Segment 0: Part 1 : Gravesend to Dartford

What is this?

We will start the New Year with a warm-up walk , called the Segment Zero, from Gravesend to Thames Barrier. The reason for this walk is that, we started the walks from the Thames Barrier, which is the official start of the 180 miles Thames path, however some people felt that since the Thames Barrier is not really were the sea starts, we were not being true to the name of the group and needed to start from the sea, and that is the reason for introducing this Segment Zero.

Gravesend is officially on the seashore, so the right place to start Segment Zero, but the distance from Gravesend to Thames Barrier is 24 miles, a bit long to do it all on a day. So the plan is to do it over the weekend 28th/29th of January. 12 Miles on Saturday (Gravesend to Dartford) and 12 Miles on Sunday 29th (Dartford to Thames Barrier). As always people will have the choice of doing only one of the days or both.

This meet-up called Segment zero Part 1: Will be from Gravesend to Dartford

People also have the option to stay overnight in Dartford and do Part 2 the next day. It is expected around 6-8 people will be staying in Dartford overnight.

The Walk?

Unlike the rest of the Thames path, which is a nice scenic walk in the English countryside, with a well marked path. This walk is a mixture of unmarked path along the bank of the river, urban roads, navigating around power stations, new housing estates and walking through marshes.

Please be warned it is likely to be cold, windy and chilly as we walk through open marshes. At times we encounter very strong winds, so please come suitably attired with jackets, gloves , caps and rain wear and make sure you are near someone all the time so that you can hold on to them if there is a chance of being blown away.

The path is not clearly marked, you will need a little extra eye on other people and see where they are going so that you don’t get lost. Having said that the route is still all along the river, so if you find yourself lost, find your way back to the river and sooner or later or the other you will come across a path along the river, just make sure are going west.

Meeting time.

10:00am at the Gravesend Station , Car Park - Clive Road Side.

Please note; Gravesend Station has two entrances and two car parks, the meeting point is on the Northside of the station, look for signs for Clive Road.

Getting to the Station

South Eastern trains go to Graves End station from many locations in London include Charing Cross, Waterloo (East), London Bridge, St Pancreas and Stratford International. Trains are every 15 minutes to 30 minutes , so getting to Gravesend is easy. The cheapest fare will be take a supplementary ticket to add to your travel card. For example the day return fare from Zone 3 to GraveEnd is £7 . Journey time from Waterloo is56 minutes , so to get to GraveEnd by 10:00 am you need to take the 8:59 train from Waterloo east. The Journey time from St Pancreas is much faster , however the fare is more expensive. Happy searching.

The walk will start at 10:10, so if you are not their by that time , you will need to do some fast walking to catch up.

The walk

From the Gravesend station we will head along the road towards the river. We walk along the side of the river for about a mile, but then have to come out and walk along the road to around the quarries and power stations of Northfleet. We zigzag between road walking and walking along the riverside for a while till we come to a peninsula made of marshes, here we can diligently walk along the river all around the peninsula or simply cut across the marshland , soon we come to Greenhithe which is will be on the 6 mile mark. The lunch stop will be in Greenhithe in a fancy pub on the high Street. Following lunch the walk is mostly along the river through marshes (It is likely to be muddy) the highlight of the walk is the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (also called the Dartford Brridge) which can be seen from the distance and walking under this bridge is reported to be quite an exciting experience. We get to Dartford very soon at the 9 mile point but then there is another 3 and a half miles of walking to get to the Dartford town centre and station. For this last part of the walk we leave the Thames and walk along the Darenth river, this is quite a different and interesting walk.

The attached link shows all the details of the route.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5249423

Lunch stop

http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/4/1/2/event_85941522.jpeg

Pier Hotel

High Street

Greenhithe pubs (http://www.pubutopia.com/pubs/G/Greenhithe/)
DA9 9NN

The Pier Hotel is approximately half way along the walk at the 6 mile mark. It is next to the river on the Greenhithe High Street so should be easy to find.

The food is supposed to be excellent.

Apres Walk drinks.

The walk will end at the Hufflers Arms 110 Hythe Street DA1 1BN

http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/3/d/6/event_85941462.jpeg

As there a number of people staying back in Dartford Saturday evening, You also have the option to join the group for an exciting meal. [Please note the Greek Taverna previously advertised is fully booked] The meal would be an Indian or Mexican based on a majoriy vote.

Everyone is welcome to stay of dinner before making their way home. Dinner reservations will be for 7:00 pm and so you should be able to get away by 9:00 pm if you wish to leave early. The Dartford station is very close to the Greek Taverna.

Getting home

The Dartford Station is very close to the Hufflers Arms and the restaurant area and their are regular trains from there to London.

How far is it and when will I get there?

The walk around a 13 miles , but there is scope of making it shorter by talking a few short cuts, so people who would prefer to walk less that 12 miles will be able to do that.

Approximate times for the walk are as follows

10:10 Start from GraveEnd

12:00-12:30 The PierHotel for Lunch

2:00 pm Dartford Bridge

4:00 pm Hufflers Arms (End of Walk)

FAQ

What do I need to bring?

It will be cold and windy and a there is a good chance of rain, so please wear something warm, you will also need something to protect yourself from the wind, plus caps, gloves and the rest of it. It is January so be prepared for rain. A large part of the route is along marshes so likely to be muddy so you will need suitable footwear.

Don’t forget water, chocolates and money for lunch and the pint at the end of the trip.

What if I can't make it?
Please change your RSVP to "no" as soon as you decide you can’t make it.

IWhat if I am late?
We will be leaving the meeting point at 10:10. If you are delayed beyond that, you will be on your own. You can try and catch up by walking fast. Meeting us enroute from another station will be a challenge as the path is not as straight forward as the Thames path. You can try meeting us at the Lunch stop , Pier Hotel in Greenhithe

Can I do only part of the walk?

Yes you can. Greenhithe will be the best place to quit. You can also shorten the walk by walking straight to the Dartford station from the Dartford bridge.

What if I get lost?
Please don't, but if you do, please phone 0776 9682056 , even if you can make your own way home.

What if it rains or the weather is bad?
The walk will be on rain or shine, make sure you get enough waterproof clothing.