St Francis of Assisi Catholic Ramblers’ Club
Affiliated to the Ramblers Association and H.F. Holidays
www.stfrancisramblers.ukwalkers.com
Email: stfrancisramblers@gmail.com
List of Rambles for Summer (June to August) 2022
Saturday 4th June 2022 Leaders: Ant and Paul Connolly OS Explorer map 196 In memoriam ramble for the late Frank Bigg with Mass for his intention at the finish in Sudbury.
Meet: Liverpool Street 0810 for the 0836 train to Marks Tey (Arr 0931), also calls Stratford 0843. Then connect with the 1001 train to Sudbury (Arr 1021).
Ramblers can also catch a later train from Liverpool Street departing 0902 and Stratford 0909, arriving Marks Tey 0957. If using this service, it is essential you are in the front three carriages due to the short connection time, then just go across the platform for the Sudbury service. Paul and Ant will meet
everyone at Marks Tey.
Lunch: George and Dragon - Long Melford. Reasonably priced food. Click HERE for Menu. Also, there is a regular bus service between Sudbury, from close to the station, and Long Melford, the stops there are quite near to the pub, for those who wish to leave or join at this point. The timetable is HERE.
Tea: Probably after Mass
Distance: 10 mostly level miles via the Stour Valley Way and St Edmunds Way, finishing in Sudbury and allowing enough time to freshen up before the 5.00pm Mass which will be said for Frank at his parish, Our Lady and St John the Evangelist Catholic church. 20 The Croft, Sudbury, CO10 1HP.
Members unable to come on the walk but who want to pay their respects to Frank can take a later train. Please contact Paul for train details if this is what you choose to do. It's about 15 minutes' walk between the station and the church.
Fare: £22.60 CDR Sudbury / £15.00 from boundary zone 6. Both with railcard discounts.
For some further background on this walk please see Paul Connolly's E Mail HERE
Saturday 11th June 2022 Leader: Francis O'Sullivan OS Explorer map OL25
Meet: Victoria 0900 for 0924 train to Lewes (arr 1026). Also calls Clapham Junction 0931 and East Croydon 0940. Then connect at Lewes for the 1047 train to Berwick (arr 1056)
Lunch: Sussex Ox, Milton Street. A bit pricey
Tea: Let's see
Distance: 12 miles returning from Polegate. Twice hourly trains back to London
Fare: £23.10 / £19.00 from boundary zone 6 CDR Tonbridge. Both with railcard discounts.
Corpus Christi, Thursday 16 June 2022,
On this day Maurice led a walk (not included on the official Summer Programme) at Arundel, the main event on which was to see the carpet of flowers which is laid in Arundel Cathedral every Corpus Christi. Several members are already aware of this and plan to attend but following are the details for anyone else who is interested:
Meet: Victoria at 0940 for 1005 train to Arundel (arr. 1129). Walk one mile to Cathedral to see the Carpet of Flowers and then Lunch: at the Cathedral hall close to Cathedral.
Tea: After lunch choose between a short 2 to 3 mile walk through Arundel Park with a tea stop at the end or a visit to Arundel Castle and grounds for £23 or the grounds only for £13 (tea available in the grounds).
Fare: The full fare from Victoria with railcard is £22.75 but Advance fares are available for a total cost of £9.50. Return by 1713 train.
Walk back to Arundel station.
Saturday 18th June 2022 Leaders: Derek and Mary Clarke OS Explorer map 209
Meet: Kings Cross 0900 for 0928 train to Meldreth (arr 1036). Also calls Finsbury Park 0934.
Lunch: Wimpole Hall Old Rectory Restaurant (a limited menu of hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and light snacks)
Tea: The British Queen, Meldreth
Distance: 12.5 miles returning from Meldreth. Twice hourly trains back to London
Fare: £11.25 / £8.25 from boundary zone 6 CDR Meldreth. Both with railcard discounts.
Sunday 26th June 2022 Leader: Ant Connolly OS Explorer map 174
Further to the earlier notice that plans for the ramble on 26 June may need amendment we are now pleased to announce that the ramble is going ahead with a minor alteration to the outward journey, the details of which are in bold below. Please advise members who are not on email know if they are planning to come out.
Sunday 26th June Leader: Ant Connolly OS Explorer map 174
Meet: Liverpool Street 1010 for 1028 train to Broxbourne (arr 1053). Train also calls at Tottenham Hale 1040.
As the lunch stop is at end of walk, there will be a rest stop after 4.5 miles so please bring a snack to keep you going.
Lunch: The Farmer’s Boy, Brickendon. (Sunday Roasts – menu attached). Nearby Green with benches for picnic lunch.
Tea: No T
Distance: 7 miles through Broxbourne woods returning from Bayford station. Advisable to bring walking poles as it is muddy and hilly in places, and being in woods there are protruding tree roots.
Trains back half-hourly to Finsbury Park, Highbury & Islington and Moorgate.
Fare: PAYG Oyster and contactless to Broxbourne and from Bayford. Freedom pass and 60+ Oyster card holders will need to buy singles £3.75 from boundary zone 6 to Broxbourne and £3.10 from Bayford to boundary zone 6. Both with railcard discounts.
Ant will get on the train at Tottenham Hale station.
Sunday 3rd July 2022 Leader: John Burbage OS Explorer map 173
Please note the following urgent message circulated by Paul Connolly on Thursday 30 June:
"Anyone intending to use the Thameslink services to West Hamstead (Thameslink) and change to the Jubilee line station will need to amend their travel plans as due to engineering works on Sunday morning this option is now not available.
"The ramble finishes back at Stanmore and all other details are as previously circulated (below)".
Meet: Baker Street station 0915 for the 0929 Jubilee Line service to Stanmore (arr. 1001).
Train also calls at West Hampstead 0934 (for nearby Thameslink) and Wembley Park for Metropolitan Line - But see later announcement above.
Lunch: The Waggon and Horses, Elstree. Medium priced pub with a wide range of food options. There is also an option to eat sandwiches by Aldenham Reservoir 20 minutes away.
Tea: None.
Distance: 10.5 miles with some hills. We visit Aldenham and Stanmore Country Parks with a wide variety of scenery and views.
Fare: Oyster/Freedom pass/Travelcard options.
Photographs taken on the above Stanmore walk can be seen HERE
Sunday 10th July Leader: Robert Slater Landranger Maps 166/167)
Meet: Tottenham Hale 09.40 for 09.55 to St.Margarets (arr.1022).
Tottenham Hale is served by mainline trains from Liverpool Street and Stratford as well as the Victoria line
Lunch: The Chequers Inn, Wareside.
Tea: Ware
Distance: 10 miles returning from Ware
Fare: £8.35 / £5.80 from boundary zone 6 CDR Ware. Both with railcard discounts.
PAYG Oyster/contactless cards are also valid to Ware but not Freedom passes or 60+ Oyster cards.
Robert will meet walkers at St. Margarets.
Click HERE to photographs taken on Robert's walk above.
Saturday 16th July Leader: Margaret Brady OS Landranger map 177
Meet: Blackfriars 0925 for 0946 train to Shoreham, Kent (arr 1045). Also calls Peckham Rye - Overground - 1001.
Lunch: Lullingstone Country Park. There is a small cafe which sells sandwiches, teas and coffee etc.
Tea: TeaBA
Distance: 8 miles returning from Shoreham
Fare: £9.00 / £3.60 from boundary zone 6 CDR Shoreham. Both with railcard discounts.
Margaret will meet the ramblers at Shoreham.
Click HERE to photographs taken on Margaret's walk above.
Saturday 23rd July Leader: Maurice Hickman OS Explorer map 124
Meet: Charing Cross 0925 for 0945 train to Crowhurst (arr 1116). Also calls Waterloo East 0948 and London Bridge 0954.
Lunch: Bexhill, a reasonable choice of pub and non-pub options in and around Sea Road including locations where you can eat your own food.
Tea: Possibly in Hastings
Distance: 9 miles returning from Hastings
Fare: £22.00 / £19.25 from boundary zone 6 CDR Hastings. Both with railcard discounts. Advance ticket options also available.
The walk will follow the 1066 path before lunch with gentle hills but after lunch it is completely flat. Maurice will meet the ramblers at Crowhurst.
Click HERE to photographs taken on Maurice's walk above.
Sunday 31st July Leader: Maria Vaz (OS Explorer 174 & Epping Forest: the official map produced by the OS for the City of London Corporation)
Meet: 0945 Epping (Central line, zone 6) for 1000 prompt start. Journey
time from Oxford Circus is approximately 50 minutes.
Lunch: The Black Swan, Broadley Common, Nazeing
Tea: Let’s see…
Distance: Approximately 14 miles, through Epping Upland, parts of the northern Forest, and the estates and farmland of the Forest Buffer Lands. Returning from Epping.
Fare: Oyster/Freedom Pass/Travelcard options.
Maria will meet the ramblers at Epping station.
Sadly the above walk which Maria had carefully prepared for Sunday 31 July did not take place due to a shortage of staff on the Central Line. Our Ramble List Compiler circulated an e mail on 4 August explaining that "due to staff shortages Central line services were suspended between White City and Leytonstone for a considerable time. Maria did make her way to Epping, later than as per the walk details, and waited for a reasonable time to see if anyone else made it, or advised they were on their way. As no-one else turned up she did not proceed as planned. Over the years it has been quite fortunate that such transport disruptions have been very rare on the days of our rambles, but when these issues arise, a leader has to make a judgement call about what to do given the circumstances presented to them. Maria will be doing the Epping walk again on 18th September".
Sunday 7th August Leader: Catherine Heckman (Explorer map 176)
Meet: Liverpool Street station 0900 for 0922 train to Wickford (arr 1000) then change for 1006 train to North Fambridge (arr 1020). Easy transfer at Wickford, just across the platform. Train also calls Stratford 0929.
For those wishing to come by car, there is a car park at North Fambridge station (£4 for the day). At the end of the walk, it's two stops back on the train from Burnham on Crouch to North Fambridge. Single fare is £2.75 with railcards.
Lunch: Three Horseshoes, Althorne. Sunday roasts and normal weekly menu. Pub is okay about eating your own on picnic tables in front of pub as long as drinks are purchased.
Tea: Maybe, depends on time as trains are once hourly. Opportunity to get an ice cream on way to station
Distance: 11 mostly level miles finishing at Burnham on Crouch. Walkers can join, or leave, at Althorne station which is a half hour walk away from the pub.
Lunch stop is 7 miles into the walk.
If joining at lunchtime, the train is 1122 from Liverpool Street and 1129 from Stratford to Wickford, arr 1200, for 1206 connection at Wickford which arrives Althorne 1226 to be on time to join walkers at 1.30pm at the pub.
Fare: CDR Burnham on Crouch £13.30. From boundary zone 6 £9.50. Both with railcard discounts.
Please let Catherine know in advance if you will be eating at the pub, whether doing the full walk, or one of the shorter options.
Ramblers need to be at the front of the train from Liverpool Street for ease of switching over to the connecting train at Wickford.
Click HERE to photographs taken on Catherine's walk above.
Saturday 13th August. Leader: Pauline Lobo A-Z street guide
Please note that Because of the strike on the railways that day, Pauline has changed what was planned, to reflect the situation and the new details are as follows:
Meet: Euston Station - Main concourse at the top of the escalators from the Northern and Victoria Lines - for a 10.30am start.
For those planning to come via Euston Square - Circle and Metropolitan lines - it's about 5 minutes' walk away.
Lunch: St James Park cafe.
Tea: Imperial War Museum
Distance: 8 miles on a trail which takes in the peace monuments en-route finishing at the Imperial War Museum.
For those who wish to attend, there is 6.00pm Mass at St Georges Cathedral which is opposite the museum.
Fare: Oyster/Freedom Pass/Travelcard options
At the end, as well as a choice of bus routes, walkers have three options for tube services:
Lambeth North - Bakerloo Line.
Elephant and Castle - Northern Line.
Southwark - Jubilee Line
Click HERE to see photographs taken on Pauline's walk above.
Sunday 21st August Leader: Brian Falls (Explorer map 208)
NB New details of the walk planned for this Sunday 21 August 2022 - Due to Ant being indisposed she will now lead her waalk on Sunday 4th September and Brian Falls has very kindly agreed to bring his ramble forward to this Sunday 21st August. Please note the change of starting station for Brian's walk
Meet: Kings Cross 0945 for 1012 train to Sandy (arr 1058). Also calls Finsbury Park 1018.
Lunch: Rising Sun, Potton. Good menu and reasonable prices. Benches nearby for picnickers.
Tea: Sand
Distance: 11 fairly level miles via old Roman Road and Greensand Ridge Walk in the morning.
After lunch returning to Sandy Station via Sandy Heath and Sandy Warren, HQ of RSPB, where drinks and snacks are available at The Lodge.
Fare: £10.55 CDR Sandy/From boundary zone 6 £6.60. Both with railcard discounts.
Brian will meet the ramblers at Sandy.
Click HERE to photographs taken Brian's walk above.
Bank Holiday Monday 29th August Leader: Robert Slater (Landranger map 166)
Meet: St.Pancras International - Platform B - 0915 for 0936 to Harlington (arr 1019).
Ramblers can also catch this train at East Croydon 0903, London
Bridge 0921, Blackfriars 0927 and Farringdon 0931.
Lunch: The Cross Keys, Pulloxhill.
Tea: The Carpenters Arms, Harlington.
Distance: 8 miles returning from Harlington. Four trains an hour back to St Pancras International and points further south.
Fare: £9.80 CDR Harlington/From boundary zone 6 £7.75. Both with railcard discounts.
Blackberry Picking in afternoon. Robert will meet walkers at Harlington
Click HERE to see photographs taken on Robert's walk above.
A link to the Spring Programme with further links to photographs taken on most of the rambles can be found HERE.
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Club Committee 2019/2020
Please note: the contact details of the committee members below should only be used for the sole purpose of members being able to contact them on legitimate club business.
The club’s general email address is: stfrancisramblers@gmail.com
President: Membership Secretary
Fr Chris Vipers, Parish Priest Antoinette Adkins
St Mary Moorfields, 4-5 Eldon Street E: antoinette_adkins2000@yahoo.co.uk
London EC2M 7LS
E: moorfields@rcdow.org.uk
Secretary Treasurer
Patricia O’Callaghan John Burbage
E: patriciamaryocallaghan@gmail.com E: turbo.johnb@gmail.com
Ramble List Compiler Publicity
Paul Connolly David Crundall
E: paulconnolly30@hotmail.com E: davidcrundall@waitrose.com
Other Duties: Sheila Bravin, Ant Connolly, and Maurice Hickman
