St Francis of Assisi Catholic Ramblers’ Club
Affiliated to the Ramblers Association and H.F. Holidays
Email: stfrancisramblers@gmail.com
List of Rambles for Winter December to 2023 to February 2024
Sunday 3 December. Margaret Brady. OS Explorer map 147.
Meet: Cannon Street 0940 for the 1000 train to Sevenoaks (arr 1031). Also calls London Bridge 1005.
Lunch: Knole House which is part of the National Trust. Ramblers can bring their own packed lunch.
Tea: Maybe in Sevenoaks
Distance: 8 mostly level miles - returning from Sevenoaks.
Fare: CDR Sevenoaks £10.00 / boundary zone 6 £5.25. Both with railcard discounts.
Margaret will meet the ramblers at Sevenoaks.
Sunday 10 December Leader: Maria Vaz OS Explorer maps 172 and 181
Meet: Marylebone 0930 for the 0957 train to Chorleywood (arr 1024). Also calls Harrow-on-the Hill 1009.
Lunch: The Crown, Ley Hill
Tea: No T today
Distance: 10 mile ramble in the Chilterns: rolling hills, woods and villages. Expect some muddy paths after wet weather.
Returning from Chesham, direct Metropolitan line services every 30 minutes to Baker Street, Kings Cross and beyond.
Fare: Freedom pass / Oyster / Travelcard options.
Thursday 14 December Leader: John Burbage Christmas lights short walk.
Meet: Bond Street Station (Davies Street exit beside Elizabeth Line exit) 4pm for a 4.10 pm start.
Refreshments: There will be a stop en-route (decided on the walk) for refreshments with the opportunity at the end for a seasonal toast.
Distance: About 2.5 miles at a leisurely pace with opt out at any time. We will view some of the best seasonal lights in the West End, Soho, Covent Garden arriving in
Trafalgar Square at about 6.30pm for carol singing at the Christmas tree.
Fare: Freedom pass / Oyster / Travelcard options. Return from Charing Cross / Embankment stations (Northern, Circle & District Lines and mainline) and numerous buses.
Sunday 17 December Leader: Robert Slater OS Landranger map 166.
Meet: Kings Cross 0845 for the 0905 LNER non-stop train to Stevenage (arr 0925).
Lunch: Rusty Gun, St Ippolyts. Isolated pub on B656.Grid ref.199253. Tasty carvery.
Tea: The Angel Vaults Inn, Sun Street, Hitchin.
Distance: 10 miles - returning from Hitchin. Two trains per hour to Kings Cross and an hourly Thameslink service to East Croydon and points further south.
Fare: CDR Hitchin £10.40 / boundary zone 6 £6.40. Both with railcard discounts.
Saturday 23 December Leader: Maurice Hickman OS Explorer map 146
Meet: Blackfriars 0930 for 0954 train to Redhill (arr 1035).
Ramblers can also join this train at Finsbury Park 0937, St Pancras International - Platform A - 0945, Farringdon 0949, London Bridge 1000 and East Croydon 1017.
Lunch: Skimmington Castle, Reigate Heath.
Tea: The Hatch, Redhill. After tea it may be dark but will be sound under foot as we shall be following urban tarmacked paths.
Distance: 9 mostly level miles, one gentle hill in the afternoon, returning from Redhill
Fare: CDR Redhill £9.30 / boundary zone 6 £3.65. Both with railcard discounts.
Saturday 30 December Leader: Tom Gilmartin OS Explorer map 161.
Meet: Blackfriars 0930 for the 0946 train to Ravensbourne (arr 1017). Also calls Peckham Rye 1001 - Overground and other mainline services.
Lunch: O'Neill's pub Beckenham. Other refreshment options nearby.
Tea: Maybe at Lewisham
Distance: 7 fairly easy miles, walking through Beckenham Place Park, Cator Park, and Waterlink Way finishing at Lewisham .
Fare: Freedom pass / Oyster / Travelcard options.
Please note there are no public toilets on Ravensbourne station. Tom will meet the ramblers there.
Sunday 7th January Leader: Francis O'Sullivan
Meet: 1030 am Richmond Station. Last connecting train from Waterloo departs 1009 and arriving Richmond 1028. Also served by Overground and District Line trains.
Lunch: Bring a sandwich.
Distance: 8 mile walk around Richmond Park.
Tea: In park at kiosk. Drink and meal if required in Railway Tavern at end of walk beside Richmond Station. Reasonable prices.
Fare: Freedom pass, Oyster and Travelcard options.
Saturday 13th January Leader: John Burbage
Meet: Buckhurst Hill U/G Station (Central Line) 1030. Station is 33 minutes from Oxford Circus and 14 minutes from Stratford Stations.
Coffee: There will be a stop at Ray Park for coffee.
Lunch: Opportunity at the end of the walk at The Golden Fleece, Manor Park. The pub is reasonably priced and a few minutes walk from the station.
Distance: 8.5 miles on the level mainly using good paths, tracks with some street walking and occasional muddy sections. We follow a section of the River Roding passing one of the last remaining octagonal kitchen gardens, and some lakes around Wanstead Park retuning from Manor Park Station (Elizabeth Line).
Fare: Oyster Zone 5. Off peak adult PAYG cap £13.90 for contactless and £15.20 for Zones 1-5 Travelcard. London Freedom Pass holders go free.
Saturday 20th January Leader: Margaret Brady OS Explorer map 147
Meet: Charing Cross 0920 for 0938 train to Sevenoaks. Also calls London Bridge 0947 and Orpington 1003.
Lunch: Knole House.
Distance: 9 fairly level miles finishing in Sevenoaks.
Tea: TeaBA
Fare: CDR Sevenoaks £10.00 / Boundary zone 6 £3.65. Both with railcard discounts.
Margaret will meet the ramblers at Sevenoaks.
Sunday 28th January Leader: Brian Falls OS Landranger map 153
Meet: Kings Cross 0850 for 0912 train to Arlesey (arr 0949). Also calls Finsbury Park 0918.
Lunch: The White Horse, Southill. Reasonable prices and good menu. Marquee in garden for those not having a meal.
Distance: 9 miles. Mostly level ground. One hill with views over the counties.
Tea: Henlow village or Arlesey. Return trains from Arlesey at 24 minutes past the hour.
Fare: CDR Arlesey £10.40 / Boundary zone 6 £6.95. Both with railcard discounts.
Sunday 4th February. Leader: John Burbage OS Landranger map 187
Meet: Waterloo 0910 for 0932 train to Bookham (arr 1022). Also calls Clapham Junction 0941 and Wimbledon 0948.
Coffee: We will stop at Squire’s Garden Centre (about one hour in) for a comfort break and coffee.
Lunch: There will be a late lunch in Epsom, for those who wish, at the Marquis of Granby or similar.
Distance: 9.5 miles generally on the level on paths and tracks with occasional muddy spots. We visit woods, farmland and commons returning from Epsom.
Fare: CDR Bookham £7.55 / Boundary zone 6 £3.30. Both with railcard discounts.
John will join the train en-route - Mobile number 07970 905 293
Saturday 10th February Leader: Maurice Hickman OS Explorer Map 146
Meet: Blackfriars 0930 for 0954 train to Redhill (arr 1035). Ramblers can also join this train at Finsbury Park 0937, St Pancras International - Platform A - 0945,
Farringdon 0949, London Bridge 1000 and East Croydon 1017.
Lunch: The Sportsman, Mogador
Tea: The Kiosk, Reigate Hill or The Hatch, Redhill
Distance: 10 miles returning from Redhill
Fare: CDR Redhill £9.30 / Boundary zone 6 £3.65. Both with railcard discounts.
We shall be climbing a couple of hills in the morning but nothing too demanding. From the Hatch pub is a choice of getting the bus back to the station or continuing the walk which is another mile. Good views from Colley Hill in the afternoon.
Saturday 17th February Leader: Antoinette Adkins OS Explorer map 161
Meet: Waterloo 0910 for 0931 train to Kingston (arr 1016). Also calls Clapham Junction 0941 and Richmond 0958 (Overground and District
Line).
Coffee: Comfort stop at Hampton Court Palace Golf Club
Lunch: Pheasantry Café, Bushy Park (reasonable prices). Benches and a cheaper coffee stall for a picnic nearby. A hot meal can be had at the tea stop.
Distance: 8 miles. Circular walk via Home Park, Hampton Court Palace and Bushy Park.
Tea: The King's Tun, Wetherspoons pub or other options in Kingston
Fare: Freedom pass / Oyster / Travelcard options
Antoinette will meet at Kingston station.
Please note on Antoinette's walk in Kingston this Saturday, there are no trains from Wimbledon.
There is a replacement bus service departing Wimbledon 0949 which is due to arrive Kingston 1017.
Also a table has been booked in a BYO Lebanese restaurant in Kingston for the tea/late lunch stop. It is reasonably priced and the food is good with big portions. There is a Tesco Express near the station to buy wine and beer if you wish. The restaurant is licenced but they do not charge corkage for bringing your own alcohol.
Please bring a snack to have at the brief lunch stop in Bushey Park to keep you going.
Sunday 25th February Ant Connolly OS Explorer map 162
Meet: 1030 Outside Stratford station, by 'Robert', the old steam engine
Coffee: Comfort stop at Cody Dock. Toilets and a coffee stall
Lunch: Lots of stalls selling street food, cafés and restaurants. Walkers can bring a picnic and have a hot meal at the tea stop.
Distance: 6 miles. A walk following London's contemporary art walk.
We'll take the IFS Cloud cable car (cost £6) across the Thames at Royal Victoria Docks after lunch finishing at North Greenwich
station.
Dropout points at Canning Town, Star Lane or Victoria Docks.
Tea: The Stargazer - Wetherspoons - O2 Arena.
Fare: Freedom pass / Oyster / Travelcard options. Return from North Greenwich.
Ant will meet at the meeting point mentioned above.
