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Cowden to Eridge Walk

Starts along a valley and then over hills to Hartfield for lunch, followed by an undulating trek thorough woods and fields to Eridge.

Kent Weald

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, 24-Feb-24 Cowden to Eridge 12 drizzly turning sunny
Sun, 23-Oct-22 Cowden to Eridge 1 dry and mild with warm sunshine in the afternoon
Sun, 18-Apr-21 Wood Anemones in the Weald 10 clear bright skis
Sat, 19-Oct-19 Cowden to Eridge 21 muddy and sunny
Wed, 05-Jun-19 Cowden to Eridge 16 sunny with threat
Sun, 08-Jul-18 A peaceful Wealden walk 2 hot and sunny
Sat, 18-Mar-17 Cowden to Eridge 14 dry with early sunshine becoming increasingly overcast and breezy
Sat, 09-Jan-16 Saturday Second Walk - Weald: Cowden (or Ashurst) to Eridge 7 dry then wet then dry
Sat, 10-May-14 Cowden to Eridge Walk 6
Sat, 05-Apr-14 a Cowden to Eridge Walk
Sun, 26-May-13 Cowden to Eridge Walk 4
Sat, 12-Jan-13 a Cowden to Eridge Walk 12
Sun, 20-May-12 Cowden to Eridge Walk
Sun, 06-Feb-11 Cowden to Eridge Walk
Sun, 06-Feb-11 a Cowden to Eridge Walk
Sun, 31-Jan-10 Cowden to Eridge Walk
Sun, 14-Jun-09 Cowden to Eridge Walk
Sat, 11-Oct-08 Cowden to Eridge Walk
Sat, 10-Feb-07 a Cowden to Eridge Walk

Saturday 24-Feb-24

branchline
branchline


Length: 19.5km (12.1 miles) or 16.5km(10.3 miles) if you don't go to Hartfield for lunch. (directions for shortcut in walk details).

This is a beautiful walk in classic Weald territory of pasture, woods and hills. In the lunchtime village of Hartfield you will find Pooh Corner, selling all kinds of paraphernalia relating to A.A. Milne's famous creation (including the official Rules for Poohsticks).

Toughness 4 out of 10

Trains: 10.07 from London Bridge arrives Cowden 10.53.

Return trains from Eridge run hourly at xx.50

Buy a day return to Eridge

Lunch: The Anchor Inn Church Street, Hartfield, TN7 4AG (01892 770424

Food served noon - 1.45pm Sun).

Located 10 km from the start of the walk

The Dorset Arms Withyham, TN7 4BD (01892 770278 /

Food served noon - 2pm. Located 7 km from the end of the walk,

Tea: The Huntsman pub , Groombridge Lane Eridge (01892 864258) is open from 12 - 6pm on Sunday. Food is served between 12 and 4pm.

For walk directions, map and GPS click here

T=swc.3

  • Sat, 24-Feb-24

    Pub Opening Hours on Saturdays:

    The Anchor, Hartfield food served: 12 noon to 11.30pm

    the Dorset Arms, Withyam: 12 noon to 20.30

    Huntsman pub Eridge: 12 noon to 10pm

  • Mon, 26-Feb-24

    There were12 of us gathered at Cowden platform. I understand that 2 other walkers had got off the train at Ashridge to walk to Eridge so I have not included them in the 12. The weather started off drizzly turning sunny after lunch.

    Only one of our friends did the whole walk via Hartfield, although he did not stop at the pub in there but popped in to see the diners at The Dorset Arms in Withyam. Seven walkers had lunch at The Dorset Arms which although busy, served us very quickly and all enjoyed the quality food. That leaves 5 walkers who had lunch outside the church in Withyam

    The terrain was Muddy with a capital M, but most of us had come well prepared for this. I believe that at least 8 people gathered in the Huntsman Pub at the end of the walk for a final drink, joined by the two who had walked a slightly different route. The walk poster just made it onto the 5.50 train where she met six of the walkers, and we had a speedy and jolly return to London.

Sunday 23-Oct-22

Wanderer
Wanderer

This is a beautiful walk in classic Weald territory of pasture, woods and hills

Length: 19.5km (12.1 miles) or 16.5km(10.3 miles) if you don't go to Hartfield for lunch. (directions for shortcut in walk details).

Toughness 4 out of 10

Trains: 9.51 East Grinstead train from London Victoria, changing at Oxted (10.33) for the 10.38 Uckfield train, arriving Cowden 10.55.

Return trains from Eridge run hourly at xx.51 to Oxted. Change at Hurst Green or Oxted for the Victoria train.

Buy a day return to Eridge

Lunch: The Anchor Inn Church Street, Hartfield, TN7 4AG (01892 770424

Food served noon - 1.45pm Sun).

Located 10 km from the start of the walk

The Dorset Arms Withyham, TN7 4BD (01892 770278 /

Food served noon - 2pm. Located 7 km from the end of the walk,

Tea: The Huntsman pub, Groombridge Lane Eridge (01892 864258) is open from 12 - 6pm on Sunday. Food is served between 12 and 4pm.

For walk directions, map and GPS click here

T=swc.3

  • Sun, 23-Oct-22

    1 off the train at Cowden where there was light drizzle which soon petered out. It was a soft day which remained dry and mild with warm sunshine in the afternoon until a rumble of thunder heralded a downpour shortly before 5pm. Faster walkers would have escaped the rain but this walker made very slow progress over slippery paths. It was very autumnal with plenty of leaf colour on the ground, a lovely day to be in the middle of the countryside. Grassy fields and woods with streams, some muddy stretches and after Withyam a lot of paved paths which made the going easier. I took the shortcut to Withyam and reached Eridge just after 5pm. Luckily the Huntsman was open and I had a very refreshing cider there before catching the 5.51 train.

  • Sun, 23-Oct-22

    No trains from Oxted to London due to a fallen tree in Purley. Waiting for news of replacement buses to East Croydon.

Sunday 18-Apr-21

Stargazer

SWC 3: Cowden to Eridge with optional extension to Tunbridge Wells t=swc.3

Distance: Short, Medium and Long on offer:

Short: 10.3 miles/16.5 km

Medium: 12.1 miles/ 19.5 km

Long: 17ish miles/ 27ish km

Difficulty: 4 out of 10 – depending on distance


Train: Take the 9:51 AM East Grinstead train from London Victoria , arriving at Cowden at 10:55 (change Hurst Green 10:36 arrival and 10:41 departure). Return trains from Eridge are at 51 minutes past the hour and from Tunbridge Wells at 09 and 39 past the hour. Buy a day return to Eridge (or Tunbridge Wells if definitely planning to finish there).


This is a lovely walk with options for all. It begins along the Medway Valley and visits the charming villages of Hartfield and Withyham for possible lunch pubs (though it may be safer to bring your own provisions). After lunch, the route undulates through pastures and woods. Usually, there are fine displays of wood anemones near Eridge. For those wanting a longer walk, near Erdige, a short diversion will allow you to pick up the Tunbridge Wells circular (SWC 19) via Harrison’s Rocks where you will also find a collection of wood anemones. In fact, if you are not up for the full extension, you could improvise a circuit around Harrison’s Rocks before finishing in Eridge. You can find more information about the walk and the instructions here (SWC 3) and here (SWC 19) .


Pub lunches may be available in Hartfield or Withyham . It would probably be best to call ahead and book if planning on a pub lunch (details of the options are in the walk notes). Post walk refreshies may be available at the Huntsman near Eridge station or at various places in Tunbridge Wells.


It is expected to walk in groups of six and provide contact details. To facilitate the collection of contact details, please pre-register for this walk on the "events" page at https://www.lwug.co.uk/. You will need to first sign-on and possibly register if you have not previously registered on the site.

If you test positive for COVID within a week of attending this walk, please contact me by emailing { remove the AAA} AAAcovid@lwug.co.uk , a private dedicated COVID reporting email address.


Enjoy the walk!

  • Fri, 16-Apr-21

    I am recuperating from a back injury at the moment, so will join you for the last leg from the Dorset Arms at Withyham. I'll keeping my boots on this time!

  • Tue, 20-Apr-21

    9 people and 1 dog assembled at Cowden station for this undulating route through the Weald under clear bright skis . Many decided to by-pass Hartfield and enjoyed picnics on the hillside just outside Withyham or in its church yard. During lunch, 2 regulars were spotted doing a short Withyham circular, a bit later on the promised Dorset Arms starter was spotted near "the rocks" and finally on the outskirts of Eridge we found loads of the promised wood anenomes and another regular walker walking independently. So 10 in total for people doing most of the walk. Most enjoyed a drink in the sunshine of the Huntsman's garden before catching the 4:51 and a few did an extra circuit around Harrison's Rocks before catching the 5:51pm.

Saturday 19-Oct-19

DAC
SWC Walk #3 - Cowden to Eridge
Length: 19.5km (12.1 miles). Toughness 4/10.

Catch the 10:07 train from London Bridge, arrives Cowden 10:53. Buy a day return to Eridge. Return trains: xx:50


T=swc.3
  • Fri, 18-Oct-19

    Intend going..

  • Sun, 20-Oct-19

    21 at Cowden, including 2 waiting for the train, who set off across n=very-muddy,-in- some-places-barely-passable paths to Ashurst under n-bright-sunny-skies. The conditions underfoot then improved markedly to Withyham, where many enjoyed lunch at the Dorset Arms and someone mistook my mud-plastered boots for their mud-plastered but more expensive ones.

    The path from Withyham to Eridge was delightfully autumnal (and not so muddy) through sun-dappled woods and across bare fields to Eridge, where some confused walkers set off for a rail replacement bus to Tunbridge Wells, which turned out to be a replacement for the steam train on the Spa Valley heritage line, not the regular Southern service! The rest enjoyed the conviviality of an unusually packed Huntsman before catching the 17:50 to London Bridge. Oh, and I spotted my boots on the platform at Eridge just in time to effect a swift transfer.

  • Anonymous
    Sun, 20-Oct-19

    muddy and sunny

Wednesday 05-Jun-19

PeteG
Cowden to Eridge

Length: 10.3 miles (16.5km). 6 out of 10.
a longer walk 13.1 miles (21.2km) is possible.
The plan is to take the shortcut marked [3] in the directions, cutting out Hartfield to have lunch in the Dorset Arms. To do the full walk and have lunch at the Dorset Arms, get the earlier 0907 train (the fare is £13.90 so Network Rail Card discount is negligible). If not lunching at the pub, you can probably fit in the full walk from the 1007. Discuss on the train or briefly on arrival!
"A lovely undulating walk through peaceful Wealden territory of pastures, woods and hills".

T=swc.3

Trains: Get the 1007 Uckfield train from London Bridge to Cowden (Kent) arr 1053 (East Croydon 1021). Returns from Eridge are xx20 & xx50. Buy a return to Eridge. For a longer walk get the 0907 train (all stations are on the same line.

Lunch: The recommended pub is the Dorset Arms Withyham, (01892 770278). Food served noon - 2.30pm Located 6 miles (10 km) from the start of the walk. The Dorset Arms has had good reports, and you might want to make a booking.

Tea: The Huntsman is right by the station & well worth missing a train for.
  • Fri, 07-Jun-19

    16 on this pleasant walk. sunny with threat of rain. 11 of us got off the train and got moving quickly to stay ahead of a French group (we were unnecessarily concerned about pub space). 2 started from Ashurst at different times, 1 had got the earlier train, 1 met us having walked from the pub & 1 caught up having missed the train, but wearing the right boots. 3? did the full route. A perfectly timed arrival at the Huntsman rounded off the walk before getting the train back.

Sunday 08-Jul-18

Chris L
Cowden to Eridge
Length: 19.5km (12.1 miles) Toughness: 4/10

09:51 Oxted train from Victoria (Clapham Junction 09:58, East Croydon 10:09), changing at Oxted (arr 10:33; dep 10:38) arriving at Cowden at 10:55.

Return trains are at xx:51, changing at Hurst Green or Oxted (journey time 1 hour 18 minutes). Buy a day return to Eridge.

A lovely undulating walk through peaceful Wealden territory of pastures, woods and hills. The suggested lunchtime stop is The Anchor Inn (01892 770424) in Hartfield. Close by is Pooh Corner, a shop whose range of Winnie-the-Pooh paraphernalia will gladden the hearts of all devotees of the famous bear.

A short cut is possible, reducing the walk length to 16.5km (10.3 miles). You could also shorten the walk by 5km by taking the train an hour later and starting the walk at Ashurst.

The recommended lunch pubs are The Anchor Inn (01892 770434) in Hartfield for the main walk, or the The Dorset Arms (01892 770278) in Withyham for the short cut option. As usual on a Sunday, do ring ahead to book a table.

You will need to download the Walk Directions [link fixed].

T=swc.3
  • Anonymous
    Mon, 09-Jul-18

    2 hot and sunny

Saturday 18-Mar-17

PeteG
Length: 13.1 miles (21.2km). Six hours walking time. 6 out of 10.
Shorter option of 10 Miles and later start.

"Starts along a valley and then over hills to Hartfield for lunch, followed by an undulating trek through woods and fields to Eridge." The walk directions say it is 12 miles, but the gpx says 13. You can shorten the walk to 10 miles (and have a later start) by starting from Ashurst. The early start for this walk, is in order to get to the recommended pub in time.
T=swc.3

Trains: Get the 0908 Uckfield train from London Bridge to Cowden (Kent) arr 0953 (East Croydon 0922). Returns from Eridge are xx50. Buy a return to Eridge. For the Ashurst start get the 1008 train (all stations are on the same line. Hopefully Southern will be running these trains.

Lunch: The Anchor Inn Hartfield, (01892 770424). Food served 12pm - 3pm. Located 6 miles (10 km) from the start of the walk, or the recommended Dorset Arms Withyham, (01892 770278). Food served noon - 2.30pm Located 8.7 miles (14 km) from the start of the walk.

The Dorset Arms has had good reports, and you can omit the out and back to Hartfield to shorten the walk.. Best to decide this at the start and make a booking.

Tea: The Huntsman is right by the station, so the hourly return service is less of a problem.


  • David
    Sat, 18-Mar-17

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  • Sat, 18-Mar-17

    Just FYI, there is only supposed to be ONE n= number in the report = the TOTAL number on the walk.

  • Sun, 19-Mar-17

    the solution is, I believe, to copy and paste the old post w/o the n=xx (but with the total number added) and to then delete the old post. sorry... but it's all for the integrity of the stats...fwiw

  • Sun, 19-Mar-17

    copied and pasted from earlier:

    David said...

    9 caught the early train and started from Cowden and 5 or 6 did the shorter walk from Ashurst, for a total of 14 or 15 walkers. The weather was dry with early sunshine becoming increasingly overcast and breezy . Most chose to eat at the Anchor Inn in Hartfield, but there were a couple of benches in the nearby churchyard for those who had brought sandwiches. After lunch, some of the walkers stopped to visit Hartfield Church, while others pressed on. At least three walkers caught the 3.50 train back from Eridge. Overall, a very pleasant day. The going was largely firm underfoot, with a few boggy patches, and the usual muddy field corners.

    Saturday, 18 March, 2017

Saturday 09-Jan-16

Thomas G

SWC Walk 3 – Cowden to Eridge
Length: 21.2 km (13.2 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 370 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 5 hours
Toughness: 6 out of 10
or
Ashurst to Eridge
Length: 16.0 km (10.0 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 330 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 4 hours
Toughness: 4 out of 10
For the full walk take the 09.08 Southern service from London Bridge to Uckfield (although the departure board may say ‘Crowborough’, as a bus replacement is in place south of there), arrives Cowden 09.53; or the 10.08 train if walking the short version (arrives Ashurst 10.58, just about when the long walkers pass by).
Return trains: XX.50 (62 minutes journey time). All three stations are on the Uckfield line. Buy an Eridge return ticket.
This is a beautiful walk on the Kent/East Sussex border in classic, pretty Weald territory of pasture, woods and hills. In the lunchtime village of Hartfield you will find Pooh Corner, selling all kinds of paraphernalia relating to AA Milne's famous creation. Withyham has several interesting buildings. The path into the village goes through the grounds of Old Buckhurst, in its time one of the largest houses in England but with only a stone gatehouse standing today. Next to the impressive Rectory, a corner of the adjacent Monk's House has been cut off, supposedly because one 19th century Rector wanted to be able to see Old Buckhurst, the home of his ancestors. The Church of St. Michael and All Angels contains full-size reproductions of four 14th century Italian paintings and some impressive monuments.

Lunch is either at the Anchor Inn, Hartfield (10.9 km/6.8 mi into the full walk, 5.7 km/3.6 mi else, food until 15.00 hours), or at The Hay Waggon just next door, or at the Dorset Arms, Withyham (13.3 km/8.3 m into the full walk, 8.1 km/5.1 mi else, food served until 14.30 hours).
For tea in Eridge, The Huntsman right by the station seems to be the only option, it is open all afternoon these days.
A further shortcut is possible around lunch (cut 3 km and the two pubs in Hartfield). Details in the walk directions , found here, as are map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files.
T=swc.3
L=swc.3
  • Anonymous
    Mon, 04-Jan-16

    is anyone doing the short version please ?

  • Anonymous
    Fri, 08-Jan-16

    Where can I find the walk direction ? It is not in the linked page.

  • Fri, 08-Jan-16

    From the linked page click on the respective tab: 'Download Walk (pdf)'

  • Anonymous
    Fri, 08-Jan-16

    I found it. Thank you, Thomas.

  • Sat, 09-Jan-16

    7 dry then wet then dry

    5 intrepid souls alighted from the train to start the slide through the muddy fields and hills. 2 others had taken the later train to walk from Ashurst ('caught' at lunch). V beautiful countryside, quiet and undulating, with a fair amount of far views and gushing streams. Muddy paths, slithery hillsides, churned paths and lots of standing water turned this into a proper workout. We decided early on that the Withyham pub would be our lunch choice, so from the church in Hartfield spared ourselves the short out-and-back into the village. Fabulous lunch at the Dorset Arms (we took over the table from the short walkers). Welcome bevvy stop at The Huntsman in Eridge. 15.50 train for some, 16.50 for the others.