5 more car-free country walks by train (and tram!) close to London
Last time I posted walks we’d done - this time, it’s walks we're going to do.
Here are five walks that I think look great. If you do them before we do, message us on social or via the site and let us know if they live up to expectations.
(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)
The ratings are my expectation of how good they’ll be.
Walk 1 - New Addington circular
This one starts in London, though you spend most of the walk in Surrey. You can pick up the tram from directly outside East Croydon station, and spend the day strolling in the Surrey Hills.
Map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/6640627/New-addington
Tram fare to New Addington from East Croydon: £1.50 (same as a bus)
Journey time on the tram: 20 mins
Rating: 🌳🌳🌳
Walk 2 - Borough Green circular
I’m always astonished at how beautiful the Kent Downs are. They’re an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so I shouldn’t be surprised. But, somehow, I still associate AONBs with favourites like Pembrokeshire and West Cornwall, not Kent just beyond the M25.
We have high hopes of this lovely hilly walk from Borough Green station.
Map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/6638656/Borough-Green
Train fare to Borough Green return for an adult: £15
Train fare to Borough Green for a family of four with family railcard: £25
Journey time on the train: 45 mins
Trains from: Victoria
Rating: 🌳🌳🌳🌳
Walk 3 - Faygate to Ockley
One of the nice things about car-free country walks is that you don’t need to end up where you started. This slightly more strenuous up-down-up-downer through the North Downs gives some superb views of the Sussex plain.
Make sure you buy a ticket to Horsham, as that will cover you to and from the right stations
Map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/6636961/Faygate-to-Ockley
Train fare to Horsham return for an adult: £20
Train fare to Horsham return for a family of four with family railcard: £20
Journey time on the train: 50 mins
Train from: Victoria
Rating: 🌳🌳🌳🌳
Walk 4 Happy Valley
How could one not enjoy a walk in a place called Happy Valley?
This walk is a gentle 6 mile stroll from Whytleafe South to Coulsdon South. The walk is entirely within Greater London: Happy Valley is an area of open countryside acquired in the 1930s to protect it from development.
Map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/6634485/Happy-valley
Train fare and journey time dependent on where you live: all within Oyster system.
Train from: Victoria
Rating: 🌳🌳🌳
Walk 5 - Leith Hill
This one looks spectacular! I’ve never been up Leith Hill, but the views look like they’ll be amazing. Irritatingly, Holmwood doesn’t have trains on Sundays, so if you’re limited to weekends, then make sure you go on a Saturday.
Map: https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/6668317/Leith-hill
Train fare to Horsham return for an adult: £20
Train fare to Horsham return for a family of four with family railcard: £25
Journey time on the train: 1 hour
Train from: Victoria
Rating: 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳
