"The day starts with a cockerel crowing and waking Heimdall, the watchman, who blows his horn Gjallir to call the gods. Nature is in confusion and the seals rush onto the land."
Ragnarök
Vikings settled in the 9th-C and from 1016 to 1042, England was Danish. Barely a trace remains in this part of the country; however this walk to idyllic Wealden countryside passes through a Viking place. Follow through a door telling the legend of Ragnarök, to find what lies behind.
Hyrst at the time meant a wooded hill. Sissinghurst Castle garden is famous for its roses. These live behind a National Trust paywall; however we shall see as much of the site as possible from adjacent public footpaths.
Outward Travel: Take the train departing 9.43 AM from London Bridge to STAPLEHURST. The return train fare with a Network Card or GroupSave is £14.75. The organiser will be standing in front of the ticket office at London Bridge from 9.15 wearing yellow to act as a focal point for people to arrange group train tickets.
Walk start: 10.35 AM from Staplehurst rail station. Bring a packed lunch. Village / pub stop. Circular walk.
How to join?
- The walk is entirely free of charge;
- You only arrange for your own travel and pub expenses;
- Understand our terms and conditions below (the "IMPORTANT" part);
- Understand how to stay safe outdoors, as you will be responsible for yourself. See our quick safety tips:
https://www.meetup.com/Free-Outdoor-Trips-From-London/about/
What to bring
- Plenty of water, 1-2 litres recommended
- Enough snacks and packed lunch to keep you energized along the walk
- Extra snacks and an extra packed lunch just in case
- Rainproof (ideally waterproof) clothing, sturdy shoes/boots you don't mind getting muddy
- Spare socks
- Walking poles and/or an umbrella :-)
- Yourself...
- ...and your camera!
- Cash for train ticket
- Cash for pub at the end of the walk?
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section!
IMPORTANT
Please bear in mind this is a free of charge, self-guided trip with a hobby group. It is not organized by a business nor any entity with commercial purposes.
Any trip details, travel advice, route planning, instructions and other content in our group merely represent our shared personal knowledge, research and suggestions as outdoor enthusiasts. As this is no business, there is no "product", "service" or "package" and also no "tour guide", "operator" or "walk leader".
Each participant is responsible for their own safety. Even if some of us are very experienced walking outdoors, nobody assumes responsibility for any kind of injury, damage or loss that may happen.
Despite this, we take extreme precautions and all trips we plan are very safe, fun, highly educational and popular. Our experienced members volunteer their time and effort to shape a pleasant and quality adventure for everyone :-)
By participating you acknowledge and agree with this disclaimer.
Here are our tips on staying safe during outdoor trips:
https://www.meetup.com/Free-Outdoor-Trips-From-London/about/
TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION, INSURANCE
Although we provide detailed suggestions, each participant is expected to arrange their own travel - this gives everyone the freedom and choice. Anyone interested in travel or outdoor insurance should also arrange this on their own. As mentioned above we always take extreme precautions, but some people may still feel safer if covered.
As most of our trips are confirmed or postponed very close to the event date - heavily depending on the weather forecasts - we advise not to buy this until the last minute. People getting tickets from the same station are encouraged to meet early on the day to benefit from discounts such as GroupSave.
