Walks you can reach from City Thameslink by train
Middlesex · South East England
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St Albans Circular via Ruins of Gorhambury House (Hertfordshire)
30 minutes direct from City Thameslink.
Recommended
St Albans Cathedral (30m in)
Verulamium Roman City Walls (45m in)
Ruins of Gorhambury House (2h in)
St Albans (2h in)
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
1 lunch spot: Ye Olde Fighting Cocks (30m in)
6 end-of-walk rewards: the Six Bells, the Lower Red Lion, the Snug, the Boot, the Mad Squirrel Tap, or the Peahen
Warnings: A third urban.
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Balcombe Circular via Nymans (Sussex)
45 minutes direct from City Thameslink.
Recommended: Many worthy historic sights along this route — Nymans itself, the village of Slaugham, and two beautiful medieval churches. The first half of the walk is through idyllic rolling woodland. The second half is marred by mostly following (very quiet) roads and lanes rather than footpaths. Mostly secluded.
Woodland: half under tree cover.
Footbridge and Lake Overflow at Nymans Woodland (National Trust; 1h15 in)
Bench With View of the Lake, High Weald National Landscape (National Trust; 1h15 in)
Nymans: "An extensive yet intimate garden set around a romantic house and ruins" (1h45 in).
St Mary's Church (2h15 in)
Slaugham: Very small, but picturesque (2h15 in).
The Ruins of Slaugham Place: The remains of a fine Tudor mansion (2h30 in).
St Mark's Church, Staplefield (3h in)
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
3 lunch spots: Handcross (1h45 in) — Nymans café, JO.CO cafe, or the Red Lion
1 end-of-walk reward: the Victory
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Harpenden to St Albans (Hertfordshire)
30 minutes direct from City Thameslink.
Recommended: Mostly fields and country lanes. Some beautiful new bluebell woods, stunning historic city streeets, commons, golf courses and parkland.
Heartwood Forest (1h30 in)
St Albans Cathedral (4h in)
St Albans (3h30 in)
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
4 lunch spots: Sandridge (2h in) — the Green Man (excellent; reservations recommended), Heartwood Tea Rooms (busy!), the Rose & Crown, or the Queens Head (not great)
5 end-of-walk rewards: the Lower Red Lion, the Mad Squirrel Tap, the Peahen, the Snug, or the Boot
Best months: in April (bluebell season).
Warnings: A quarter urban.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).
Haywards Heath Circular via Lindfield (Sussex)
1 hour direct from City Thameslink.
Low hills, Ouse Valley, woodland, nature reserves, fields, hedgerows, historic villages and canal-era river crossings.
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
East Croydon to Oxted (Surrey)
30 minutes direct from City Thameslink.
First stage of the Vanguard Way, from suburban East Croydon out through Selsdon Wood and the North Downs to Oxted.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Time: 7h30 (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)
Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).
Earlswood to Oxted (Surrey)
45 minutes direct from City Thameslink.
Gentle greensand ridge, pasture, arable fields, woodland, bluebell woods, escarpment views and low-lying meadows.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Balcombe to East Grinstead (Sussex)
45 minutes direct from City Thameslink.
Gentle wooded hills, muddy farm tracks, landscaped gardens, reservoir shoreline, open fields and woodland paths.
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be very muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Haywards Heath to Balcombe (Sussex)
1 hour direct from City Thameslink.
Undulating High Weald farmland, woodland, golf course, reservoir dam wall, fields and a private school grounds.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Haywards Heath to Hassocks (Sussex)
1 hour direct from City Thameslink.
Rolling Sussex countryside and South Downs views; farmland and woodland through Ditchling along an old Roman road.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).
Box Hill & Westhumble to Merstham (Surrey)
45 minutes direct from City Thameslink.
North Downs ridge, wooded escarpment, open hilltops, undulating ridge paths, rural farmland, parkland and golf course.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Hilly, multiple ascents.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Wivelsfield to Haywards Heath (Sussex)
1 hour direct from City Thameslink.
Woods, wildflower meadows, farmland, High Weald ridge, golf course and suburban road sections.
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Horsham to Haywards Heath (Sussex)
1 hour direct from City Thameslink.
Forest, fields, Sussex villages and views; St Leonard's Forest, historic Slaugham village, Cuckfield, South Downs views.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
St Leonard's Forest: An expansive forest of ancient woodland between Horsham and Crawley.
Slaugham: Very small, but picturesque.
Time: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).