St Francis of Assisi Catholic Ramblers’ Club
Affiliated to the Ramblers Association and H.F. Holidays
Email: stfrancisramblers@gmail.com
List of Rambles for Spring (March to May) 2025
Saturday 8th March Leader: Antoinette Connolly
A visit to Sissinghurst CastleGardens:
For those without a free National Trust ticket or pass the entrance fee to the gardens is £18.
Meet Staplehurst station at 10.35
Train: Charing Cross (09:34); Waterloo east(9:37); London Bridge (9:43); Sevenoaks(10:08);Arrive at Staplehurst (10:33). Then we will catch a bus no. 5 which will take us near the gardens.
Lunch: Picnic/cafe.
Tea: The Milkhouse Pub, Sissinghurst. The last two buses back to Sissinghurst station are at 16:59 and 17:59, so we can plan accordingly how much time we can have at the pub before boarding the bus back to Sissinghurst station the bus stop being less than a 10 minute walk away.
Trains back to London are half hourly from Staplehurst.
Miles: 4 - 6 miles including walking in the gardens. Once we get off the bus, it's a two mile walk to the gardens and we'll need to traverse a small forest. It might be muddy in places so please wear boots and maybee walking sticks would be handy. Due to time constraints I have not been able to walk this short route to the gardens, however we did do this short walk last year so I am familiar with the surroundings.
Fare: £14.75/Boundary zone 611.50. Both with rail discounts. Freedom passes are valid on the buses. Ant will meet the rambblers at Staplehurst station.
Saturday 22nd March Leader: John Chenery OS Explorer map OL34
Meet: Victoria 0930 for the 0941 train to Horsham (arr 1102).
Also calls Clapham Junction 0948.
Returning From: Crawley Station
Lunch: The Dragon Inn, Colgate
Tea: none
Distance: 8 or 9 miles returning from Crawley. Via High Weald Landscape Trail, St Leonards Forest, Buchan Country Park, Target Hill Nature Reserve. Some urban walkingn at the start and end. John will meet the ramblers at Horsham Station
Saturday 29 March. The walk starts and finishes at Orpington station.
Leader : Margaret Brady.
Start Orpington Station: Meet at 10.30 at the bus stop side of the station.
Lunch : George and Dragon in Downe village.
Tea :May be
The walk starts and ends with a bus journey, so please have your
contactless payment card, oyster card or freedom card with you.
The walk is approximately 8 miles.
Good Friday 18 April 2025 Leader: John Burbage
Meet:London Bridge 10.15 (Platform 4) for the 10.35 Thameslink Train to Balcombe (arr. 11.16) Train also calls at St. Pancras Int. 10.20, Blackfriars 10.29, East Croydon 10.49. From Victoria take the 1012 Brighton train and change to Platform 3 at East Croydon,
Lunch: the Crowdray Arms is available for those who want a meal. Otherwise bring a snack to eat at the Abbey.
Distance: 8.5 miles on footpaths, forest tracks with some roadwalking. 10 miles for those going to the pub. Returning from Three Bridges.
Good Friday Service at Worth Abbey takes approximately 2 hours. Please remove any muddy boots before entering the Church.
Fare: Varies depending on starting point but generally £10 with Railcard.
Note: Leader will join the train en route.
Saturday 19th April 2025 Leader Brian Falls
St Albans City to Harpenden Linear.
Meet : St Albans City Station 10.30am.
Lunch : The Queen's Head Sandridge. English menu and Thai menu. Reasonable prices.
Two other pubs and Tea Rooms serving lunches, within yards of each other. Benches for picnickers in churchyard next to Queen's Head.
Tea : Harpenden, lot of choices.
Distance : 12 miles. Lovely scenery, horses, fields, bluebell woods, couple of shallow hills (undulating.)
Fare : Super Off Peak Day Return £8.74 without discounts.
Depart : London St Pancras Int. 10.06am (train stops at London Bridge, Blackfriars etc.) Arrive St Albans City 10.24am.
Toilets at St Albans Station.
Return trains from Harpenden to London every seven minutes.
Mainly flat, with only a couple of
inclines. Orpington is in the Oyster Zone. Orpington is well served
with trains from London Victoria and London Bridge. Please be aware
that parts of the walk may be/will be muddy.
walk starts and finishes at Orpington station.
Please see details below of Brian Falls' ramble on Saturday 3 May.
Ramble: Welwyn North Station Circular. (Digswell village). Leader Brian Falls.
Meet: Welwyn North Station. 11.00am ( toilets may be closed so please use toilets on the train).
Lunch: Rose & Crown, Tewin. Friendly staff, good menu - English and Thai, reasonable prices.
Another pub nearby, and benches for picnickers.
Tea: Mini-supermarket / Post-Office opposite Hatfield North station, selling drinks and ice creams and stuff.
Distance: About 7.5 miles. Walking through fields, woods and villages. Skylarks, rabbits, horses and hens (eggs for sale - if lucky - honesty box) all on display.
Fare: Super Off Peak Day Return £12.30 without concessions.
Depart : Kings Cross 10.27am . Arrive: Welwyn North 11.00am
Return: Every half hour Welwyn North to Kings Cross.
Saturday 10th May. Leader Margaret Brady.
Meet at Otford rail station 10.30, The walk finishes at Eynsford station.
Lunch ; The Crown, Shoreham. The Crown is dog friendly.
Tea is a possibility.
The first part of the ramble in the morning has a very steep incline and decline. The second part of the ramble in the afternoon is very pleasant and level.
Ramblers can leave or join the ramble lunchtime, at Shoreham which is halfway between Otford and Eynsford. Shoreham has its own rail station with 2 trains an hour to London.
The ramble is approximately 8 miles.
Please see details below for ramble Saturday 24th May
Arlesey Circular : Leader Brian Falls.
Meet: Arlesey Station at 10.26am, (toilets at station may be closed, please use toilets on train).
Coffee: Cherry Lane Garden Centre, Langford.
Lunch: Five Bells, Henlow Village, good food, reasonable prices. Dog friendly.
Distance: About 7 miles, easy walking, level ground and pleasant scenery.
Fare: Super Off Peak Day Return £17.00 without concessions.
Depart: St Pancras International 09.46am. Arrive Arlesey 10.26am. Train stops at several stations through London before St Pancras.
Return from Arlesey to St Pancras International (and onwards) every 30 minutes"
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