7 were soon joined by an 8 th.

A surprisingly mud free morning, sunny with a chill wind.

All went in the Swan at lunchtime. Mr Tiger assumed his honorary position as “chip-taster to the gentry” and gave them a thumbs up. Dining could commence. The group were complimentary about the pies.

All wonderful, unless you looked out the window at the wrong time. Sun, rain, sun …. make your mind up, weather!!

We emerged under cloudier skies. With big black ones heading for us, the 100% cohesion began to falter. 3 opted for

the short walk and, later, 2 peeled off for what I assume was the short walk with added Rose and Crown. The remaining 3 stalwarts opted for the long walk. The route seemed a bit unclear at times and involved leaping across newly deepened ditches (off-piste, maybe?) It was also muddier (but kiddie’s stiff compared to some recent outings). And then the rain came, that hard, frozen rain that some call ‘hail’. How we laughed.

But then, readers, out came the sun again.

Approaching the station, one of our number, who shall remain nameless, had got into their head that there was only one train an hour and we were just going to miss it (there were, in fact, two - stick to tasting chips, Mr Tiger!) Another of the group kindly offered to drive us to Tonbridge, where there were more trains, so that’s what we did, passing through many quaint Kent villages in the way. Grand day out.

sun rain hail sun cold wind

Note for Freedom Pass holders (with or without senior railcard): Southeastern is not allowing tickets from Boundary Zone 6 to Pluckley, so you must either purchase a return ticket from London or, if you want to claim your right to free travel throughout London, you'll have to buy a return ticket from Knockholt to Pluckley and travel on the stopping train to Sevenoaks (dep. Charing Cross 9.04, Waterloo East 9.07, London Bridge 9.13), arriving Sevenoaks at 09.57, then change to the 10.13 Margate train, arriving Pluckley at 10.50.

Hi David,

Is that for both the CX train and the St. Pancras train?

I may be wrong, but I thought it only applied to their high speed trains which run from St. Pancras.

Daisy Roots is correct. A Boundary Zone 6 ticket is valid on any train, whether or not it stops inside boundary zone six, EXCEPT for high speed services out of St Pancras (and one or two other trains not relevant here). You can't use any boundary tickets on these: you have to pay the full whack (though you can use Senior cards etc of course).

Southeastern ticket machines are the only ones that don't seem to allow you to buy a ticket from Boundary Zone Six, in which case, yes, you have to buy one from Knockholt (I am not sure they let you do that either...). But the train does NOT have to stop at Knockholt. Definitely not.

This nonsense sometimes creeps in because people confuse the rules for split ticketing in the rest of the country with the rules for London boundary tickets. If you have a split ticket London to Didcot and then Didcot to Bristol (much cheaper with a Network Card!!), then the train you take has to stop at Didcot. But if you have a boundary zone 6 to Reading ticket, the train does not have to stop at West Drayton. No no no no no.

I am not sure when you say "Southeastern does not allow this" whether you mean their ticket machines (see above), their staff (stand your ground and cite the "National Rail Routing Guide": I don't know what it is either but it puts the fear of god into them), or their website (buy the ticket from the window at Charing Cross).

Because their ticket machines don't do boundary zone six, I regularly buy Southeastern tickets from the ticket window (how old fashioned!!) at Charing Cross, and not once has any of the staff ever said to me "Are you travelling on a train that stops at Knockholt?"

Btw, the easiest way around the Southeastern ticket machine problem is to get the train from Waterloo East. The ticket machines on the main concourse at Waterloo are sensible ones, with a boundary zone six option.

Lastly, but not leastly, if buying your ticket for the high speed train from the machines at St Pancras, do NOT use the ticket machines dotted temptingly all over the main concourse. These are for Midland Railways and they don't sell the full range of Southeastern tickets, eg the Super Off Peak Day Return, which is quite a bit cheaper to some places (not sure of Pluckley is one of them). For simplicity the Southeastern ticket machines are the ones up on the mezzanine level where the Southeastern trains depart from. The right-hand two of the four at the start of the passageway to the northern entrance to the underground are also Southeastern. (So the left-hand two do NOT sell Southeastern super off-peaks and the right-hand two do. You could not make this up...) Be aware that if you buy the wrong ticket from the Southeastern machines, or there is some error with them, like the tickets print all faint, the ticket office at St Pancras will advise you to take it up at London Bridge. (You could not make this up either...)

If anyone is still awake, thank you for reading.

I've never had a problem in the past, frequently buying tickets starting at Boundary Zone 6, from my local station (Lewisham). I intended to do exactly the same this afternoon, but when the ticket office clerk tried, the system wouldn't let him sell a Boundary Zone 6 to Pluckley return. Not only that, he was required to input the time of the outward and return journeys. That's something I'm used to to doing on long distance journeys to get the cheapest tickets, but it's never happened to me before on Southeastern. So I don't know what's going on here. You'd expect it on a route like London to Edinburgh, but not on Charing Cross to Margate. Anyway, I decided to ask for a Knockholt to Pluckley return as a way of getting round the problem, not wishing to give up my right to free travel. It means leaving home half an hour earlier, but I'll do that just to stop Southeastern profiteering at my expense. If others manage to buy that elusive return ticket from Boundary Zone 6, I'll be delighted to know, but I suspect this is a new income generating idea coming to some of Southeastern's main routes.

No no no no no.

You absolutely do NOT have to leave home earlier. Just get the specified train in the walk post. Your ticket from Knockholt is valid even if the train does not stop at Knockholt. I do this all the time. This is a Londonwide thing and Southeastern can't just arbitrarily change it - particularly since old style franchises have been replaced with management contracts and so I don't think Southeastern even have the power to change fare rules anymore. If your ticket seller told you that you have to be on a train that stops at Knockholt, he was incorrect. Railway staff, particularly at suburban stations, don't always understand the rules. If you doubt me, go to Charing Cross, go to the ticket window there and ask them.

And by the way, last Thursday, 28 April, I travelled to Wadhurst on Southeastern. I went to the ticket window at Charing Cross and said "a day return to Wadhurst from boundary zone six and with a senior card. The ticket was issued as specified. The guy at Lewisham just did not know where to find it on his system.

Thanks for advice on Boundary Zone 6

I think that Bletchley Park was used to write the rail ticketing system to see if anyone could crack it

I did this walk 2 weeks ago and the apple blossom was fantastic

I am at Victoria this morning. I selected Boundary Zone Six as the departure station and then Pluckley as my destination. Nil problemo.

Oh so confusing 😕 while we're on the subject can Walker kindly tell me where that 'select boundary zone six' option is on the ticket machine pls? i can never find it and tend to pay actually on the train..which prob.isnt wise..

I did as you suggested, Walker and asked at Charing Cross this morning. It turns out that everyone was right. There's no problem getting a senior day return from Boundary Zone 6 today, but the price quoted was £12.05. Yesterday, there were some cheaper tickets available (£7.20 return) but, to get that price, you have to travel on a specific train. That's easy for the outward journey (09.49 from London Bridge), but I had to guess a time for the return journey. I do like getting the best price possible, so I went for this super saver ticket (if that's what it's called). Anyway, I look forward to seeing everyone at 10.50 tomorrow.

Just in answer to anon: on most ticket machines (NOT Southeastern ones for some reason) in the bottom left corner of the start screen there is a “Tickets from other stations” button. Click that and it invites you to type in your origin station. On the right-hand side of this second screen is a row of Boundary Zone buttons.

17 walkers alighted from the train at Pluckley station on a part cloudy part sunny and humid day with a gentle breeze and intermittent light rain in the afternoon. The going underfoot was good in the morning and we arrived at the Swan Inn just after midday to discover that another group of walkers was expected presently. Nine of our group chose to eat outdoors in the pub garden, only to be caught in a brief, sharp shower. Two found a table indoors and the rest made other arrangements. The food was pleasant enough, though I heard talk of small portions. Progress after lunch was slightly slower, particularly when crossing fields whose surface was slippery from the lunchtime rain. All eleven walkers who set off together from the Swan Inn chose to do the main circular walk (without any extension). The large field adjacent to Honey Farm was not a problem to cross. It had recently been planted, but the farmer had left a very narrow strip unseeded. A few walkers chose to stop off at the Black Horse, perhaps hoping to see for themselves what a haunted pub looks like, and a few also went to the Dering Arms before catching the hourly train service back to London. Overall, it was a very pleasant, gentle stroll: a perfect introduction to SWC walks for the two walkers doing their very first walk.

It would be interesting to hear how the visit to the Black Horse went. We skirted Pluckley itself, now the ‘pub’ has decided it’s a restaurant and was closed anyway when we passed. Without that incentive to visit the village, the ghosts will miss us, if no one else. We got to the Dering Arms early enough for a quick snifter (we thought). We were just slipping into ‘relax’ mode when it was realised that the train we wanted was at 2.38, not 2:50. And it was 2.34!!! Lawks amercy!! Panic!! Poor Mr Tiger has never walked so fast. We just made it. Except maybe one.

It's going to be hot today - make sure you bring a hat, sun protection and water.

Yes. Very lovely, but very exposed walk.

5 turned up on a hot sunny day with some –cloud Paths were well delineated, even at Honey Farm. There were some displays of buttercups and a buzzard was seen. I have fond memories of this walk degenerating into a pub crawl on a previous sortie and - for me at least - this one came close. First up, the Swan where drinks were had. Pint of cider for me, please. After a sandwich stop in Pluckley churchyard, it was more drinks in the Black Horse (just a half for me). Here the new landlady of two weeks, fittingly dressed in red, regaled us with tales of screaming from the churchyard. Then spoilt it by saying ‘probably a fox’. One of us headed direct for the station from here. I will not name names. The rest headed off on the main walk with at least two of us intending to do the medium walk. At the decision point, however, a frisson of doubt about the gate to the right decided things for us – short walk. Probably for the best, given the heat.

One thing the main walk directions need is a prompt in the text to flag where you can turn right for the Mundy Bois pub. I was well past before I realised we’d missed it.

We got to the station with about 50 mins to wait for the train. But wonder of wonders, joy of joys, the Dering Arms, just about to close an hour later than advertised, agreed to serve us. I asked for a half of cider but they only did pint bottles. What can you do?

The others had tea or coffee.

25, sunny , Despite only 7 Deg C it felt warm in the sun with clear blue skies. Muddy in places through the orchards but not too bad. Six walkers stopped at the Swan for lunch and a further 13 ate at the Black Horse. Both reported good food and efficient service. After lunch walkers took various routes and extensions back to the station. Looking back towards Pluckley with low angle of the afternoon sun was magical. A good start to the Saturday Walking year.

5w

= cloudy-morning,-warm-and-sunny-mid--afternoon

A pleasant walk with fields of barley, oast houses, orchards and blackberries starting to ripen. Four did the 11.2 miles version the fifth took a shortcut after losing sight of them. All stopped for lunch in Little Chart, three eating sandwiches on the concrete steps of the red brick church whose congregation welcomed us warmly when we looked inside. Two ate at the Swan Inn but wished the menu had some lighter options. Subsequent pubs looked more inviting but we didn't stop again until we reached the Dering Arms at the end. Four went in for refreshment and after admiring the pub's Dering windows we all caught the 4.38 to London.

cloudy morning warm and sunny mid afternoon

Plan to do the longer version either 9.3 miles or 11 miles - with lunch at Black Horse in PLuckley (4.8 miles in). All welcome to join us.

The weak and wobbly walkers who ask Mike A to post a short alternative when the others are 11+ miles must be a bit disheartened that Anonymous is inviting all to do one of this walk's longer versions. However, it's worth noting that on this one the options all come after the Black Horse, so hopefully the group will try to stay together for the morning at least.

I along with at least a couple of others will aim to do the posted walk ratrher than extend it.

Black Horse has quite good reviews these days - I am looking forward to lunch already

Hi Sean

Re your weak and wobbly walkers epithet- is that a pop at me for berating you for scrounging chips in a post a while back?

Revenge is best served cold - unlike the chips

Dig ya tomorrow man if you are about and I promise not to complain if my chip measure goes short

Hi Bridie

Us W & W walkers have got to keep our strength up and it's tempting to try out my sneaky chip-snaffling skills. But seven miles of sticky mud is a potential drawback and it's a long way to drive for lunch.

Just to show how popular this walk is. It has several options and suits all distant requirements. Thanks Mike for posting this.

15.45 and the Deering Arms is open - yippee

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16 swiftly left the train, thankful that there was no rain.

One in rolled-up shirt-sleeves, we laughed. It turned out he was not so daft.

The bad weather walkers, in cap and gown, were disappointed to see their shadow on the ground!

As the sun shone and wind blew

We headed out expecting mud but, sadly dear mud-lovers, there was nought.

As the train was 20 minutes late, the Pluck(le)y crew walked at pace,

Concerned we’d miss our lunch place.

However that was not the case.

Having dispersed and taken various route and course,

We all arrived on and about the same time at the Black Horse.

Having anticipated lunch,

Some had to wait some time before they could munch.

And when they did receive their food

There was a mixed reception: some happy, some not so good.

The crenelated beef pie was a high

However some pies had a lukewarm inner,

Which did spoil their anticipated dinner.

Another had a mushroom pizza

Which was enhanced by a red chili pepper

Donated by a fellow walker following the Scout motto “Always be prepared”

During lunch there was talk – how would they continue the walk?

Some opted for the short extension with a little apprehension

As without a GPX track it would require their full attention

The others, feeling drowsy after their spread

Opted to head to the station instead.

On the way, we passed the Derring Arms pub

What joy and surprise, they let us inside!

We all congregated at Pluckley station,

Waiting for the 16.08 with anticipation.

On the train, the we Pluck(le)y group reviewed our Dering adventure,

One lamented not visiting the Reindeer Centre (https://www.reindeercentre.co.uk/)

Another noted that with a slight variation,

A visit could be made at the Pluckley Farm Shop (http://www.pluckleyfarmshop.co.uk/)

On the way to the station stop.

The short walk was much appreciated,

And such future walks are desired and anticipated.

Brilliant commentary, MoonBrain!

Loved your post MoonBrain,

summed up the walk perfectly.

I think there were 19 on this beautiful walk in sunny and surprsingly warm weather , but as we soon and I gather that a large portion of the group got lost in an orchard before we got to Pluckley, I can only report on behalf of 9 or 10 of us. The Swan at Little Chart didn't find favour so we didn't stop till the Black Horse, which we shared with about 40 French motorcyclists. Some had a slightly delayed but apparently ample to excessive lunch, others picknicked in the churchyard, and all but one of us decided it was too soon to head back to the station and carried on with the fully extended walk. This had great views and scenery in the first half but imho the second half was less delightful and there might be something to be said for the "shorter extension." One of our number forged ahead and had a drink at Egerton, while the rest of us had to pause to return a lost puppy to its home, or at least a helpful neighbour - we were a bit concerned it would try to follow us home otherwise - and no sooner had we done that than another pooch tried to adopt us. Must be something to do with pheromones.

Anyway by now we were down to a group of 6 who thought we had time for more refreshment and a debate about pronunciation in another nice pub at Mundy Bois. But we caught up one some of the others in time for the 1637 train, and the front runner even managed to extract a glass of wine from the Dering Arms before, as predicted, it attempted to close.

A crakcing day out but no ghosts knowingly encountered . . . although who knows what happened to the remainder of the walkers . . .

8 assembled on the platform but 2 stayed behind to await a third whose car journey had been delayed so lets make that 9. Sadly we never saw the 3 again.

Six of us ambled off in "perfick" sunny and warm weather to take an early lunch at the Swann Inn who were fully booked but salads, burgers and pizzas were on offer from food vans there for a "festival". (Is it just my inner Victor Meldrew that finds bog standard disco mix music - Stayin Alive, I will Survive - utterly depressing as it booms out over quiet idyllic countryside... Whatever)

We did not linger too long at the Black Horse and were all too scared to do the ghost walk and soon we six split- 2 doing the short version, 3 the medium and me who did an abridged version of the long walk, leaving out the pub at Egerton to give me and my dodgy knees a fighting chance of a quick drink at the Dering Arms at Pluckley Station which I reached at 3.45pm for a £4.80 lager shandy!! I wish I had gone to the Rose and Crown at Mundy Edge which was packed and looks to be doing great business. The Dering Arms was virtually empty and had all the atmosphere of an empty attic. A quick drink and then the 15.57 to Ashford for the HS1 to whisk me back to the East End in 30 minutes. A charming, quiet walk with perhaps a little too much tarmac but nevertheless a lovely day out with SWC regulars.

Hi all,

I would like to do the longer versions.

Any good map readers can come along please let me know.

Ta

Mike

I remember that when this walk was posted last year no-one turned up ?.. well no-one visible anyway..

I would turn up if someone would commit to coming... :-)

Intend going. This is a lovely walk. The alternative has lunch stop at 9miles. I am not sure if I can last that long.

Anonymous 2: When I last posted this walk (admittedly a Sunday last July), there were 12. I believe that was the last time it was posted. According to the stats page, the average for this walk is 10 (though that would include Saturdays).

Mike: A map always helps but I wouldn't have considered it an essential for this walk. I’ve never had any bother with the written directions and this is hardly the Cairngorms. But different strokes for different folks.

I would like to come on this walk but our printer is broken, can some kind soul print off an extra copy of the directions? I would like to do the longer version of the walk (11.2 miles). Hilary

Have managed to get the "retired" printer to oblige, so now have walk directions for tomorrow, hurrah! Hilary

This is the lion seen from the train near Headcorn http://thebigcatsanctuary.org/

Around 20 for this walk on a lovely hot and sunny spring day. An early hit of bluebells and plentiful pubs. About half did the short walk, the rest of us the full 11 miles.

The majority ate at the Black Swan, and had no trouble being served. Annoyingly, the Dering Arms closes at 4pm and frustratingly wouldn't serve us at 4.05. The consensus seemed to be that it was excellent up until Egerton, but a bit too much road walking.

The Black Swan was an excellent choice for lunch, it is about the half way into the 9.2miles or 11.2 miles walk, good portion, quality cooking and reasonable price plus free nachos and dip courtesy of the pub while we were waiting for our food. What not to like!

Thanks Pete and "Anonymous # 10"

I take it you mean the Black Horse, not the earlier Swan. The Dering Arms website says 4:30 on a Sunday but they obviously can't be relied on. On other visits, I think they've stayed open even later. Hope it didn't detract.

What a Lovely flat walk, where the spirits played with our GPS's & we got nicely lots 3 times, great fun was had by all.

Ended up at a rugby BBQ in local haunted pub, instead of cream tea, we had a proper meat feast.

There was a misfortunate lady at the pub with a biggest pair of gnasters I have ever seen "she could eat an apple through a letter box"

We had to run for the train, a different kind of spirit was involved the 3rd time, losing our way in a huge cornfield.

Not to worry! we all just made it, except! for one lady & one dog. The sun was shinning so not a bad day to

spend an hour at a haunted train station.

All the best.

Terry Wogan xxx

Dear Terry

Thanks. Hope the lady and the dog were OK. Just one thing. How many were you?

p.s dead celebrities don't count. (Don't count... geddit? It's the way I tell 'em.)

Ah! Yes' it the way Miss'es

There was a bakers dozen, including the dog.

I'm sure they were fine, the dog was great at

making friends!

All the best,

Terry

Ps Apon request from himself upstairs, that the great

Beeb was lacking talented DJ's. I have been sent back

down in an advisory role, on the QT of course, to clip some

of these young e-jets ear's. Pull up their trousers, tuck in their

shirts and all that!

Mums the word Tiger!

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