Saturday Walk: Cuxton Circular

Length: 11 Miles (17.5km) 6 out of 10

This is a variant of the Cuxton to Halling walk, and for the last third of the walk, gives a different perspective on the start of the Cuxton To Snodland (which you do in reverse to create the circular walk. The walk instructions include how to do this). T=3.173

Trains: The 1022 from St Pancras International. Change at Strood (arr 1057 depart 1104 on the Tonbridge train) arr Cuxton at 1108. There is also a slow train from Charing Cross at 0939 London Bridge 0946 to Gillingham arr Strood 1049.
Return trains at xx22 & xx52

Lunch: There are three pubs in Cobham, 4.5 miles (7¼ km) into the walk. The suggested place is the Leather Bottle (01474-814327), which serves a good selection of home-made food and has a large back garden. Earlier you pass the Ship Inn (01474-814326) and the Darnley Arms (01474-814218). If you want to eat slightly later you could make a short detour to the Cock Inn (01474-814208) in Henley Street.

Tea: Cuxton has the White Hart pub (01634-711857) at the top of Station Road, while a short detour will take you past a mini-market in the village.

SWC Walk 173 - Cuxton to Halling
Length: 18km (11.2 miles)
Toughness: 6 out of 10

9.55 Southeastern High Speed from St Pancras International to Strood, arriving 10.27, changing there (down under the underpass to the opposite platform usually) there for the 10.34 to Cuxton, arriving 10.38

ALTERNATIVELY, the 9.09 from Charing Cross (9.12 Waterloo East, 9.27 Lewisham) to Strood arrives at 10.19 and connects more comfortably with the Cuxton train.

Get a day return to Halling (pronounced "Hauling")

For walk directions click here.

This varied Kentish walk has not had an outing for two years, as far as I can see. It revisits territory familiar from the Snodland to Sole Street and Cuxton to Sole Street walks, but with plenty of surprises and twists all of its own.

Attractions include a reserve managed by the charity Plantlife, which may have some interesting flowers, a neo-classican mausoleum, and the pretty valley of Luddesdown, with its organic farm.

Lunch is in the village of Cobham, where you can choose between the Leather Bottle, with its somewhat slight connection with Dickens (it gets a very brief mention in Pickwick Papers) or the less touristy Ship Inn and Darnley Arms.

In the afternoon the standard walk descends to the river Medway at Halling and there is an optional loop through marshes along the river (again, interesting flora may be present). Or you can talk an alternative ending back to Cuxton, which is slightly shorter.

In both cases your tea stop will be a fairly rough and ready pub. The one in Halling I remember as friendly but a bit stuck in the 1970s.

Trains back from Halling are at 18 and 48 past (22 and 52 from Cuxton) with connections at Strood getting you to St Pancras in about 50 minutes or Charing Cross in 1hr 25 minutes

Length: 19.5km (12.1 miles), Toughness: 6/10

Features: Cobham Park, Luddesdown

Trains: 9:39 from Charing Cross changing at Strood (arr. 10:49, dep. 11:04) to Cuxton arriving at 11:08. Buy a day return to Snodland. Alternatively, 10:22 from St. Pancras changing at Strood (arr. 10:57, dep. 11:04). Return trains from Snodland are at xx:22, xx:52. Change at Strood for Charing Cross or St. Pancras.

Options: Walk length can be reduced by 1.5km by finishing at Halling; or reduced by 2km by finishing at Cuxton.

Lunch: The suggested lunch stop is The Leather Bottle (01474 814 327) in Cobham about 7.5km into the walk - it has a pleasant garden. There are two other pubs in Cobham.

Tea: There are a couple of pubs in Snodland.

Directions: For more information including directions, maps, GPS etc. see SWC.173