Sandstone Wonders & Woodland Trails | Free Hike 21 km (13 mi)

📈 Grade: 🥾🥾🥾 Level 3/5 (Moderate, with no major climbs)
ℹ️ If you’re on the waitlist and want to attend, please contact the event host. Don’t rely on the waitlist moving automatically.
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🧠 How it will feel
Regular hikers → comfortable overall
Casual walkers → challenging, due to distance
Newcomers → a tough and demanding day due to distance and hills
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Set off from Ashurst, Kent, and settle into a day of woodland trails, open views and remarkable sandstone scenery.

We’ll follow sections of the Wealdway and Tunbridge Wells Circular, taking a steady pace through a changing landscape of country lanes and tree-lined paths.

Around lunchtime, we’ll pause beneath the trees for a picnic, with logs to sit on. We’ll be near Groombridge Place, a historic moated manor first recorded in 1286. Its Drunken Garden is known for its unusual leaning yew topiary. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, was said to have enjoyed it.

After lunch, the route leads through Birchden Wood to Harrison’s Rocks. Formed around 135 million years ago, these striking sandstone outcrops are a distinctive feature of the area and a popular spot for climbers. We’ll have time to take in the rock formations and views before continuing through Eridge Rocks Nature Reserve.

The walk finishes in Eridge village, just a two-minute stroll from the station. Trains towards London run hourly, and there’s an optional cosy pub nearby where we can relax and socialise before heading home.

The varied terrain includes wide and narrow woodland trails, country lanes, some steep steps and several stiles. A few stiles are in need of repair, so please take care and we will need to allow extra time to cross them.

We’ll keep to a steady moving pace of around 5 km/h (3.1 mph), taking care on uneven ground and around the rocks. It’s a lovely Sunday journey with a few easy-to-moderate hills and plenty to enjoy along the way.

🌇 Sunset on Sunday 25 October is at about 16:46 GMT. The clocks go back that morning. Bring a head torch!
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HIGHLIGHTS
🚶 Follow sections of the Wealdway and Tunbridge Wells Circular
🌳 Enjoy woodland trails and a picnic lunch beneath the trees
🏰 Pass near Groombridge Place and its quirky Drunken Garden
🪨 Explore the dramatic sandstone formations of Harrison’s Rocks
🌲 Walk through Eridge Rocks Nature Reserve
🍻 Finish near Eridge station, with an optional pub stop before the train home
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OVERVIEW
📏 Distance: 21 km (≈13 miles)
🥾 Difficulty: Moderate, with no major climbs
📈📉 Elevation: 239 m ascent and 208 m descent
🚶 Pace: Around 5 km/h (3.1 mph), a steady, sociable walking pace.
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📍 LONDON GROUP TRAVEL (OPTIONAL)
For those travelling from London, buy a return ticket to Eridge (£12.25 with a Network Railcard or £19.00 without one), and get off at Ashurst (Kent).

08:30 Meet at the London Victoria ticket office
08:45 Leave the meeting point and walk to the platform
09:00 Train departs towards Brighton
09:16 Change at East Croydon
09:23 Train departs East Croydon towards Uckfield
09:58 Arrive in Ashurst (Kent)
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RETURN TRAINS TO LONDON
Trains run hourly. We’ll aim to catch the 16:51 train from Eridge.

16:51 Depart Eridge
17:18 Change at Hurst Green
17:26 Depart Hurst Green
18:10 Arrive at London Victoria
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MEETING POINT AND TIMINGS
📍Meet at Ashurst (Kent) railway station car park at 10:00
▶️ Start: as soon as check-in is complete (around 10:15).
🏁 Finish: Eridge (ERI) railway station 16:15.
⏱️ Estimated walking time: Approximately 5 hours
🕒 Estimated total duration: 6 hours, including breaks and stops
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The hike will start on time, so please arrive promptly. We can’t wait for latecomers, and limited mobile signal in the area means we may not be able to share live locations.
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🚗 BY CAR
Parking at Ashurst (Kent) railway station car park
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FOOD AND FACILITIES
Lunch will be a picnic. There’s a pub about a five-minute walk from the lunch spot for anyone who’d like to use the toilets or buy a drink. Please don’t eat your picnic in the pub, as you may be asked to leave.
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🎒 WHAT TO BRING
Packed lunch and snacks
At least 2 litres of water, and more in hot weather
Proper hiking boots or shoes with good grip
Weather-appropriate clothing and waterproofs
A fully charged phone
Personal medication and basic first-aid supplies
Optional trekking poles
More snacks than you think you need
A smile, good vibes and a sense of adventure
🔦 Head torch
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✅ WHO CAN JOIN
Adults aged 21 and over
No children
No pets
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📅 RSVP & ATTENDANCE
Please RSVP only if you genuinely plan to attend. If you can no longer come, cancel as early as possible so someone else can take your place.

A no-show means RSVPing but not attending, or cancelling shortly before the start time. Repeated no-shows or late cancellations without a valid reason may lead to removal from the group.

If you are stuck on the waitlist and would like to attend, please message the event host directly.
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👣 GROUP PACE & PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES
This is a social group hike, and everyone is expected to stay reasonably connected with the group rather than rushing far ahead or falling behind.

Please keep the group in sight and remain within a reasonable distance, as a back marker may not always be present. Faster walkers should wait at junctions, and organisers may stop at suitable points to allow the group to regroup.

If you choose to leave the group structure or continue at a significantly different pace, you will be considered to be hiking independently and will be responsible for your own route and safety.
By attending, you agree to follow these guidelines.
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EXIT POINTS
Possible exit point: Groombridge village. Buses run to Royal Tunbridge Wells; for Ashurst or Eridge, arrange a taxi or check other transport options.
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📞 CONTACT: For questions, please message the event host via Meetup. On the day of the walk, you may contact AdrianB via WhatsApp on +44 (0) 7438 812 663.
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⚠️ DISCLAIMER:
You are responsible for deciding whether this hike is suitable for you and for taking reasonable care of your own safety. Please read the group policy before attending. The host and group accept no responsibility for injury, loss or damage.