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Book Description
WALKS IN LONDON AND SOUTHEAST ENGLAND

Few cities can rival London’s distinctive mix of the urban and the pastoral. Despite being the largest city in Western Europe, home to a staggering seven million people, the capital preserves surprisingly extensive stretches of green space. Satellite images of the metropolis reveal that over a third of it is made up of greenery, not only in the city’s famous parks and gardens, but also in less obvious places – canalside paths, disused railway tracks and reclaimed industrial land – as well as along the banks of the Thames as it winds through the city. The capital’s hidden footpaths are thoroughly enjoyable in themselves, and also offer a fascinating insight into the tightly packed layers of social, architectural and industrial history which went into the making of one of the world’s most absorbing cities.

Many parts of southeast England also remain, contrary to what you might expect, almost miraculously unspoilt. Despite the sprawl of suburbs which girdles the city, fast train services make it extremely easy to reach open countryside from just about anywhere in London – indeed, it’s surprising just how far from the capital you can get in a single day and still have time for a rewarding walk and a great pub lunch. To the south and west of the capital there’s sweeping downland: the lush North Downs, and the barer and more open North Wessex and South Downs. You’ll find spectacular stretches of coast – from the towering sandstone cliffs at Hastings to the wavy chalk formations further west – as well as areas of dense ancient woodland, at their most extensive in the New Forest. The Thames cuts a green swathe west of the capital, linking a chain of attractive towns and villages, while to the north are the pristine wooded hills of the Chilterns and the limitless flatlands of the Fens around Ely. The striking variety of landscapes is part of the attraction – from the prettily manicured landscapes of the Kent Weald to the hauntingly bleak chalk uplands of the Wessex downs. As with London itself, the southeast has always been a densely inhabited area, and the impact of human activity on the land, while more diffuse, is no less profound, visible in Iron Age forts, medieval field terraces, and Georgian stately homes. All the landscapes described in this guide, even the bogs of the New Forest and the windswept crests of the South Downs, bear the marks of cultivation, comprising a vast testament to the people who cleared, drained, shaped and even – in the case of the prehistoric chalk figures which dot the region – actually drew upon the land for millennia.

Excerpted from The Rough Guide to Walks in and Around London by Judith Bamber, Helena Smith. Copyright © 2003. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
HOW THIS BOOK WORKS

All the walks in this book have been designed to be accessible from the capital as day-trips using public transport; we’ve also included some two-day weekend walks, for when you really need to get away from it all (although the two-day walks can also be broken down and done as separate day-trips). Each walk includes a map, route details, background historical information and a recommended lunch stop, often in one of the fine old pubs which dot the region.

The walks are geared to public transport, either starting from one train station and finishing at another, or circling back to the station where you started. At the beginning of each account we’ve given details of the relevant train services; we haven’t recommended specific trains, partly because timetables are subject to change, and also to avoid being too prescriptive. Most walks outside London are within an hour’s train journey of the city, although we’ve stretched this criterion where we think a really great walk justifies a slightly longer journey. Unless otherwise specified, set aside a full day for each walk. For all but the very longest routes, starting your train journey at around 10am will ensure that you can get to the specified pub and do the walk in good time. (More specific guidance on departure times is given in the chapter introductions.) There’s at least one circular walk in each chapter, convenient if you’re driving, although virtually all the non-circular walks can also be done by drivers, who need only make a short train trip back to the beginning of the walk to pick up their cars.

In the interests of making every walk a great day out, we’ve recommended the very best pubs and cafés along the way. These are often housed in exceptional old buildings, and we’ve also tried to uncover places which dish up especially good but reasonably priced food. Phone numbers are given for all the pubs listed – most stop serving lunch at 2pm, but if you think you’re going to arrive later it’s worth phoning ahead to say you’re on your way. They will generally put aside cold food – a Ploughman’s or a sarnie – for you.

WHAT TO TAKE Some of the items on this list are optional, some are seasonal and most are obvious. But to avoid forgetting something crucial, here’s a checklist, in rough order of importance. It goes without saying that you should wear a decent pair of waterproof walking shoes or boots; muddiness can be a feature of these walks even in summer, and trudging along with wet feet is a real misery. For two-day walks, sling a spare pair of pants, a toothbrush and, where relevant, a YHA card (see above) into your rucksack. Mobile phone Handy for checking return train times and ensuring you don’t miss out on a pub lunch. Water bottle Waterproof jacket/cagoule and trousers Spare layer – jumper or fleece Sunglasses Sun cream Anti-histamine Plasters Camera and film

The Rough Guide to Walks in London and Southeast England (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

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