Linear walk Cowden to Eridge by Ashdown forest

Sat 2nd May 2009

Walk Details:

Event Type
Group Walk
Region
Southern England
Local Group
London
Distance
23ml.
Start Time
8:53
Route
Cowden stn

23ml with 800m ascent. Depart London Victoria 8:02 (East Croydon 8:23). By Bolebrook Castle and Ashdown forest. Lunch in Hartfield (Winnie the Pooh), choice of pubs or picnic. Possible tea at the Half Moon, Crowborough, Wealden. Return train from Eridge at 51 past the hour. Those travelling by train should buy a return ticket to Eridge. Car drivers can leave their car at Cowden stn (free car park) and take the train back from Eridge. Maps OS Exp 135 & 147. Info, Profile, Photographs

Start and Finish

Entry Details:

Cost

Walk Report

Cowden to Eridge by Ashdown Forest, Saturday 2nd May 2009
16 walkers, 24.5 miles - leader Nicole Carbonara
On a glorious spring day, 16 walkers were ready for this walk but 2 of them having not checked the website, indicating a change of departure station due to engineering work, ended up arriving one hour after we had started our walk. They walked straight to Hartfield and joined us for the lunch stop at 1pm. Less than an hour after the start I did the first head count and found out that we had lost 2 walkers. Although they didn't have a map, they managed to join us in Hartfield, after having caught a bus. Unfortunately that morning, one of us had fallen and hurt her ankle. She decided to stop at lunch time and to take a bus from Hartfield to the closest station. After all these emotions, I asked for a voluntary back marker and Russell kindly accepted to keep everybody together so the afternoon went without further loss. We passed the Pooh Bridge, climbed to the top of Ashdown Forest in the blooming gorse and walked on the ridge enjoying the wonderful clear views. Climbing down on the east slope the bluebells surrounded us everywhere and we enjoyed not only their blue mist but were especially overwhelmed by their subtle fragrance. We had a tea stop in the sun before the last push to the station. Three newcomers were trying LDWA. They said that they enjoyed the walk so we hope that they'll decide to join. The results from my GPS uploaded onto Anquet are: trip odometer 24.5miles; Height ascended 920m; movement time 6h52; stop time 1h33; movement average 3.4mph.

Maps:

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