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Yalding Circular walk

Pub Medley at the River Medway

Circular Easy Kent

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Option Post # Weather
Sat, 19-Sep-20 Yalding Circular Walk 21 mostly sunny with some light cloud and a coolish easterly breeze
Sun, 08-Dec-19 Sunday Walk – A short walk in the Medway valley (Yalding Circular) 13 started sunny and cloudless clouded later but dry all day cold
Tue, 01-Jan-19 New Years Day Walk (South) – A new walk in the Medway Valley (Yalding Circular) 28 dry still mild but slightly chillier than it has been
Sat, 19-Sep-20 : Yalding Circular Walk 21
Bridie
Bridie
Walk 320 – Yalding Circular
Length: 12.5km (8m)
Toughness: 2 out of 10
London Charing Cross 10.15, Waterloo East 10.18, London Bridge 10.19, arriving Yalding at 11.18
You will need to change at Paddock Wood in at 10.58 out at 11.11 probably arriving and departing from Platform 2
Buy a day return to Yalding
This walk has been requested by a regular walker as the fruit foraging should be very good especially for apples pears and damsons.
Each time I have walked this walk there have been some lovely Scottish Longhorn cattle or some such grazing as we passed.
With a toughness rating of 2 out of 10 it is very gentle and being 8 miles this can be a relaxed walk and so quoting an extract from William Henry Davis
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
Reminds me of the Nicholas Albery days when there was a relaxed walk each week.
Lunch is suggested as The Tickled Trout 01622 814 717 in West Farleigh however as with all the pubs at present lunch seems to be a movable feast as in, we are fully booked or we welcome you with open arms (Ed. poor choice of phrase in these restrictive times) so maybe have a snack to hand just in case.
As the walk is only 8 miles odd you could do it all and then have a late lunch back at Yalding.
Yalding offers
Tea Pot Island at the lock between Yalding village and the station. Closes on weekends at 17:00 in the summer and 16:00 in the winter. Fairly traditional cafe.
The Boathouse at the lock between Yalding village and the station.
plus apparently, others according to the walk page
Trains depart Yalding at xx.40 with a change at Tonbridge
T=swc.320
  • Anonymous
    13-Sep-20

    The Boathouse in Yalding is newish, glossy, characterless and very overpriced for what you get.

  • Anonymous
    14-Sep-20

    I'm ok with the Boathouse but I'll bring a snack in case we can't get in. Menu is here: https://www.boathouseyalding.co.uk/menus

  • Anonymous
    15-Sep-20

    I know the Huntsman and tend to agree it is a bit soulless

    The other pubs in Yalding are

    http://walnuttreepubyalding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Walnut-Menu-Autumn-2020.pdf

    Walnut Tree

    Yalding Hill, Yalding, Maidstone ME18 6JB​

    01622 814 266

    http://thegeorgeyalding.co.uk/

    Call 01622 814376

  • 15-Sep-20

    Typo / memory problem there

    I know the Huntsman and tend to agree it is a bit soulless

    Should read

    I know the Boathouse and tend to agree it is a bit soulless

  • Anonymous
    16-Sep-20

    The Boathouse. Oh yes. I like to support rural pubs, but it is beyond bland. Antiseptic, small portions, pretentious, expensive.

  • 19-Sep-20

    Never mind about the Boathouse pub I couldn’t find any listings for trains to Yalding on the TFL website. We’re there engineering works?

  • Anonymous
    19-Sep-20

    Trains are as listed and a few of us are on the train to Yalding

  • 20-Sep-20

    Last of the Summer Wine

    21 on a mostly sunny with some light cloud and a coolish easterly breeze .

    There were some novel techniques to ensure correct social distancing

    with one walker gesticulating and shouting "disperse, disperse" before leading some walkers off on the Yalding to Sutton Valance walk (and correcting shortly after)

    Although the River Medway isn't as grand as the Thames, drooping willows and well mown sections of the route made the walk very pleasant and easy on the eye.

    Long horn cattle were spotted as advertised.

    Some picnicked and some used the pub in West Farleigh which was appreciated.

    10 or so finished at Teapot island and one (maybe more) had a drink in the Boathouse

    Damsons were plentiful but a bit light on apples and there was a vast area of raspberries under cover which were Verbotten

    Apparently, one renegade (you know who I mean) took social distancing to

    an extreme and continued on the tow path all the way to East Farleigh

    where he took a mug of tea in the gardens of "The Victory"

    With the possibility of more restrictions on the horizon and colder weather to come, this was a pleasant and memorable walk as we come towards the end of summer season

Sean
Extra Walk 320 – Yalding Circular
Length: 12.5 km (7.8 miles). Toughness: 2/10

09:41 Ashford train from Victoria (Bromley South 10:00, Orpington 10:08, etc), changing at Paddock Wood (arr 10:33, dep 10:40) and arriving Yalding at 10:47. Buy a return to Yalding.

Trains back from Yalding are hourly at xx:12 and go to Tonbridge. Change there for Victoria or Charing Cross.

Late Risers could take the train an hour later and start from Wateringbury (the stop after Yalding) at 11:51. You'll be about 20 minutes behind the main group. You ought to have a return to Wateringbury for this, but it's only 10p more than Yalding.

A large crowd tried out this new walk on New Year's Day and had a very convivial start to the year. I remember a fair number of empty fizz bottles being deposited in the picnic area in Teston Country Park, but I'm sure the walk will be just as enjoyable without this extra intoxication. A little further on the Tickled Trout is an excellent lunch pub, and there's a choice of riverside tea places near the end of the walk: the café on Teapot Island or the Boathouse pub on the opposite bank.

You'll need to bring the directions from the Yalding Circular walk page. T=swc.320
  • 08-Dec-19

    Approximately 13 today. (10 from Yalding, 1 early starter, and, I think, 2 from Wateringbury) The weather started sunny and cloudless clouded later but dry all day cold A prevalence of mud (slidey not sinky) all the way round. The Tickled Trout seemed to tickle the fancy of those that stopped. The ‘Cellarhead’ beer certainly tickled mine. (A dark beer, would you believe, in this day and age). Later a few stopped at Teapot Island but left early for the final push because of an ominous cloud, much preferring to freeze to death for half an hour on a cold platform than get a little bit wet. The cloud came to nothing in the end. Mercifully, a train did eventually roll in and we got on it.

Sean
Extra Walk 320 – Yalding Circular
Length: 12.5 km (7.8 miles). Toughness: 2/10

09:40 Folkestone train from Charing Cross (Waterloo East 09:43, London Bridge 09:49, Orpington 10:06, etc), changing at Paddock Wood (arr 10:32, dep 10:40) and arriving Yalding at 10:47. Buy a return to Yalding.

Trains back from Yalding are hourly at xx:12 and go to Tonbridge. Change there for stations to Charing Cross.

Late Risers: Take the train an hour later and go one stop past Yalding to Wateringbury, arriving at 11:51. Go out to the road, over the level crossing and immediately turn left onto the riverside path (do not cross Bow Bridge); this is ¶7 in the walk directions. You'll only be 15-20 minutes behind the main group. You ought to have a return to Wateringbury for this, but it's only 10p more than Yalding.

This short and easy new walk looks well-suited to a New Year's Day outing, especially if one or two are generous enough to bring along a bottle of fizz; you'll reach a large picnic area at midday which looks like an ideal spot to inaugurate another year's walking. A little further on the Tickled Trout* is a highly-rated pub with excellent food: the mains aren't cheap but they also do a good range of small plates and sandwiches. Sadly, one of the walk's star features (Teapot Island) is closed over the holiday period, but the walk notes list two or three pubs nearby for some post-walk refreshment.

* I've reserved space in the TT's bar area for "10-12 SWC walkers", arriving at around 12:30-45. They didn't seem fussed about exact numbers or times but it would be courteous if someone called them from the station to confirm (01622-814717).

You'll need to print the directions from the Yalding Circular walk page.T=swc.320
  • Anonymous
    28-Dec-18

    thinking of doing the later start..🤔

  • Anonymous
    30-Dec-18

    Anyone going please?

  • 30-Dec-18

    New Year’s Day walks tend to be well-attended. SWC-ers don’t usually signal their attendance in advance, however.

  • Anonymous
    30-Dec-18

    Do you guys meet up at the train station to get a group ticket?

  • 30-Dec-18

    Most of us have network card and oysters of some form so we tend not to meet up for group tickets though some may welcome the opportunity. There is also a number of stations (incl Charing X Waterloo London Bridge) where people can join this train so the logistics maybe somewhat hard work

  • Anonymous
    30-Dec-18

    Hi Sean the publisher

    Why the change of trains at Paddock Wood rather than Tonbridge as advised by the train people?

    Is it easier or quicker?

    Thank you

  • Anonymous
    30-Dec-18

    Apparently you don't have to change platforms when changing at Paddock Wood

    SWC trainee transport adviser

  • 30-Dec-18

    Paddock Wood is definitely better. Same platform. At Tonbridge you have to rush from one side of the station to another.

    SWC Master Transport Advisor

  • Anonymous
    31-Dec-18

    I think the train is actually 10.06 from Orpington, rather than 10.09

  • Anonymous
    31-Dec-18

    I'm going on the later start option.

  • 31-Dec-18

    Apologies, it is indeed 10:06 from Orpington. Post corrected.

  • Anonymous
    01-Jan-19

    Later start will do

  • 02-Jan-19

    7 - or was it 8 - off the later train met up with 20 - or was it 21 - off the earlier train to give a total of was it 28 on this dry still mild but slightly chillier than it has been sort of day. Muddy in places. The earlier group were already under the influence of several bottles of champagne and prosecco by the time the latecomers found them near Teston Bridge. The majority spent lunchtime in the Tickled Trout. Near the end, some went in the Boathouse for further refreshment, some went straight to the station.

  • Anonymous
    02-Jan-19

    This walk is an excellent addition to the oeuvre. It is very gentle with wonderful views and no muddy fields to cross though there is one track that seems to be somewhat waterlogged in the pm, rumour has it that there is a spring beside it at some point but this was easily managed

    The inn on the canal for tea were very friendly and one of the bar staff welcomed us with the idea that we would bring a walking group in at a future date for lunch - not sure that this pub lines up nicely for lunch but is was good to be welcomed.

    The Tickled Trout at lunch is somewhat poshly laid out and staffed but also very friendly and accommodating. The food seems to have met expectations as did the beer but seeing as some 8 or 9 bottles of fizz had been consumed then possibly some peoples faculties may have not been as sharp as they could be.

    Teetotallers seemed very happy and their judgement was unlikely to be clouded by sparkling water or whatever

    It is rumoured that one woman brought three bottles of champagne

    &^%

  • Anonymous
    02-Jan-19

    second enjoyment of this walk and thanks to Dirk and Sean + nice idea to bring choccies for after lunch! imbibement of prosecco mid morning improved walking progress as we reached pub quite early..lovely day