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Autumn Walk October 2008, Holmbury St Mary, (Surrey)
02/10/2008-05/10/2008
Thursday 7th,
We all travelled down after work arranging to meet at Dorking where we were staying for the night at The Lincoln Arms Hotel (No room at the Hostel).
Paul, Graham and Ian got there early and after checking in, went on to the Cricketers for light refreshment.
Dick, Richard and Steve arrived later. Once they checked in, they proceeded into town to find the others. Upon leaving the hotel they met a guardian angel who showed them the way into town and told them about the best places to eat.
We all met in the high street and went for a drink in The Bull. Paul, Graham and Ian went on to eat at an Italian called La Verde whilst Dick, Richard and Steve rinsed the dust from their journey before going on to an Indian called Curry & Spice. All had had good food but the Indian service had been very rushed.
Upon return to the Hotel the bar had been shut so no nightcaps.
Friday 3rd
At breakfast we met someone who had been left behind by his workmates (not surprising as he could barely stand from being too drunk). After we had eaten, Dick and Graham took their cars to the Hostel at Holmbury St Mary, leaving all our kit in Dick’s car and going on to Gomshall to get the train back to Dorking to meet the others.
The weather stayed fine throughout the day but a steady wind kept it cool.
Upon arrival at Dorking station by Dick & Graham, we all set off. After a couple of false starts through the town we got into our stride on our way.
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The route was out along the Greensand Way (GW), via Bury Hill (Dick went for the hill option), Westcott, Rookery Hill Farm, Horsley Copse, Stable Copse, Broardmoor Bottom, Snakes Hill on up to Leith Hill Tower. Here we were pleasantly surprised to find a tea bar at the bottom of the tower. For a small fee (£1), you could climb the Tower finding out some of the local history. At the top there were views of London, including the Arch of Wembley Stadium, The Gherkin, and Canary Wharf which could all be seen as well as Gatwick Airport to name but a few places.
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After our tea refreshment we carried on our way along the GW to Holmbury St Mary stopping at the Kings Arms as it was too early to get into the Hostel. After some refreshment we continued through the woods to the Hostel to get washed and sorted ready for dinner.
That evening we went to The Royal Oak for dinner which meant a walk through the woods, so we went before it got dark. The food was good but some meals a bit small. We had taken our torches and needed those walking back in the dark through the woods. All had an early night as the door was locked promptly at 23:00.
Saturday 4th
We woke to a fine, sunny, cold start to the day; this did not last though with first cloud then light rain later. Although at times heavy rain threatened, we togged up and managed to miss the worst of it.
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The plan for today was to get a bus to Gomshall, train to Shalford then start walking. As always things are liable to change and once on the bus we found it went all the way to Shalford so we stayed on it.
From Shalford we joined the Wey South Path along a disused railway track through Bramley until we reached the Greensand Way (GW). After taking the GW we carried on up Plonk’s Hill, Woodhill, Stroud Farm, Great Copse, Rock Copse, Winterfold Farm, Reynards Hill, and Ewhurst Windmill. Just after the Windmill we left the GW to go to Peaslake via Hurt Wood for lunch at the Hurtwood Inn Hotel. Luckily we missed one of those sudden heavy showers whilst eating.
After lunch we returned through Hurt Wood, Gasson Copse to the GW by the Duke of Kent School, then on to Holmbury Hill, Somerset Hill, and into Holmbury St Mary for a tea break at the Kings Arms before going back to the Hostel just as it started to rain some more.
After a wash and change we went to the Volunteer at Sutton Abinger for evening sustenance. This proved to be the best for both beer and food. Suitably refreshed we again walked back by torch light. We hardly noticed the rain but the lane to the Hostel was very wet.
Sunday 5th
We woke up to persistent rain. Paul, Ian, and Graham had arranged to go for a run (they must be mad), the rest of us turned over and shut our eyes until breakfast. We saw the drowned rats come back so after breakfast we decided to go home.
It was a shame to go home early but getting soaked would have spoilt a great weekend in a very nice part of the countryside.
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