The fall of the House of Walker!! There was grumbling on Riddlesdown station that “only” 11 turned up for this walk. It was felt that Walker’s walks were losing their touch. Later in the lunch pub someone was kind enough to suggest that my walk reports “could have been written by AI”. So, knives out, basically….

As we climbed up onto Kenley Common we were met by a local walk poster, making 12 in all. But he then led some of us astray, suggesting a walk along Kenley airfield instead of the specified route. This led to fragmentation that lasted much of the walk.

The Fox on Coulsdon Common was almost empty when we arrived and did not fill up significantly while we were there. This was a surprise, as in the past this pub has been really busy. Three ate, some sandwichers had drinks: others popped in to say they were just wandering on and we would catch them up (yeh, right…).

The weather was mostly cloudy - some sun at times but it never became widespread. The crossing of Happy Valley apart, I found the afternoon surprisingly arable: big fields, mostly surface mud, but one field near the end heavily ploughed and very hard going. We stopped briefly to see the frescoes in Chaldon Church.

Near Kingswood there was a very pretty valley, however, and here a miracle occurred. Pretty much the whole group (apart from two who had finished at lunch time) coalesced in the space of about fifty metres, sandwichers reappearing to meet the pub lunchers, etc. How this happened, I do not know, but it was nice to see everyone again.

In the pub at the end, one further surprise. A walk poster not on the walk was sat there with a pint. There is no easy way to say this, but he had been LEADING A WALK FOR ANOTHER GROUP!!! We had (mostly) tea and a nice chat and some got the 16.22 and some the 16.52.

What about Kelvedon Circular?

Hello Marc. Thanks for the suggestion. I had an earlier request from someone else to post a walk to the south of London for this weekend.

Kelvedon does look like a nice walk and I've added it to the "Walk Requests" section of the Forum so that all the walk posters can consider it in future.

17 at the station. The group set off at varying speeds on a warm mostly sunny day. More joined en route and, by the time Coulsdon Common was reached, numbered about 21 (certainly more than could be counted accurately on fingers and toes - even with socks off). Backmarkers were surprised to find most of the group sat in a circle in the woods there like a giant teddy bears and elves picnic. (Except for 4 speed-monkeys who hurtled straight to the Fox, where they said the food was good). And that’s where most of the rest went later, just for drinkies. Friendly atmosphere.

Then on. Mr Tiger has no data on the Kingswood / Coulsdon split, but thinks most headed for Coulsdon, as did he.

A sizeable number were heading for a post-walk garden party. Although tempted, Mr Tiger, had had enough excitement for one day and went home.

Most agreed it was a nice walk.

The garden party was fab with masses of food and drinks. Thanks to all concerned with the organisation.

In case anyone is interested in the Beaver project in Greenford that I attended here is a link

Learning to live with Beavers

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScAl_XdqgiDTnvT1mpMxHWqEhK2UTk7HjnXneNKZWN0XS5ZPA/viewform?usp=send_form

Maybe worth adding that there was 1 new walker on today's walk.

10 turned up for this walk on an overcast day with late rain forecast. After a brief shower we arrived at The Fox just as it was opening at midday. A few ordered lunch, most had brought their own. Just prior to leaving the pub rain had set in much earlier than forecast, changing the plans of many. One took a fairly direct route to Coulsdon, seven the short-cut via Chaldon church and two others the full walk to Coulsdon. The large group arrived in Coulsdon about 14:30 where three went to the station and I guess the other four went for tea. Persistent rain all afternoon

Just 3 hardnuts at Drizzledown station for what looked like a wet walk to Poursdown South. And so it was for the morning. But not excessively so. “At least it won’t be windy” said one optimist. It was windy. On reaching the Fox we were joined by 2 more hardnuts who had started from Poursdown.. This made us 5 Then the sun came out and, apart from a short but brutal shower mid afternoon, it stayed out. So wet start sunny finish The afternoon took a longer route than the short walk but not as long as the long walk. This for reasons of clag-avoidance and not in any way related to the L-word. Honest. A pleasant walk over Farthing Down followed. Then, just when we thought our day couldn’t get any better, we were whisked away in a waiting limo to an exclusive posh caff in Coulsdon where we were plied with tea, luxurious cake and even wine. A grand day out.

Victoria to East Grinstead via East Croydon and Riddlesdown appears to running normally 2 trains per hour. Reigate to Victoria via Coulsdon South also OK. A shuttle service from Tattenham Corner via Coulsdon Town is also running to Purley with onward connections to East Croydon and Victoria.

If needed, the number 60 bus will also take you from Coulsdon all the way to Streatham, via Purley and Croydon

7 walkers, including 2 who opted for a shorter version. It was a very nice, relaxing and enjoyable day and we stopped several times along the route to enjoy the views. At the end of the walk, 3 of us relaxed on the outdoor terrace of Poppy's cafe overlooking the memorial park. One to remember as it's a greats setting for tea, serves home made cakes and stays open late.

Poppy's Cafe is a family run Cafe located in Coulsdon Memorial Ground Park, which you pass on the way to Coulsdon South Station. It's on your right hand side at the bottom of Farthing Down.

A rather gloomy and mist day for this walk 14 off the train, 3 at the station and 1 catching up at lunch made for 18 on this enjoyable walk. The Fox wasn't at all busy for the inside diners, and huddle outside with a drink picnickers. The group diverged a bit after lunch with some taking the shortcut and others longer over their meal. Paths a bit muddy with a large field of very claggy mud, buy not too bad overall. The ending was quite atmospheric with the mist hiding the surroundings of the ridge.

You’ll also pass a family of pot bellied pigs, unless they’re out visiting schools. They’re always greedy for food, so bring supplies.

Tomorrow’s walk. Will those walkers travelling from Victoria get the 09:50 East Grinstead train to Ribblesdown (arrives 10:18)? It appears the next train would be 10:50.

Sorry, I missed the information concerning train times , taking the 10:50…

To avoid splitting the group from the start, perhaps we can all get the 10.50 from Victoria.

The train time proposed is the 10:50 not the 9:50.

The reason for taking this train is that it allows time for pass holders (who cannot travel before 9) get to Victoria. Thereby being more inclusive.

If any of you do get the earlier train be sure to collect contact details for reporting purposes. I won’t be there at that time.

13 12 at the station, 1 joining midday. The day was variously sunny cloudy sunny cloudy Not as muddy as it could have been, given the recent rain. Among the botanical delights on show, greater yellow rattle, orchids, wild carrot with its forky bracts, ladie’s and another bedstraw, a little pink pea thing and knapweed. One or two butterflies fluttered by - marbled white, speckled wood, red admiral. And a dragon fly. About half ate at the Fox and the food seemed to go down well, even if they were no good at sums. I think one or two might have taken the shortcut but a sizeable proportion went the whole way round The old painting’s still in the church. Happy Valley’s still happy. Farthing’s still down.

If you live in London is a 'local walk' anywhere in Greater London? Thanks.

That's a good question. There's lots of guidance about travelling to or from "your area" but I can't find anything on gov.uk or elsewhere defining what "your area" means. Is it your London borough? the whole of London? any neighbouring area in Tier 4? I can't believe it's meant to be deliberately ambiguous so has anyone found a clear definition?

You may leave you house to walk locally, "meaning avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live".

Source for that last clarification, please. Thank you.

the tier 4 rules on gov.uk

I think this clarification of "local area" has been added very recently; it's also in the sections for Tiers 1/2/3. I sent off some emails about this at the end of last week and I'm sure I wasn't the only person asking for clarity. Even on Sunday night a Sky News reporter was misleadingly telling people in Tier 4 that they shouldn't travel outside their "region" (the whole of Tier 4 in the south-east) rather than their local "area".

The legislation has now been published: The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers and Obligations of Undertakings) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020

There is only one Tier 4 area (defined by reference to the various county, district and London Borough councils.)

The legislation begins with the basic premise contained in the original lockdown legislation of March 2020, i.e. "No person who lives in the Tier 4 area may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse."

There are 16 possible exceptions to this rule (the list is not exhaustive) one of which is that " it is reasonably necessary for P (the person concerned) to leave or be outside P’s home—" ........

"to take exercise outside—

(i)alone,

......... (irrelevant parts omitted)

(iii)in a public outdoor place, with one other person who is not a member of their household, their linked household or their linked childcare household

The word "travel" does not appear anywhere in the legislation, and there is no mention of "avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live."

The Gov.uk website currently states "You must stay at home and not leave your Tier 4 area, other than for legally permitted reasons" but this seems to refer to the 16 exceptions noted above. So leaving the Tier 4 area is permissible in those cases. (There is no YOUR Tier 4 area - it's all one area)

However, as another poster said recently "Our emphasis should be about minimising risk of spreading, not what we can get away with."

"Our emphasis should be about minimising risk of spreading, not what we can get away with."

I completely agree with this.

Prof. Chris Whitty made the same point this week.

I think there are concerns that the new variant is both more infectious and has taken steps towards vaccine escape so it's very important to minimise spread.

how many kilometres would that be? has brexit already happened?

7 with an initial sunny start followed by rain mid morning. 6 got to the Fox, with 1 trailing behind. With a bus imminent and the rain, 4 abandoned the walk. 2 stalwarts carried on, with one planning a route to Coulsdon.

Sunny on the train out, sunny on the train back, rainy in between. There was more rain in the afternoon. Lots of it. A splishy sploshy walk, swampy wampy, even, in places. Two hardnuts carried on to Coulsdon, the fore-mentioned stalwart and the trailing one. The trailing one dropped into the Fox for a quick half but didn't see the others. No wonder, they were on a bus! So the trailing one pressed on and the stalwart eventually caught up with him.(Now how did that happen? An extra shortcut maybe?)

... and 1 went on to Kingswood. Well done that man!

Well done indeed.

When could they say till now that talked of Rome

That its wide walls encompassed but one man?

(Shakespeare: Julius Caesar)

Hi, is anyone coming to this walk?

I did a variation of this walk independently by myself today and can report that the church in Chandon is still advertising tea and cake on Sunday afternoons between 3 and 4.30

Intend going

2 usual suspects met on the platform at Riddlesdown in moderately falling snow for an atmospheric jaunt around the greenbelt near Coulsdon. Though chilly, a brisk pace kept us warm through the undulating terrain with some settled dustings of snow along the way. Arriving at the Fox for dinner, we were met by two other regular walkers who joined us for a drink while we dined. The final stretch through a lightly snow covered Happy Valley was a real highlight....Through-out the walk, plenty of ambient light to guide us on our way....

Anyone is interested in doing this walk an hour earlier to get it finished before the dark?

Hello,

I’d love to join.

Where is the meeting point to meet the group and what time?:)

Thank you

Margarita - Check out the link "guide for new members that explains all" near the top of the page. Normally you meet on the destination station platform (in this case Riddlesdown at 10:47), or look out for the group at the ticket barrier if you're not arriving by train.

Did anyone do this walk? I set off but got distracted....took the Tattenham Corner service, got off at Reedham and set off for Riddlesdown...took a wrong turn and arrived at Kenley. On a positive note, I don't know that area so it was a learning experience...I hope!!-

My extensive network of spies tell me there were about 6 on this walk that was largely dry with a little light rain over lunch . That's not counting Paul.

They were about 10 or 11 and one well-behaved dog. loosely separated into two groups. most enjoyed lunch at the popular Fox. the advance party charged on through stretches of mud to reach Coulsdon station. lovely walk but two GPS holders registered about 12 miles for the full walk instead of 10.4 ?..

10

My extensive network of spies have been booked back into Espionage School. They can only have been snooping on part of the group. :(

Either that, or the Russians are feeding disinformation about walk numbers to us in order to destabilise Western democracy...

4 walkers, although we did see another couple with the SWC directions so we are not sure if they did the same walk. The weather was warm and sunny all day. Summer is a good time of year to do this walk with it's mix of shady woodland and open fields and valleys. There were masses of buttercups and other wild flowers in the meadows and crops in the fields. We saw wild orchids, water lillies in full bloom and butterflies. The Fox on Coulsdon Common was not busy and easily accommodated us. In the afternoon, we rested briefly on a sunny hillside overlooking a sweeping valley by Noke Farm, surrounded by sheep and lambs. Later, strolling through the golf course we made way for a Bride and Groom riding across the golf course in a golf buggy, presumably to their reception in the club house and we congratulated them as they went by. The Kingswood Arms at the end of the walk usually makes a nice tea stop, but today it was heaving with people (we think from the Derby races) and had a sign outside saying they were serving "regular customers only". As we didn't think we could get away with looking like we were dressed for the races we headed straight to the station. We had at least passed a small shop selling drinks and ice creams earlier in the afternoon, where those who needed to, had refuelled. A nice walk, despite having to cross the M23.

Just to add, this area was all dry underfoot yesterday.

Just to add, this area was all dry underfoot yesterday.

Certainly was.

I made it a morning walk, (caught an earlier train finishing at Kingswood at about 10:30).

If want to get to Coulsdon Town Station for a real train:- From the end of the Downs continue on Marlpit Lane, ignore Reddown Rd on your left (that leads to Coulsdon South Stn) and continue under the rail and road bridges to the big roundabout where you turn right on to the Brighton Rd for the center of Coulsdon. Take the right fork at the next lights then stay on the Main Road passing The Art Cafe on your right and Cafe Nero on the left. Then just by Pizza Express turn up Leaden Hill To Coulsdon Town. You will need to go over the foot bridge for trains to London

Lindsey and I are planning to do this work and have two bottles, a box of nibbles and plastic cups ...

Peter and Wendy plan to join this walk

21 wet morning but dry with some sun later . Thanks to those who brought fizz and nibbles which were enjoyed in mild drizzle at the Riddlesdown view point. Some of us took a short cut to the RAF memorial on Kenley aerodrome and then on to the Fox which was busy but efficient. Most were happy with their lunch but the roasts were served rather tepid. After lunch there were three groups some doing the full N Downs Way section others the posted Chaldon Church route and the remainder went direct to Coulsdon.

Intend going.

silly question about the timings - won't it be pitch black at that time?

won't it be pitch black at that time?

Not really. It is advisable to bring a torch for when walking through wooded areas; but by and large even with heavy cloud cover on the ground visibilty is not too bad.

Want to make the most of these dark evenings while they last...

Just 2 set off from a cold and frosty platform under a starry evening for an atmospheric journey through a pleasant greenbelt just south of London dabbled with a thin layer of crunchy snow. Route finding went smoothly with good ambient light and we encountered only three slightly treacherous icy patches -- one being the pub car park! At the pub, our numbers suddenly doubled (during the duration of the pub visit) as the SWC pub patrol was out in full force...

On page 3 paragraph 2 'In 250m at a T junction with a road turn right' on Hayes Lane again (although not stated). This has always been a nasty section of the LOOP with 100m on a busy road with no pavement but can easily be avoided.

At the T junction there is a red postbox opposite and to its immediate right a path. Take this path into woodland, 7m later turn left and in another 20m turn right. Ignore a path on the right in another 10m and continue on a very twisty woodland path for 200m. At a path T junction with a garden fence and 3-fingered signpost visible 20m to the left, turn left and then at the fence turn right and in 10m follow the fence round to the left leading to a field in 40m. In the field turn left on a faint grass path which soon forks. Left goes to the Wattenden pub, while the right fork leads to a stile and earthen steps down with the turning to 'The Haven' 5m to the right.

A little shorter and a lot safer

that's all good stuff, but any ideas on walk numbers, weather, incidents, pubs etc.?

Four people got off the train and at least two of us finished, and got wet in a post lunch downpour.

4 wet

Forgot to count. About 12 overcast windy dry Fair bit of mud. Most finished at Kingswood, 1 at Coulsdon South. Fox OK.

According to a Facebook report 4 on this walk which was shortened by the participants because of rain.