We were eighteen in number when we arrived at Chelmsford Station, along with many others heading for the Radio 2 in the Park music event. Fortunately, they had their own buses to take them to the venue so we all managed to get seats on our bus to Maldon.
This estuary town has a thriving centre, as well as pretty surroundings of saltmarshes and waterways. With the sun shining brightly, we headed down a steep hill to the River Chelmer. We then followed it through woodland to the town bypass, built on the route of a disused railway. Crossing underneath, we continued to Beeleigh Abbey. This used to be the site of a monastery but is now a private residence once owned by William Foyle, co-founder of Foyles Bookshop.
Further on, we reached the Beeleigh ‘Falls’, a collection of roaring weirs, and then the towpath of the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation, built in 1796 to provide reliable access to Chelmsford. This took us back to the river which we crossed back into Maldon. Skirting the quaysides, we got to the busy Queen’s Head pub where we stopped for lunch.
Suitably refreshed, we passed a number of magnificent Thames sailing barges as we headed along the promenade to a statue of Byrhtnoth, the hero of the Battle of Maldon in 991AD. We retraced our steps back to the Queen’s Head and then up to the High Street from where we got our bus back to Chelmsford and onward to London by train.
Sixteen Polyramblers assembled at Merstham station having all taken a train from London Bridge. Shenanigans were to be had, with unmanned ticket barriers providing the only way out from the (Brighton) platform! Firstly they failed my outward portion return ticket to Merstham. Several of us had the same problem. It became apparent there was a screen on the sidewall where you could display your ticket to a gateman on the opposite platform who could open the barrier by remote control. Having cleared the barriers, my safety briefing then ensued and we set off northeasterly, crossing under the fast quarry line, then over the M25 footbridge. Soon a left turn uphill on a footpath took us under the M23 underpass, which I called “acoustic underpass”. I decided to stop the party here awhile and demonstrate by singing a short song. Unfortunately the echo didn’t sound quite as good as it did on the walkover version, which proves how the clothing of an extra 15 people can absorb the sound! (Les has posted a short sample video of this rendition to the Club’s Social Group!) The path then took us further northeastward up the escarpment, then at the top joined the North Downs Way as a level bridleway eastward.
Soon there were good views of Redhill below, on our right. We then passed Willey Park farm, then onto a lane where taking a left turn, we called at the The Harrow PH, being on the outskirts of Chaldon. This was our half hour liquid refreshment halt. Continuing eastward we took War Coppice Road coming across the folly of Whitehill Tower, built by Jeremiah Long in 1862 as an ornament in the grounds of his Surrey villa, but has been neglected for years, needing desperate attention before it may collapse. In half a mile we reached a wooded track which soon took us onto a lovely open area at the top of the escarpment, this was Caterham view point with excellent views to the southeast, south and southwest, including Godstone. With several benches overlooking the views, it proved an ideal picnic spot. The sky became very grey, but the rain mainly held off save a few short sprinkles.
After lunch, we followed a wooded track around Pilgrim Fort and down via stepped section to the A22 Caterham bypass which we crossed via a footbridge. Beyond the bridge we came across the site of a hauliers firm and our track took us across Winders Hill. Our route then continued through Hanging Wood, then along the side of Gangers Hill and South Hawke, until we reached a sudden descent of steps. These were placed straight above the tunnel carrying the Oxted to Croydon railway. Near the bottom of the steps was a viewing balcony with a seat where you could see the railway in a straight line below as it comes out of the tunnel towards Oxted. About a mile later we crossed a rather busy lane, and proceeded uphill on the other side, then below the slopes of Beach Plantation, until we reached the Greensand Way path. At this point we left the North Downs Way, which would carry on to Botley Hill(where the club ended one of the NDW sections back in July 1985). But today we turned right onto the Greensand Way downhill and over another M25 bridge and across a meadow into the urban area of Oxted. We reached that station just in time for the trains back to London.
I would like to thank Mary for doing the roll call at the start, and to Kim for backmarking.
As I always do when I’m leading a walk, I arrived early at the station (St Pancras) ready to meet my fellow walkers. For a long time I was the only Poly Rambler there as far as I could see and I feared my ‘big beautiful’ walk along the Kent coast may not be as appealing to others as it was to me. However, my fears proved unfounded as a flurry of walkers arrived before the high speed train departed and by the time we assembled at the other end outside Dover Priory station we were a very respectable group of 16 walkers.
It took us a while to get going as the train had been full and there was a very long queue for the ladies. But thanks to the generosity of a publican across the road, allowing us to use his toilets, we managed to ensure we were comfortable before we set out. Continue reading Dover to Deal walk – 16 August 2025→
Nineteen, well initially seventeen ramblers, set off from Hildenborough to visit the kissing gate the club had donated with a now added inscribed plaque to former members of the Club. One member missed her train, so the leader remained at the station for the next train. The two of us eventually caught up with the main
group walking through open, tree lined, fields before they had reached the pleasant village of Leigh, ably led by Chris.
In the knowledge that a planned visit, later in the walk, to a pub was no longer an option, we headed to the Fleur de Lis pub in Leigh for early refreshment.
Refreshed we headed out to the watery surrounds of Haysden Country Park and the Medway River for picnicking, blackberry picking and baby fish feeding (unwanted Danish pastry)!
We then passed through part of the Eden Valley Walk, leafy lanes and footpaths lined by hedgerows (and blackberries!) back to Hildenborough station. With a wait of nearly an hour for a train a café at a nearby golf club came to our thirsty salvation.
The week before my walk had been very hot and there were heat health warnings in the run-up to the date. According to the Met Office it was the fifth warmest July since records began in 1884 (i.e. above average)! I was worried participants might be affected or deterred! But it was Wimbledon Finals week so there was always a chance of rain! I was bitten by a wasp the day before (through my gardening glove!) while putting my compostables in my compost bin and my hand had swollen up and gone purple (It is still discoloured and causing occasional splurges of red blotches and agonising itching all over my body!). What if I got anaphylactic shock and couldn’t lead the walk?!! There had been a shooting incident opposite the Park Gate Inn in Hollingbourne the Monday before (according to the Metro), including armed officers, life-changing injuries and a bomb disposal team! Would the whole village be cordoned off?!
As it turned out, the weather continued to be hot but as we walked up the slope from the village above the North Downs Way there was a pleasant, light breeze to keep us from boiling over. The village of Hollingbourne itself was quiet apart from pilgrims getting ready to continue on the Pilgrims’ Way towards Canterbury. We didn’t see the Park Gate Inn and the Dirty Habit pub is currently barricaded with builders’ scaffolding as it undergoes restoration.
We made our way up the hillside, pausing occasionally to admire the views and the wonderful countryside. After taking time to admire the wild boars and cooling shade of a wood, we carried on to the
highest point of the walk where we paused for our lunch break, either at a picnic table and bench or in the shade of some trees, after which we availed ourselves of the facilities at the Hook and Hatchet pub, Hucking, and slaked our thirst.
Suitably refreshed, we set off westwards and then down the hillside, now empty of sheep and lambs that we saw on our last visit two years ago, without incident this time. Our route took us under the highspeed and standard railway lines and the A20 and into Moore Meadow. Miss Pauline Moore lived in Bearsted all her life, running her own riding school, and donated the land to Bearsted Woodland Trust “for the recreation and enjoyment of everyone”, to prevent it falling into the hands of developers. Thank goodness the Kent International Gateway Group’s plans to build a large freight and logistics depot in the area were rejected by the local planning authority, following significant objections raised by local residents,
including Miss Moore!
On leaving the Woodland we passed the Holy Cross village church where I always pause to reflect on the stone in the churchyard in memory of a villager, John Dyke, the last person to be hanged at a public execution in Penenden Heath (in 1830), for burning a hayrick, of which it later emerged he was innocent!
And so to the village green, where cricket was in progress, and the White Horse pub where some of us paused for refreshment and others proceeded to the station for the train back to the heat and stress of London. What a lovely walk it turned out to be! I hope my eight walking companions enjoyed it as much as I did!
I have since been reminded that on the North Downs Way we met a solitary man coming the other way. He was walking the whole NDW which apparently takes about two weeks. We wished him well and continued on our way. It made me think of the pilgrims who, over the centuries, have trodden the same path on their way to Canterbury and also that I prefer walking with friends, rather than alone!
