2 got off the train at Hurst Green, and walked to Lingfield under very low clouds and intermittent drizzle . It did not really rain until the last half hour when we were walking to the station. This would be a lovely walk in the spring.

The walk seemed longer than the 10.5 miles, probably due to the muddy conditions. We arrived at the Royal Oak just in time to nab the last table, as the pub was full, but the food arrived amazingly fast and it was very nice – a welcome break. Then onwards through more muddy paths and fields in the gathering dark. By the time we got to the bird sanctuary in Lingfield it was almost totally dark and very difficult to pick up the correct path into town. We just walked along a random path and made it to the road, and walked to the station and caught the 18.49 train.

It looked at first like there were only a few of us on the Victoria train, but others materialised and we eventually mustered at a respectable 20. Off we set into showery weather, but it was not too bad a day. Some long dry stretches, some sun; the showers usually not too long.

A woody morning before we descended onto the plains. The group fragmented a bit and when the three I was with got to the lunch pub we found only one other walker at a table for four. Others then drifted in, and maybe six or seven ate in the end, with as many more having drinks, some in the garden. The latter enjoyed the longest sunny period of the day: when those of us inside finally emerged it was raining again.

In the afternoon lots of flowery meadows, which soaked the legs. Several of us got a bit lost at times. But seven of us finally located the well hidden Costa in Longfield for tea, while some others, I hear, went to the Star pub.

The Costa crowd were having a nice chat over tea until someone uttered the tragic words “next train”. This precipitated a rapid rush for the station, where we got the 17.13.

7 at Hurst Green

The weather was sunny very hot

A mix of sun and shade.

A walk memorable for the number of stiles. Apparently, the forerunners had difficulty getting to the stile over a railway line and had to squirm under a fence to reach it. Not clever Mr Tiger, though, who had read the directions properly and followed the footpath at the side.

3 stopped at the Oak, 2 for a drink 1 to eat. The rest continued to Crowhurst church, where 2 of the 3 caught them up later. (The 3rd followed behind after a sumptuous repast).

The 2 had an unnerving encounter with a large herd of cows that insisted in following then across a large field, thundering over a bridge, and repeatedly blocking the way. They were harmless though and, fortunately, Mr Tiger was able to send his manservant out in front to shoo them away.

6 of the 7 reconvened at the Star where more beverage was consumed. Much needed beverage. The. 7th joined us on the platform for the 16:43.

8 walkers alighted at Oxted station to be be greeted by overcast and cool weather. Two further walkers were spotted walking the same route but, after friendly enquiries, they were not part of the SWC group.

A very pleasant walk through undisturbed woodlands and meadows populated with joyful lambs and well groomed horses. After some initial (mild) disappointment there were impressive displays of Bluebells in Staffhurst Wood - the overcast weather making photography much easier.

The Royal Oak pub was busy and service not quick but the food was on the better side of standard pub fare with a diverse menu. Most were picnicking but joined us for a drink and patiently waited for all to finish their meals.

On arriving in Edenbridge we met in Costa's (alternatives being closed on a Sunday) and made the 17:12 train.

Thanks due to the diligent work of our volunteer walk maintainers.

A fine day out in good company.

6 of us are arriving 30 minutes late due to a delay on the London train

It was cloudy with occasional bright intervals becoming very windy around lunchtime . A group of 5 met up at Hurst Green station having caught the designated 10.11 train from East Croydon. Unbeknowns to them, another group of 7 walkers had set off from points north of East Croydon, only to be thwarted by a red signal between Clapham Junction and Croydon. They missed their connection, were wrongly stopped from catching the next train ten minutes later, and eventually reached Hurst Green about 30 minutes after the first group had set off. The two groups met briefly at the Royal Oak, and some chose to set off again with the early group to find a suitable place to eat sandwiches. The first group, supplemented by 2 of the later group pressed on. 2 chose to get some liquid refreshment at the Star and the others caught the 3.51 train back to East Croydon and beyond. The walk instructions were generally clear, except for the "second path crossing" in Staffhurst Wood, where 6 of the later group missed the pond by the large assart and carried staright on rather than turn right by the second path crossing. Happily, they found their way to the Royal Oak. The highlight of the day was surely the Crowhurst Yew, followed some distance behind by the Crowhurst Oak.

erratum: Lingfield Oak

12, methinks (for the stats)

20 on this walk - an estimate, as half the group had disappeared before I emerged from the station. But I was told that there were about that many.

This walk had an ill-starred beginning, first with all Southern trains out of London Bridge being held up by a problem at East Croydon (though in the end we were only 10-15 minutes late) and then with someone ringing the only lunch pub and being told they would not accommodate us. Fortunately some of us heard this in time to buy provisions at the very excellent Co-op in Oxted (I can recommend the chicken couscous): about half a dozen who did not get the news nevertheless managed to squeeze into the "fully booked" pub, but later arrivals were refused.

We all got very spread out early on, so the rest of this account describes my experience. Weather much better than the grim wintry conditions forecast - cloudy and unseasonably cold but with some good sunny intervals in the afternoon . While we all got throughly splattered in mud, the low-lying fields on much of this walk were also nothing like was waterlogged as I expected after yesterday's deluge.

The other bit of good news was Staffhurst Wood, where the very extensive bluebells were in full flower. Liberated from the need to get to lunch in time, three of us did the longer loop around this, having a veritable bluebell feast.

We then stopped for a drink in the lunch pub (rather reluctantly on my part, since if they did not want my lunch money, why should I buy drinks there?). At least one walker enjoyed eating his sandwiches ostentatiously in the bar area, daring the staff to come up and insist he could only eat food bought in the pub....

We admired (and climbed inside) the wonderful Crowhurst Yew, saw more bluebells and lambs, heard a chorus of blackbirds, and seven of us finished up at The Star in Lingfield where we had an early dinner (or possibly a very late lunch).

7 Damp start with morning drizzle, lots of mud, friendly welcome in the Royal Oak and a fine afternoon. Waterlogged fields and did I mention the mud? Good company but a bit of a slog through the general wetness and mud!

hope to go, anyone else ?

Weather looks reasonable, so I'm up for the walk.

Usually 7-12 on these midweek walks I seem to remember

going from Victoria - please wait

quite fancy joining you!!!

this would be my very first walk so please be indulgent (hopefully I won't be too much of a burden for the group!!)

Another bumper turnout for a midweek walk, 15 walkers split between the two trains. You could say there were 17, but two somehow formed the impression that they were supposed to change from the first train to the second and found themselves in Lingfield about five hours too soon. Showing great resourcefulness they did the walk in reverse and we heard their story at the lunch pub.

The partly sunny weather made it an ideal day for walking, and it was particularly nice to do this walk in dry conditions. The Royal Oak seemed to be under new management and failed a crucial test by shamefacedly admitting that they'd run out of pies. After recovering from that shock most were happy with their lunch but one grumbled that her Red Thai curry was not hot enough, in every sense.

On the afternoon leg the ancient yew in Crowhurst churchyard was greatly admired, from inside and out. The pacesetters reached Lingfield just after 4pm and some headed for an early train back, but most refreshed themselves in the back garden of Joyce's tearoom. Duly revived, one even carried on past the Racecourse to the next station down the line, so perhaps Dormans will feature on an SWC walk in the not too distant future…