Extra information about the Caterham Cloudsplitter
1 June 2017: Extra information about the Caterham Cloudsplitter walk
Provided by Ken Fancett, 15 May 2017
Caterham Cloudsplitter
Details
Date: Thursday 1st June 2017
Venue: Outside Caterham Railway Station
Time:11:00
Distance: 18.9 miles
Ascent: 1820 feet
Leader: Ken Fancett
The walk starts at the later than usual time of 11.00 from Caterham Railway Station to enable users of the public transport system to use concessionary travel passes. There is a short morning section of 6.3 miles to a pub at Farleigh, and a 12.6 mile afternoon section returning to Caterham. I had originally stated the distance as 18.0 miles but after a few tweaks to improve the walk it is now coming out at 18.9.
I aim to make the walk as inclusive as possible, it will be taken at a leisurely pace, no one will be left behind and no one will get lost. That said, please bear in mind that the amount of climb stated above and note that the hills start immediately on leaving the station.
The walk will take us over calcerous grasslands and woodlands and includes a number of public open spaces: Great Farley Green; Selsdon Woods Nature Reserve; Kingswood; Dipsley's Field, Riddlesdown (SSSI), Kenley Common; Betts Mead; Coulsdon Common; Happy Valley. We will never be very far away from human habitation and there are several (tolerably short) connecting sections on suburban streets or semi-rural lanes. Parts of the walk will be familiar to regular London LDWA walkers but there are other parts which you are unlikely to have visited before unless you live in the area. Those of you that did the Games 100 may recognise a short section at Woldingham that we did in the other direction.
Notes:
Lunch: One can eat outside (under the awnings in inclement weather) or in the bar, but the dining room is only normally available to those who book in advance. It will be a “Vintage Inns” Menu.
Finish: There is scope for an optional pub stop at the finish.
Dress and deportment: Please do not go into the pub with plastic supermarket bags tied round your feet. Either wear the proper thing available at negligible cost from LDWA merchandise, or do what I do and take a change of shoes with you.
Dogs: Dogs with well behaved owners are welcome. There is an extremely busy road crossing about 5 to 10 minutes from the start. You might find it expedient to keep the dog on the lead from the start until after we have crossed this road. There may be sheep grazing in Woldingham Park and I will alert you before we get there to ensure you keep your dog under control. There may be llamas grazing on the way up towards the main road on the Outskirts of Warlingham. Some of the public open spaces have signs up saying dog litter must be bagged and binned so pleased be prepared for this. Under LDWA rules you must be insured for your dog and I am required to ask you if you are thus insured. However, I'm not required to inspect the certificate, so you don't need to bring that with you.
Public Transport Notes. Caterham Station is served by Southern and there are direct services from London Bridge and Victoria.
From Victoria:
09:43 Direct. Reaches Caterham at 10:42 Alternatively 10:06 to East Croydon at 10:22. Then 10:29 to to Caterham arrive 10:55
From London Bridge:
10:08 Depart London Bridge. Arrive Caterham 10:55
Those travelling by train are advised to check train times before setting out.
Parking: It is not easy to find parking places in the valley. I would advise anyone travelling by car to go up the hill and park in one of the side roads by Queens Park. You can then trot down the hill (Waller Lane) to the start or if you feel adventurous, through the Churchyard and left down the steps into Waller Lane. You will then pass your vehicle on the return to Caterham so you won't need to climb back up the hill at the end of the walk.
Facilities at start: There are toilets and a small waiting room at Caterham Station. There are also public toilets in the Church Walk shopping centre, and there is a customer toilet in Waitrose. There is a Costa just over the road from the station for anyone who arrives early.
Points of Interest:
- Church of St Mary The Virgin, Farleigh Court. Grade 1 listed building dating from Circa 1083
- Warlingham Mental Hospital (only the water tower and cemetary now remaining)
- Chaldon Church. Grade 1 listed building. Noted for its prereformation wall art.
- Kenley Airfield. WW2 Fighter Command airfield.
- Site of the Caterham Assylum for insane Paupers (only the burial ground now remaining)
- Church of St Lawrence, Caterham, dating from circa 1095.
