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Woodmansterne Lavender Fields Short Walk

Banstead Commons, Oaks Park and spectacular Lavender fields during July and August

Easy London Short

History

Club walks since April 2015, and a summary which goes back to Jan 2010.

Date Option Post # Weather
Wed, 28-Aug-24 Evening Walk: Belmont to Coulsdon via Little Woodcote 5 warm evening
Sun, 07-May-23 Belmont to Coulsdon via Little Woodcote 10 cloudy start turning sunny later
Thu, 25-Jul-19 Evening Walk: Lovely Lavender near London 6 extreme heat cooling slightly later with gentle breeze
Thu, 02-Aug-18 Thursday Evening: Lovely Lavender (Banstead to Woodmansterne or South Coulsdon) 6 warm evening
Tue, 08-Aug-17 Evening Walk - Woodmansterne Lavender Fields (Banstead to Woodmansterne or Coulsdon South) [New Walk] 9 humid but cool
Margaret
Short Walk 23 – Belmont to Coulsdon via Little Woodcote

Length: ~8.8km 5.5 miles Toughness 1/10

  • 17:30 Epsom Downs service from London Victoria (calls at various stations including Clapham Junction 17.39, Sutton 18.19) arrives Belmont 18:22
  • 17.41 Horsham service from London Victoria Change at Sutton to connect with the above 18.19 Epsom Downs service.
  • 17:25 West Croydon service from London Bridge (Norwood Junction 17.40) Change at West Croydon to connect with the Epsom Down service) arrives at Belmont 18:22

    • For the return journey, there are 2 train stations in Coulsdon, within 10 minutes walk of each other:

  • Trains from Coulsdon Town to London Bridge are at xx:05 and xx:35 (last train 23:05)
  • Return trains from Coulsdon South are at xx:09 and xx39 to London Bridge (last LB train 21.39) and at xx:19 and xx:49 to Victoria (with the last Victoria train at 23.21) BUT on the Victoria services you can change at East Croydon to the switch to the London Bridge train and on the LBG train you can switch at East Croydon to the Vitoria train.
  • TFL bus #60 is another option and will take you to Purley, East or West Croydon and Streatham

    • Belmont and South Coulsdon stations are in London Travelcard Zone 6

    Little Woodcote Estate This walk has a surprisingly rural feel. After crossing Banstead Common, it initially follows the London Loop, then continues through Oaks Park and along Oaks Track between the fields of the Little Woodcote Estate. Here you may see free range chickens, horses and rare breed sheep and there should also be a few blackberries. Note that you'll need to skip the short loop around Naturally Thinking's Botanical Farm as it's temporarily closed.

    Google maps shows several refreshment possibilities on or near Brighton Road in Coulsdon at the end of the walk, including:

  • Mazu (Mediterranean) (020 8660 5467)
  • Los Arcos (Tapas) (020 8668 0007)
  • T Raj (Indian)
  • Bombaylicious (Indian) (0208 660 8915)
  • Lo Zafferono (Italian) (02086687417)
  • Toriton Izakaya (Japanese) (020 8668 0164)
  • The Pembroke pub (0208 7630800).

    • As usual, please remember to bring your directions from the L=Short.23 webpage.

    • Sandy
      Aug-24

      I might be able to join this walk this evening but I can’t find any instructions for the Little Woodcote/Coulsdon S ending and it doesn’t come up in my GPX file. Am I missing something?

    • Margaret
      Aug-24

      Hi Sandy. The route is included on the gps file. I'm fairly sure I had updated the written instructions too but I will check that. I'll be on the walk and can show you the route before we start.

    • JohnL
      Aug-24

      Sandy, Little Woodcote option KML file takes you to Coulsdon Town Station. If you continue beyond Waitrose and Aldi etc on the Brighton Road you will get to Coulsdon South.

    • Sandy
      Aug-24

      Thank you both! Trains delayed here, not going to get to Clapham Junction in time for the posted train so I will go to Woodmansterne or Coulsdon and walk towards the London Loop, hope to intercept you

    • Margaret
      Aug-24

      If you can get to sutton bus 280, S1 or S4 will take you to Belmont (or it's about 25 mins walk from sutton to Belmont)

    • author image
      Margaret
      Aug-24

      5 people, on this warm evening , 3 off the train and 2 who joined us by the cafe in Oaks Park. Little Woodcote was as nice as always. The heritage sheep and happy chickens were out and the sun was beginning to set over the fields. We ended the walk with drinks and some nice food in Coulsdon. Sorry to have missed you, Sandy. It does look like this version of the walk is gps-led only but I can write some basic directions for it.

    • Sandy
      Aug-24

      Owing to train chaos at Clapham Junction I didn't get to Coulsdon South till 7.10, where (having later read it) it turns out I exactly followed the route suggested in Margaret's comment of August 2021 in reverse; however by the time I got to point 2 at 8.05 it was getting pretty dark and not having met anyone, I decided to bail out and head for the nearest bus stop :-(

    Margaret
    Short Walk 23 – Belmont to Coulsdon via Little Woodcote

    Length: ~9.66 km 6.0 miles Toughness 1/10

    10:35 Dorking service from London Bridge. Change at Sutton for the 11:19 Southern service to Epsom Downs, arriving at Belmont 11:22. If you are south of the river you could alternatively take the Southern service to Epsom Downs at 10.45 from Streatham Hill (where it starts today).

    Belmont and South Coulsdon stations are in London Travelcard Zone 6

    Return trains to London Bridge are xx.54 from Coulsdon South (direct) or at xx.24 from Coulsdon Town (but you have to change at Purley, from where there are 4 trains an hour to London Bridge). Or TFL bus 60 will take you the short distance from Coulsdon High Street to Purley train station

    Note: To reach Coulsdon South station at the end, turn right along the High Street and continue for ~10 minutes

    Little Woodcote Estate This short map-led walk has a surprisingly rural feel for being a short distance from London. After crossing Banstead Common, it follows the London Loop for a while, then continues through Oaks Park and Little Woodcote Estate. Note there are not any written instructions for this particular option so you'll need to print the map or download the GPS from the L=Short.23 webpage.

    You pass 2 cafes en route: Oaks Park Cafe(hot and cold food) and Naturally Thinking Farm Cafe (cream teas, pastries and cakes). There are various eateries in Coulsdon at the end of the walk, including the lovely Poppy's Cafe in Coulsdon Memorial Ground (hot food and homemade cakes) and The Pembroke pub on Chipstead Valley Road

    • porky
      May-23

      Planning to start where the path crosses the B2218. Train services look OK from Coulsdon Town.

    • author image
      Mr M Tiger
      May-23

      9 at the station. A cloudy start turning sunny later Dry underfoot. The group split into fast and slow, the slow being intent on identifying every plant encountered, the fast being, well, faster.

      A 10 th walker was discovered lurking near the Oaks Park cafe, for some, the lunch opportunity. Others pressed on through a woodland trail and down verdant hedgerows to the Naturally Thinking compound and its tearoom. Coffee and carrot cake for Mr Tiger. Lavender shortbread for another. After more verdant hedgerows and a long haul through suburbia, Coulsdon was reached. Here, the group elements reassembled in the Pembroke’s sunny, if unremarkable garden for a last drink before heading for the station.

    Stargazer
    Evening Walk -- SWC Short 23: Woodmansterne Lavender Walk (Banstead to South Coulsdon)
    Distance: Approximately 5 miles or 8 km for those more metrically minded
    Difficulty: 1 out of 10

    Meet: Banstead Train Station (meet arriving train at 18:56)

    Train: Take the 18:00 Epsom Downs train from London Victoria OR take the 18:11 Epsom train also from London Victoria (changing at Sutton onto earlier train -- arriving 18:43; departing 18:49), arriving Banstead 18:56 . Return: Regular return trains from Coulsdon South until 23:25.

    This walk has a surprisingly rural feel for being a short distance from London. It passes through Banstead Down with views to London and follows the London Loop for a spell before passing through the Mayfield Lavender Farms . T he walk takes you along Coulsdon High Street past the Pembroke Pub for post-walk refreshies on route to Coulsdon South station…. More information about the route can be found here . As there are limited instructions for this walk, I would suggest also printing out the map page from the OS Map tab.

    Enjoy the walk!
    • Stargazer
      Jul-19

      5 familiar faces found each other at the Banstead station exit in extreme heat cooling slightly later with gentle breeze and soon came across one newcomer who had set off earlier, making for a total of 6, on this enjoyable evening. The route has a country feel with some nice views from Oakes Park from where we could already detect the slight fragrance of lavender from the nearby Mayfield Lavender Farm....The lavender was in top form last night -- large bushy plants of a deep vibrant purple -- really spectacular against the setting sun....and full of buzzing bees.....

      On the final stretch, we had an odd encounter with a man in the middle of open pasture land and some dogs with very young puppies which did not look great...Fearing the worst, some of us returned...but the guy seems to have taken the puppies back from where they came....we think a nearby travelers camp....

      At Coulsdon South Station we were met with the carnage of a delicate rail system in mid melt down.....The Victoria trains seemed to handle the heat better....

    Stargazer
    Thursday Evening: Banstead to Woodmansterne or South Coulsdon

    Distance: Approximately 5 miles or 8 km for those more metrically minded

    Difficulty: 1 out of 10

    Meet: Banstead Train Station (meet arriving train at 18:56)

    Train: Take the 18:00 Epsom Downs train from London Victoria OR take the 18:11 Epsom train (changing Sutton onto earlier train -- arriving 18:43; departing 18:49), arriving Banstead 18:56

    Return: Regular return trains from Woodmansterne Station at 25 and 55 minutes past the hour until 22:55 or slightly more frequent service from Coulsdon South until 22:50.

    This walk has a surprisingly rural feel for being a short distance from London. It passes through Banstead Down with views to London and follows the London Loop for a spell before passing through the Mayfield Lavender Farms. Last year, we did this walk in mid-August and the lavender was past its best….hopefully….we can catch it closer to its prime this week…..refreshed with the recent showers……

    A slightly longer ending to the walk takes you along Coulsdon High Street past the Pembroke Pub for post-walk refreshies on route to Coulsdon South station….

    More information about the route can be found here. As there are limited instructions for this walk, I would suggest also printing out the map page from the OS Map tab.

    Enjoy the walk!




    • JohnL
      Aug-18

      Given the the rather poor public houses in Coulsdon at the end of this walk, J and J would be delighted to invite you for a glass of chilled white wine (kindly provided by SWC walkers at an event earlier in the year) at 28 Southwood Ave.

    • saransh
      Aug-18

      Hi guys!

      I’m new to this group and would like to join for the walk. Anyone I could contact so that I know I’m in the right place?

      Cheers

    • Sandy
      Aug-18

      Another Thursday night fail! Stupidly i tried to travel via Wimbledon and Sutton; after 40 sweltering minutes on Wimbledon station platform I decided to go home and watch the cricket highlights. Hope you had a good walk, that Saransh found the group and you enjoyed the lavender and chilled wine.

    • Sean
      Aug-18

      With some predictable travel disruption on London's less-than-resilient railway network, only three walkers alighted from the specified train at Banstead. While standing outside scratching their heads at the paltry directions two more arrived from a little pre-walk. Later still one more joined at Oaks Park, so we can just about claim 6 on a warm evening .

      This stretch of the London Loop isn't the most exciting (a golf course and a busy main road to cross, followed by a gloomy bridleway alongside prison walls), but Oaks Park and the right of way across the Mayfield Lavender farm make it worthwhile. Most of the lavender hadn't been harvested but the flowers had shrivelled in the heatwave and the field wasn't the intense purple of previous years. Two then sloped off back to their cars but everyone found their way to J&J's garden in Coulsdon for some very welcome post-walk refreshment, for which many thanks.

    Thomas G
    L ength: 8.0 km (5.0 mi)
    Ascent/Descent: about 100m
    Net Walking Time: 2 hrs
    Meet: Banstead Station (Zone 6)
    Take the 18.03 Epsom Downs train from Victoria (all stations via Clapham J and Selhurst), arrives Banstead at 18.56.
    Return: from Woodmansterne (Zone 6), every 30 minutes on xx.27 to Victoria via East Croydon, or from Coulsdon South (longer, alternative ending).
    This walk passes through some Lavender Farms, which in July and August, should be a stunning sea of purple. It also goes through parkland (Oakes Park) and commons (Banstead Downs). The walk starts in Banstead Downs (now being cleared of scrub after years of neglect) with London skyline views from the Gally Hills. It then joins the London Loop Long Distance Path and crosses farmland towards Oaks Park (caf é , car park) - the parkland grounds of a former country house. After an optional loop of the park (short or long versions available), you cross public footpaths through a series of nurseries used for growing lavender. You then continue along the London Loop before leaving it for Woodmansterne station.
    There also is an alternative, slightly longer, ending via Couldson High Street, passing The Pembroke pub, to South Coulsdon station, which has a better train service.
    For walk directions, map, photos, and gpx/kml files click here .
    • JohnL
      Aug-17

      An alternative to the Pembroke Pub is chez J and J where the hosts will be happy to offer some of the wine generously provided by walkers for the party earlier this year. At the end of the walk follow the Coulsdon South option then turn left on Bramley Ave, and then take the 1st right. Our house is first one on the left hand side. J and J

    • Thomas G
      Aug-17

      2 local walkers on the platform met 4 others off the train, and there were 3 more on the train who couldn't get off it, as they were in the last coach where the doors don't open due to a short platform, i.e. 9 in humid but cool weather.

      The main group struggled to find the right route through the first golf course (no one had a compass) and were overtaken by the late group halfway through the walk.

      The lavender was already past its best (global warming?), but all in all a nice walk.

      Complimentary drinks were offered at J & J's and were gladly accepted by 4 of us.

      Next year: post it in early July.

    • Anonymous
      Aug-17

      Walk directions at the PDF file of this walk is missing. Mila