Distance: 12 miles with shorter walk of 5 miles to Wivenhoe
Meeting Point: Colchester station (south entrance) off Platform 4 with adjacent toilets at 10.20 am (reached via subway and turning left) - we'll move off soon after. (Do not go to the north entrance for taxis and buses)
Getting There: Catch the 9.30 Greater Anglia service from Liverpool Street station (destined for Norwich), stopping at Stratford 9.37, arriving Colchester 10.16
Getting Back: Aiming for the 17.24 service from Great Bentley to Colchester (arriving 17.52) - change for the 18.00 fast service back to Liverpool Street (stopping at Stratford 18.39) arriving 18.47 (Hourly service from Great Bentley)
(Rail ticketing would be a day return to Great Bentley to cover the outward journey to Colchester - or Wivenhoe if dropping out)
Lunch: Stopping in Wivenhoe after 5 miles, either bring your own munchies or get something from a cafe or pub
Route: Leaving Colchester station, a short stroll through the back streets leads into Castle Park, picking up the River Colne trickling through and with the castle looking down. We follow the tree-lined river embankment as it weaves its way to East Bridge and the start of the Wivenhoe Trail - and then following the river's course through urban greenery and regeneration with its legacy of clothmaking, commerce, oysters and smuggling around the once ancient Hythe. After passing the lightship, the trail leaves the metropolis with its modern riverside developments, to run alongside the railway with views gradually changing as the now tidal river slowly bends and widens its way past Hythe Marshes. From Ferry Marsh, Rowhedge comes into view on the opposite bank whilst our riverside path twists round to reach Wivenhoe with its picturesque streets and history of once serving as the port for Colchester with fishing, boat building and (more) smuggling ...
After lunch, our route follows the marsh alongside the river and disused railway line that once ran to Brightlingsea (closed 1964). Reaching the confluence of Alresford Creek with the River Colne, we head away from the latter, passing the derelict landing stage and gantries that once served nearby quarries amidst the cries of wading birds. Never far away from the remains of abandoned docks, the creek leads upstream to the 19th C weatherboarded Thorrington Mill which served as the only tide mill in Essex. Heading away inland, the final 3 miles takes us over the fields to Thorrington village with its green. More open fields lead us to Frating Abbey that was and then to Great Bentley with its expansive village green (one of the largest in England) and the railway station.
Moderate yet fairly relaxed pace (2 to 2.5 miles per hour) over flat terrain with undulations for the last 3 miles - possibly muddy after rain !
Cheers, Nick
The music at the event is free. Food and drink are available at the Crown Inn and from stands at the festival. Alternatively bring a packed lunch.
Please meet me at Chesham tube station on the met line just outside the ticket barriers at midday to start the walk. Tubes to Chesham are only every half an hour. The 10.49 tube from Baker Street arrives Chesham at 11.47.
The walk will be at a very relaxed pace and is mainly flat apart from a short steep climb from Chesham station. The plan is to spend at least 1.5 hrs at the festival before returning to Chesham station.
Melissa
Hazel
Usual 3-4 mile length. We will finish in a pub.
Meet at 6.30 at Bond Street Elizabeth line west entrance on Davies St. This is south of the tube station entrances.
Chair.clog@membermojo.co.uk
Secretary.clog@membermojo.co.uk
Meet at 11.30am outside Faversham station, reached by trains from Victoria, St Pancras, London Bridge, Stratford and Bromley
Tony
Mob 0781818 7773
Food and drink will be available to purchase, and there will be activities, to encourage people to move around.
More details to follow.
Sue Sinton Smith
Social Team
Major international kite flying exhibition in Southsea near Portsmouth. Admission free. Possibility of combining this day out with a seaside picnic and shortish walk, and maybe a pub visit afterwards. Details to follow
.
The plan is to travel on Friday afternoon/evening and pitch our tents at a campsite on the Knepp estate, where we can have a campfire. On Saturday we will do a local walk in the area. Checkout time is 10am on Sunday, so we may wander off home or potentially be able to leave packed-up tents on site in someone’s car.
This trip has opened for booking. See email for further details.
This walk over the National Trust's picturesque Headley Heath ("open heathland, woodland, and chalk downland") feels very remote even though it starts within London Zone 6. The walk returns to Tadworth via Headley Heath.
The walk starts at Tadworth (Zone 6), just south of Epsom Downs, and crosses open downland (and under the M25) to Headley.
At the start of Headley Heath, the walk crosses the open heathland - with a mix of partly forested hills allowing nice views for most of the way. Then it's a gentle stretch along the North Downs Way (NDW) along the edge of the escarpment, followed by a short stretch along a road to the lunch. Here you have a choice – the preferred option is a packed lunch followed by a drink in the CHALK HARE Pub (01737 420441 or www.chalkhare.co.uk ), however, as the pub is large, serves an Indian and British menu and the service is rapid, you may wish to opt for a Pub Lunch.
The walk returns across pretty Headley Heath along gentle forested paths, with a gentle Walton Heath ending.
There’s a choice of 2 pubs for tea about 20 mins walk before the station.
Train – Catch the 10.10 from London Bridge [platform 11] to Tadworth arriving 11.04.
Return trains are at 10 and 40 mins past the hour to London Bridge.
Chair.clog@membermojo.co.uk
Secretary.clog@membermojo.co.uk
Joining details to follow.