We're going to trial a system to make sure there is at least one Saturday walk that is both 10 miles or less and toughness 4/10 or less every week.
During this trial period, if the normal three posts are all over ten miles we'll either post an extra walk or look at sharing one of the three posts, clearly identifying the shortened version of that post.

This is the first week of the trial and as the normal posts are all over 10 miles I've posted this Whyteleafe to Hayes with the shorter afternoon option.

Length: 7.3 miles (11.7km) to New Addington with a longer option of 10.4 miles (16.6km) to Hayes
Toughness: 3/10 or 5/10 for the longer option

Catch the 10:17 train from London Bridge (10:32 East Croydon) to Caterham, arriving at Whyteleafe 10:51

Tickets: Stations on this walk are all within zone 5 or 6, so use/buy an appropriate Oyster Card to cover your starting zone and zones 5/6.

The suggested lunch stop is at The White Bear, Fickleshole, (01959 573166) (www.the-whitebear.com) about two hours into the walk.

Full walk directions are here.

Download a GPX file here.



Trains back from Hayes are every 15 minutes with a final destination of Charing Cross or Cannon Street, journey time 40 minutes.

Trams back from New Addington to East Croydon Station are every 8 minute or so with a journey time of 24 minutes. There are many fast trains from East Croydon Station to London Bridge and London Victoria Stations

I hope those of you who have expressed a desire to see a shortish Saturday Walk find these new posts useful!
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Extra Walk 38 – Whyteleafe (Upper Warlingham) to Hayes
Length: 16.6 km (10.3 miles). Toughness: 4/10

10:21 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:28, East Croydon 10:39), arriving Upper Warlingham at 10:51. If it's more convenient the Caterham section of the stopping 09:54 service from London Bridge crawls into Whyteleafe at 10:44. Starting from this station is covered in the directions, but it would be more sociable to meet the others at Upper Warlingham (a four-minute walk, signposted). Buy a Zones 1-6 Travelcard or use your Oyster card.

This year is the centenary of the RAF and this is being celebrated at events like the Biggin Hill Air Show with flypasts by Spitfires and other historic aircraft, as well as the usual displays by the Red Arrows, etc. There would be better views of all this from the Hayes-Knockholt walk but Network Rail have thoughtfully scheduled engineering works on both these lines, so that's a non-starter. It still means that you won't have a simple return journey by train but there are many other possibilities from Hayes, including:

• A rail replacement bus to Lewisham at xx:05 & xx:35
  
• A 10-minute bus ride to Bromley South (138, 2/hr & 246, 1/hr)
  
• A 25-minute bus ride to East Croydon (119, 4/hr)
  
• Divert to New Addington for a shorter walk and Tram to Croydon
  

I hope this doesn't put anyone off: it's no worse than the standard one or two trains per hour on most of our Sunday walks. This is a much more rural walk than you might expect for something well inside the M25. It hardly gets any summer postings but I seem to remember a fair amount of shady woodland sections. Lunch is at a very attractive 16thC country pub, the popular White Bear in Fickleshole; it has a large garden but it might still be advisable to call ahead. For tea, there's a large Harvester pub and several small cafés near Hayes station. There's more information about the walk (and a link to download the directions) on the Whyteleafe to Hayes walk page. T=swc.38

Whyteleafe to Hayes

Length: 16.0km (9.9 miles) or 10.9km (6.8 miles) Toughness: 5/10 or 3/10

Only one walk is posted for today, since many SWC regulars will be away or engaged in Christmas preparations.

If you can’t spare the full day for walking, you could use one of the short options in the walk directions to do a half-day walk, finishing in New Addington after a morning walk or starting there for an afternoon walk. Frequent trams run between New Addington and East Croydon.

If doing either of the short options and not wanting to visit the lunchtime pub, you could shorten these options by:
A) to finish at New Addington, leave the main walk at point [2] and follow Short Walk Option 1 in reverse; or
B) to start at New Addington, follow Short Walk Option 2 in reverse and join the main walk at point [3].

09:53 East Grinstead train from Victoria (Clapham Junction 09:59, East Croydon 10:10), arriving at Upper Warlingham at 10:21.

There are no trains to Whyteleafe station today due to engineering works

Return trains from Hayes run to Victoria today via Catford and Lewisham at xx:04 and xx:34 (journey time 42 mins).

The stations at both ends of the walk, and New Addington too, are in Zones 5 & 6, so a one-day off-peak Travelcard covers your journeys.

Despite its proximity to London, this walk is surprisingly rural in character, passing through woods, fields and quiet valleys, often along shady bridleways. The second half of the walk is entirely within a London borough, though it does not feel like it.

The recommended lunch pub is the very popular 16th century White Bear (01959 573166) at Fickleshole. You can expect to get there by 12:00 or 12:15pm, in plenty of time to beat all the lunch parties who have booked tables today. But do ring the pub as you set off to let them know how many walkers are wanting to eat there.

Walk directions are here: L=swc.38
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SWC Walk 38 - Upper Warlingham to Hayes
Length: 16km (10 miles)
Toughness: 4 out of 10

9.53 train from Victoria (9.59 Clapham Junction, 10.10 East Croydon) to Upper Warlingham, arriving 10.22.

Both the outward and return stations are in London Transport zone 6, so you can use Oyster or contactless payment

For walk directions click here.

This is one of those walks between zone six stations that are "surprisingly rural" - fields, woods, quiet bridleways (and almost certainly some mud: but hey, it is February: not long to spring now). It can be started from either Upper Warlingham or Whyteleafe stations and I have chosen the former simply because the trains to it are nicer.

There is one pub for lunch - "a real gem" - whose log fires may be more of an attraction at this time of the year than its outside tables. I am advised that it is actually just over 4 miles into the walk rather than the 5 miles stated. Fast walkers should note that it opens for drinks from 11am but does not start doing food until midday: for more moderate-paced walkers, the specified train should get you to the pub fairly shortly after it starts food service. If it is a big group, try not to arrive all at once.....

You then have six miles or so to do in the afternoon, ending up in Hayes, which has a pub and a cafe, apparently, and trains up to London at 02, 15, 32 and 45 past.

SWC Walk 38 - Whyteleafe to Hayes
10 miles/16km

By request - this is a walk through some fine countryside close to London, with a great lunchtime pub.

Trains: Take the 10:23 East Grinstead train from London Victoria (East Croydon 10:41), arriving at Upper Warlingham at 10:52. (It is also possible to start from Whyteleafe station which is very close to Upper Warlingham). Return from Hayes, xx08/38 to Charing Cross, xx20/50 to Cannon Street. All stations are within Zone 6 and so covered by Oystercard.

Lunch: The White Bear, Fickleshole (01959 573166), 4.9 miles/7.8km into the walk. Attractive 16th century pub, good food served all day.

Tea: Sponge Kitchens, 38 Station Approach. Hayes Cafe, 48 Station Approach. The New Inn, large Harvester pub/restaurant opposite the station.


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Length: 16km / 10 miles (Shortcut 12km / 7 miles)
Toughness: 4/10
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Transport: Take either the 9:15 from London Bridge arriving in Whyteleafe at 9:50 or the 9:23 from London Victoria arriving in Upper Warlingham at 9:53. The Warlinghamers should wait for the Whyteleafers to meet at Whyteleafe station and start the walk together from there.
If you prefer to have a shorter walking morning and start later, take the 10:07 from London Victoria changing in East Croydon to the Tram to New Addington and start the walk from there. The Tram is paid for as you would pay for buses, i.e. free with a Travelcard and £1.45 with Oyster pay-as-you go (only touch in, not out !). £2.40 for a paper ticket. Those who take the shortcut should arrive at about the same time as the full-length walkers at the lunch pub the White Bear. Speaking of which, the White Bear is a really cosy 16th century pub and sometimes it is difficult to leave if you can snap a spot at the fireplace. Not that I would recommend it (the afternoon walk is nice, too) but you can call a taxi back to New Addington from the pub ....

Return from Hayes are at xx:08, xx:20, xx:38 and xx:50. There are also buses. Hayes is in Zone 5.

For those who wish to see a Guy Fawkes fireworks display after the walk Blackheath (free, starting 8pm) would be a good option since the return trains at xx:20 and xx:50 stop in Lewisham from where you can walk to Blackheath Common.

From the walk notes:

Despite its proximity to London, this walk is surprisingly rural in character, passing through fields, woods and quiet valleys, often along shady bridleways. The second half of the walk is entirely within a London borough, though it does not feel like it. Although there are few noteworthy features, the gently rolling countryside provides some fine vistas, and the lunchtime pub is a real gem.