5 car-free country walks by train close to London

*The footpath straight out of Balcombe Station. I hang back to take this snap of the family heading out on the carpet of autumn leaves*

With kids 6 years apart, country walks are something they both enjoy equally.

But are there joyful country walks to be found carfree? After all, don’t stations tend to be in towns?

Well, I’m glad to confirm there are some glorious country walks within easy reach of London, but you need to know where to look.

Here are some top tips. We’ve done all these walks, so can vouch for their top-notch joyfulness.

(I have created all these maps in the Ordnance Survey app for you. For £3 you can subscribe to Ordnance Survey, and then you’ll be able to follow the precise route we walked using proper OS maps directly in the OS app)

Top tip 1 - make a friend of Balcombe

*Somehow this quiet rural station with footpaths snaking off in all directions has fast, direct trains from many parts of London*

Balcombe is a gem!

Here we have a station surrounded by the most stunning countryside but on a fast train from the very centre of London. In London, the Thameslink line acts like the tube, going right through central London and stopping at Finsbury Park, Kings Cross, Farringdon, Blackfriars and London Bridge amongst other places.

But then it whizzes at top speed through Surrey, pausing only at Gatwick Airport before - suddenly and miraculously - stopping at little Balcombe, set right in the heart of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

And it really does live up to the name!

We’re going to include a few different Balcombe walks - all are gorgeous.

Walk 1 - Balcombe to Haywards Heath

A gentle 6 mile stroll through stunning woodland and through the incredible Ouse Valley.

We did this one in October and saw more types of mushroom than you can count!

Just make sure you buy a ticket to Haywards Heath, as this is where you’ll be coming back from.

One of the advantages of car-free walks is that you don’t have to finish where you started.

Map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/6657530/Balcombe-to-Haywards-Heath

Train fare to Haywards Heath return for an adult: £15
Train fare to Haywards Heath return for a family of four with family railcard: £20
Journey time on the train: 45 mins
Rating: 🌳🌳🌳🌳

Walk 2 - Balcombe to Staplefield circular

This is one of those lovely walks with a village perfectly positioned at halfway point, ideal for lunch.

And one of the joys of.a car-free walk is the option of a pint (or two) as part of a pub lunch. Staplefield is lucky enough to have two picture-postcard pubs, both serving food (and both with outside seating). Will you choose the Victory Inn or the Jolly Tanners?

The walk itself is a lovely patchwork of woodland and fields, crossing the River Ouse twice. The children fell in love with some particularly picturesque cows.

*The kids fell in love with this herd of cows. Apparently I’m like the one on the right*

Map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/6622586/Balcombe-west

Train fare to Balcombe return for an adult: £15
Train fare to Balcombe return for a family of four with family railcard: £20
Journey time on the train: 45 mins
Rating: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳

Walk 3 - Balcombe to Ardingly Reservoir

Balcombe is the start point for so many different characters of walk. The previous walk was all woods; great for autumn. Whereas this one is sparkling water, with around a third of the walk along the edge of a broad lake.

Map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/6622491/Balcombe-Ardingly-reservoir-circular

Train fare to Balcombe return for an adult: £15
Train fare to Balcombe return for a family of four with family railcard: £20
Journey time on the train: 45 mins
Rating: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳

Walk 4 Epping to Cheshunt

This one stays entirely within the TfL zones, though the walk is from Essex to Hertfordshire. Travel out to the final stop of the Central line, then take the 8 mile hike across to Cheshunt, which is on the Liverpool Street line (within the Oyster card area).

The first part of the walk involves a bit of M25 noise unfortunately but you also get to skirt the Royal Gunpowder Mills (itself a great car-free destination we’ll cover another time).

Map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/6637388/Epping-to-chestnut

Tube fare and journey time dependent on where you live: all within Oyster system.
Rating: 🌳🌳🌳

Walk 5 - Chesham to Chalfont & Latimer

Another one within the TfL zones, right out at the end of the Metropolitan line in Buckinghamshire.

Chesham is the station on the tube furthest from central London, and it feels it. This seven mile walk through the glorious rolling Chiltern Hills doesn’t feel like it could possibly be on the Underground!

If you’re passing on a Monday or Tuesday, then stop by the gorgeous Chenies Manor House for a traditional cream tea.

Map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/6636985/Chesham-to-Chalfont