall correctly, there's an excellent Chippy in Whitstable. )

You may find full details of this walk here

Suggested Lunch stops

King Ethelbert Inn, Reculver Lane CT6 6SU, t: 01227 374368

The Dolphin Bar & Restaurant  t: 01227 504 987

Suggested Tea stops

Makcaris 54, Central Parade, Herne Bay  t: 01227 374 977 - open to 6:00 pm

Additionally, Herne Bay has several pubs: just beyond the clock tower on the left the Saxon Shore is a very pleasant Wetherspoon's outlet.

Map

OS Explorer : 150

Return train times

Trains return from Herne Bay at 44 minutes past the hour to London St. Pancras ( journey time 1 hour 26 minutes ) and to London Victoria at 16:12 | 17:16 | 18:16 ( journey time 1 hour 40 minutes )

Trains return from Whitstable at 50 minutes past the hour to London St. Pancras and to London Victoria at  16:19 | 17:23 | 18:23

The High Weald

Book 3 Walk 19

Tunbridge Wells Circular – main walk

Length 19.3km (12.0m ); toughness 5/10

Trains:09.55 London Charing Cross (Waterloo East  09.57)Tunbridge Wells 10.51

Return trains xx.09 and xx.39 to London Charing Cross

An interesting walk through parkland, heathland and woods in the High Weald. (There will be some mud I’m afraid but hopefully not too much!)

There are options to shorten the walk should you so wish but you can find further details about the walk, refreshment opportunities  and full walk instructions here. Click on the Main Walk options M  for the 19.km version of the walk

The Seaside and the South Downs

Book 3 Walk 60c Eastbourne Circular

Length 18km (11.2m) ;toughness 6/10.

Trains 09.47 London Victoria (Clapham Junction  09.53, East Croydon 10.08) Eastbourne 11.13.

Return trains from Eastbourne to London Victoria at xx:59

This particular walk variation does not appear to have had an outing for almost 6 years so lets dust it off and give it a go.

This is quite a vigorous walk with a steep climb near the start  but you can cut it short at East Dean and catch a bus back to Eastbourne if the weather is inclement or you have just had enough. The last part of the walk is through Eastbourne’s streets but this is not unpleasant.

Further information about the walk and its options and the lunch and refreshment opportunities  can be found here with the pdf detailed walk instructions here

Saturday Third Walk [Fully Revised] - North West Essex chalky uplands and pretty villages

SWC 116 Wendens Ambo [Audley End station] Circular - re-routed after a pub closure and fully written up

Length: 23.7 km (14.7 mi) [longer and shorter walk possible, see below]

Ascent/Descent: 280 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 5 ¼ hours

Toughness:  5 out of 10 

Take the 09.28 Cambridge train from Liverpool Street (Tottenham Hale 09.40), arriving Audley End at 10.30. 

Return trains: direct at XX.19 and XX.40, or with a change at Stansted Airport at XX.25 and XX.45.

Buy an Audley End return.

First posting of this former map led walk, now slightly re-routed to involve a new lunch pub, we will take the opportunity to check the walk directions.

To quote the write-up: "This is a relaxing walk in the quiet chalky uplands of north-west Essex, on the borders of Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, very much off the beaten track, and with gently rolling hills, plenty of woods and copses as well as some pretty villages. Right from the start the walk takes you past picturesque thatched cottages with ample examples of pargeting, a decorative medieval plastering technique, and on through some farmland to the early lunch stop in Arkesden, one of the prettiest villages in Essex with one of the best pubs and loveliest churches. The route then gently ascends to Chrishall, the dedicated lunch stop on the full walk, along field boundaries and green lanes. Chrishall village is close to Essex’ highest point and the approach offers fine views into the Hertfordshire plain and back down the wide ‘winding valley’ that gives Wendens Ambo its name.

After lunch you follow the Icknield Way to Elmdon, with views north out across the Cambridgeshire plain to Cambridge, then alongside a high hedge with views off to your right into the winding valley back to Wendens Ambo.

A slightly longer, more westerly route (25.7 km/16.0 mi) takes you over Essex’ highest point itself to Chrishall, this is rated 6/10. A shorter route (16.8 km/10.5 mi) cuts out most of the higher ground including the outlying villages of Chrishall and Elmdon, this is rated 3/10."  For the short walk you should take the 10.28 train, so as not to arrive too early at the lunch pub in Arkesden.

The recommended lunch options are The Axe & Compasses in Arkesden (4.9 km/3.0 mi) for the short walk or The Red Cow in Chrishall  (13.1 km/8.2 mi) [a table has been booked]. For tea it’s either The Bell Inn, 10 minutes from the station, or The Fighting Cocks, 5 minutes beyond the station.
For walk directions click here. Due to server trouble, Grandmaster David C had to create this link  for us to the gpx files (one each for main walk, extension and shortcut).

T=swc.116                       

L=swc.116

Saturday Second Walk - Wiltshire downland using SWT offer

SWC Walk 248 - Tisbury Circular via Hindon
Length: 21.8km (13.6 miles) with 3.1km (1.9 miles) of possible afternoon shortcuts
Toughness: 7 out of 10

Catch the 9.20 train from Waterloo (9.27 Clapham Junction) to Tisbury, arriving 11.06

*** Buy your ticket online from SWT or at SWT ticket offices (eg at Waterloo) *** up to midnight the night before*** to get the SWT £15 return offer ("Discover the Great Indoors").

For walk directions click here.

We have not yet made much use of the SWT £15 offer, so here is a chance to do so. A 1hr 46 minute train journey whisks you beyond Salisbury to the Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where this walk circles around the large Fonthill Estate. The walk notes talk of "spectacular walking country", "breathtaking views", "picturesque villages" and "excellent pubs", so that seems to tick all the boxes.

How muddy or otherwise the route is I do not know, but being on chalk one can at least hope the mud will be less gloopy than on other routes. I also note that this walk was debuted in March last year and as far as I know no one sunk without a trace on it.

It is 6 miles to lunch in Hindon (2.5 hours at a reasonable pace) where there are three pubs serving food till 2.30pm. For any that think they might not make this, there is an earlier cafe option after 3 miles.

In the afternoon two shortcuts are possible, which if taken together would reduce the walk to 11.7 miles. However it is also now light till 6pm so it should be possible to finish the whole route.

Trains back from Tisbury are at 01 or 03 past, though evening dining types might like to note that from the 19.03 onwards they take 2hrs rather than 1hr 46 minutes. The last direct train is the 20.01, though there is a 21.01 changing at Salisbury that is actually a few minutes quicker. The 22.03 requires a (rather tight) change at Basingstoke.

Balcombe Circular or Walk Research from Balcombe to Horsham

t=1.16 Length: 17.6km (10.9m)
Toughness: 5/10
Transport: Take the 9:42 from London Bridge to Balcombe arriving at 10:22
Return from Balcombe at xx:22 until 19:22, then xx:59

From the walk description:
This is a walk full of small delights: a nature reserve and lake with Japanese pavilion down by the stream below the gardens and park of Nymans 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 – with the incongruous sight of a Roman arch and columns in the middle of nowhere – and later up through fields and woods to the fine old village of Balcombe.

I would like to offer the option to continue the walk to Horsham by map after lunch instead of returning to Balcombe. This option does not seem to exist yet for this walk but could be added to the walk instructions.

States of Mind: Tracing the edges of consciousness at Wellcome Collection

Exploring phenomena such as somnambulism, synaesthesia, and disorders of memory and consciousness, the exhibition will examine ideas around the nature of consciousness, and in particular what can happen when our typical conscious experience is interrupted, damaged or undermined.  

This changing exhibition will examine perspectives from artists, psychologists, philosophers and neuroscientists to interrogate our understanding of the conscious experience.

For more detail, click here.  Meet at Gallery at 6:45pm. Free Admission. Post exhibition F&B will be at a nearby pub (TBD).

Mid week day walk - Maidenhead to Marlow

Maidenhead to Marlow with the merest hint of mud

A pretty stretch of the Thames to Cookham in the morning. After lunch, a hill with a view of the Thames valley

Book 3 Walk 56

Length :  14½ km or 9 miles

Toughness :  3 out of 10

Getting there :  Catch the 10:12 am train from London Paddington to Maidenhead

Calling stations:

• Ealing Broadway:      departs 10:20
• Southall:             departs 10:27
• Hayes and Harlington: departs 10:31
• West Drayton:         departs 10:35
• Slough:               departs 10:42

Meeting point :  Maidenhead Station at 10:53

Tickets :  Buy a cheap day return to Marlow

Brief Description

This is an ideal walk for those of you weary of mud.  It passes the Cliveden Estate (though not accessible) where the Profumo affair took place many moons ago in 1961.
You may find full details here and a printable PDF here. (Apparently Kindlites may use this PDF) 

Suggested Lunch stops at Cookham

The Bel and Dragon t: 01628 521263 (up market)

The Kings Arms   t: 01628 530667 

The Crown  t: 01628 520163

The Teapot Tea Shop t: 01628 529 514

Hopefully one of these will suffice !

Suggested Tea stop

Burgers t: 01628 483389 Pronounced with a 'soft' G and open to 5:15

There are many other eateries in Marlow too.

Maps

OS Explorer : 172 

Return train times

Trains return from Marlow at the following times ...

15:06  (Change at Maidenhead)
16:05  (Change at Maidenhead)
17:16  (Change at Bourne End and Maidenhead)
17:47  (Change at Bourne End and Maidenhead)
18:17 (Change at Bourne End, Maidenhead and Slough)
18:47  (Change at Bourne End and Maidenhead)