We are the North East London Ramblers. We open the way for everyone in our local community to enjoy the pleasures of walking.
James C.
PLEASE NOTE, THIS WALK STARTS FROM MEOPHAM RAILWAY STATION, AND NOT SOLE STREET, AS LOCATION SECTION OF THIS FORMAT INSISTS ON GENERATING!!
Catch the 09:42 train from Victoria station, reaching Meopham at 10:29, where I will be waiting to meet and greet.
Buy an off peak day return ticket to Meopham.
I would ideally like to keep the numbers on the walk as near to twenty as possible, but I am willing to be flexible. With that in mind, I would appreciate if people wishing to come would let me know by email or message by the 4th September.
Meopham, where the walk starts, is part of the Kent Downs. The terrain is fairly flat with some slight inclines. One in the morning, and a couple in the afternoon.
We set off from Meopham station, and after a sort road walk, we continue through meadows, paddocks, a Community Park, and Ashenden Wood, to reach Cobham village for lunch. This pretty village has a strong historical link with Charles Dickens, where he is reputed to have written some of his Pickwick Papers in The Leather Bottle, one of the local pubs.
There are three pubs to choose from in the village if people want a pub lunch. I therefore have not made an advanced booking. The pubs all have appetising menus that can be viewed on their individual websites. The Leather Bottle is fairly expensive. The pubs are:
The Leather Bottle (01474 814327)
The Darnley Arms (01474 814218)
The Ship Inn (01474 814326)
Picnic facilities aren't great, but there is a convenient wall to sit on at Cobham church, opposite the Darnley Arms, and some benches further up the main street of the village.
After lunch we continue the walk through Cobham Wood and on through fields, pastures, and an area called Ranscombe Farm Reserve, where there are panoramic views across the Kent downs, on our way back to the outskirts of Meopham. There are frequent trains back to London from Meopham station.
1. There are no drop out points on the walk, other than the possibility of phoning for an Uber cab from Cobham.
2. There are approximately three miles of hard surface areas throughout the walk, although not in large blocks.
3.There are toilets at Meopham station, but there is a possiblity they could be closed at weekends.
4. Other than light traffic, there are no identifiable hazards on the walk
