Walks 2021
Friday 29th July 2021 4.2 miles Circular Walk: From: Abinger Roughs NT car park
Participants: 12 walkers Lunch at The Compasses Inn, Gomshall
Weather: Ideal walking weather. In spite of the recent showery days the footpaths were dry underfoot.
The walk first followed the bridle path, west, through The Roughs, an area of old open woodland. Passing the Witches Tree, a very old and strange multi branched specimen, we crossed Hackhurst Lane and reached Piney Copse a small square wood of about 4 acres once owned by the author E.M. Forster and given by him to the National Trust. Beggers Lane took us down to the A25. We crossed over and followed the pavement, soon turning right to a bridleway passing over Gomshall Marsh and crossing the Tillingbourne Brook just down stream of some watercress beds. This clean and fast flowing river was once well known for its many watercress beds, but now only one remains. The bridleway then turned left to become Rad Way.
We left Rad Way at the first footpath on the left. This took us across open farmland with views of Hackhurst and Netley Heath on the North Downs, to the north. The path first went downhill to cross Felday Road and then uphill to pass a small wood, before reaching more open farmland. Meeting a bridleway we turned sharp left on to it. This bridleway continued downhill to pass, the 14cent. Paddington Farm, with a lovely small lake, which is fed by the Tillingbourne.
Crossing straight over the A25 the bridleway lead uphill to the woodland of Broomy Downs. At the five way junction we turned half-right, still on the bridleway. This passed through Abinger Roughs and then back to the car park. Just before the car park we walked down the grassy slope to the Wiberforce Memorial. This is large granite pillar commemorating Samuel Wilberforce, bishop of Winchester, who died here in 1873 after a fall from his horse.
Lunch was at the nearby ‘Compasses Inn’ at Gomshall where the fine weather allowed eleven of us to eat outside, in their pub garden which has the Tillingbourne flowing through the middle of it.
Wednesday 25th August 2021 Circular Walk from: ‘The Crown’, Capel. 4.3 Miles.
Participants: 13 walkers Lunch at ‘The Crown Inn’
Weather: Dry, good walking weather. However, the recent wet weather had made selecting a suitable route difficult. The route we walked still had one wet and challenging section.
Starting from the pub we crossed into Vicarage Lane. Soon we passed the old Capel Village Hospital, built in 1864 by the Broadwood family, now apartments. The route now became a footpath following beside a stream. At Misbrook Road we turned left and soon right, onto a footpath through Misbrook Farm. Following the hedge line through several fields we reached Birchy Copse an area of mixed woodland. Emerging into more fields we climbed to, at 290 ft. the highest point of the walk. We then descended to Greens Farm with its farmhouse dating from the thirteenth century. The farm now runs extensive fishing lakes. From its car park we took a circular route, on footpaths, to the Rusper Road. Passing through the Tanhouse Farm Shop complex, we returned towards Greens Farm. Our refreshment stop was beside a very pleasant lake.
On reaching Greens Farm again, we took a wide bridleway to Trig Street. Turning left we walked in a field alongside Green’s Copse before entering the woodland at Broomells. Here we encountered the worst section of the walk, struggling through an overgrown, reed covered stream bed. Thankfully we were soon on a dry path again, now through bracken, to reach Misbrooks Green Road. A short section of road walking and we were onto a footpath that took us out onto Capel High Street. Half a mile of walking, passing a mixture of the different style and ages of the village houses and we were back to our pub. Here we welcomed by Vanda and Gladys, the New Zealand proprietors, and enjoyed our very reasonable priced lunches.
Wednesday 22nd September 2021 Walk from The Church Car Park, Slaugham’ 4.¼ Miles.
Participants: 10 walkers Lunch at ‘The Jolly Tanners’, Staplefield
Weather: Dry, good walking weather.
Starting, we walked into the churchyard, passing St. Marys on the left-hand side. The yew here is a particular fine specimen, thought to be at least a thousand years old. The footpath continued, south, out of the churchyard through open ground. Here we noticed a group of large concrete toadstools. This path now crosses a damaged bridge over a stream, where care must be taken. The path then turns right to circle around Slaugham lake. At the most southerly reach of the lake, it turns left, crosses a stile, then continues, right into a field. We walked gently uphill through the centre of the field, aiming for the farm buildings ahead. After passing between the buildings, we continued straight on, through two further fields. The path continues to a stream, then goes uphill and curves very gently to the right, until it reaches a road.
We turned left and continued along the pavement up to the village of Warninglid. Then we walked straight over the crossroads and continued through the village, passing the ornate entrance to ‘The Grange’. Soon we turned onto the first footpath on our left, to follow it, keeping to the right fork and passing the village allotments. This path continues along mixed, scrubby woodland to reach a road. Immediately opposite, a footpath through the hedge, crosses a plank bridge into a field. We crossed this field, then continued straight on, through a succession of gates, with horse paddocks on our left-hand side. At the crossing path we turned left to go through a riding stable and came out onto a road. Here we turned left and walked carefully along it, for about 300yds. At the stile in the right-hand hedge, we crossed it into the field.
The path drops down through the field, towards the woodland below, then enters it, to leave the woods at a stile overlooking farmland. We followed this path, north, aiming for the small lake ahead. We then crossed the bridge in the centre of the lake and continued on, soon reaching an enclosed path. This path took us back to Slaugham lake. Here we turned right onto the surfaced road and passed in front of the impressive Slaugham Manor, once a training centre, but now converted into flats. Keeping on this road we found a footpath on our left-hand side. This enclosed and usually rather muddy path goes past the ruins of Slaugham House built in 1591 (now used as a wedding venue). It then goes diagonally north west through open ground to enter the church yard by a side gate. We finished the walk by passing the church, to reach our starting car park.
After the walk we drove to Staplefield for a lunch at the ‘Jolly Tanners’, sharing its outside seating area with a group of MG enthusiasts.
Friday 15th. October 2021 Circular Walk from: ‘The Grumpy Mole’, Brockham Distance: 4.1 Miles. Lunch at ‘The Grumpy Mole’
Weather: Good walking weather. Overcast, dry but with a very light shower towards the end of the walk. Dry underfoot except for one very short patch of mud at a field gate. No stiles are encountered on this walk
We left the pub west, across the village green. Crossing the main road through the village, we walked along Old School Lane. Very soon we turned right onto the Coach Road, now a bridleway but once the main road from Dorking through Brockham. The path passes Betchworth Golf Club before crossing the A25. We crossed the river Mole on a long metal footbridge. The path now begins to rise steadily passing Lower Boxhill Farm and going under the Redhill to Dorking railway line. We continued uphill until a crossing track, this is the Pilgrim’s Way, a medieval route to Canterbury Cathedral and the tomb of Thomas à
Beckett. We turned right to cross two large fields before reaching woodland on our right-hand side. Within these woods are a Victorian limekiln and the disused Brockham Quarries, now often used for filming. At the next crossing footpath, we turned right and descended to cross under the railway again. The path now recrosses the A25 at Pilgrims Way Cottages. We continued straight on to the Old Reigate Road, where we turned right onto it, and then took Millhill Lane, left. We crossed the next road to continue straight on, through a housing estate. The path now joins the Greensand Way. We turned half-right on to it and then recrossed the River Mole on a footbridge; after passing through a set of white gates, we were back at the ‘Grumpy Mole’.
The Pub then efficiently served us a good quality meal, a good conclusion to a very pleasant walk.