Length: 16¾ km (10.4 miles). Toughness: 5/10
09:55 Dorking train from Victoria (Clapham Jct 10:02), arriving Box Hill & Westhumble at 10:47. If you might want to switch to one of the alternative endings (see the walk document for details), a return to Dorking is the same fare as Box Hill.
Trains back to Victoria are half-hourly, at xx:02 & xx:32 from Dorking and three minutes later at Box Hill (the additional hourly service to Waterloo isn't running this weekend).
There's not much scope for a completely ‘new’ walk around Box Hill: you'll all be familiar with the famous viewpoint and most of you will recognise the villages of Betchworth and Brockham from the Dorking–Reigate walk, but there is some novelty. You'll get to see the inside of a large chalk quarry – and its pair of peregrine falcons, if you're patient. On the low hill between the two villages there are fine views across parkland towards the North Downs, and a wood carpeted with bluebells. And if you didn't get to see it on last month's Dorking walk, there's another chance to visit the ruins of Betchworth Castle.
Those wanting a pub lunch should be able to get fed and watered at the Red Lion in Betchworth, since it makes the bold claim on its website that “we are pleased to accept walk-ins with no booking…we will look after you!”. Fifteen minutes further on the walk route also passes the Dolphin, but in this case booking ahead would be advisable.
There are some mid-afternoon refreshment possibilities around Brockham's large village green, plus the Stepping Stones pub on the road to Box Hill station.
You'll need to bring the directions from the L=swc.396 page.
2 comments:
#9 walkers set off from Box Hill and Westhumble station. Or, rather, eight walkers who, very soon afterwards, were to be joined by Sean, waiting patiently for us in Westhumble Street. The weather was #bright-and-sunny-and-pleasantly-warm, for the most part. We stayed fairly close together, throughout the day, on the main circular route, though one of our number vanished somewhere near the top of Box Hill and didn't reappear. We saw an abundance of wild garlic and, in Oldpark Wood, a luscious carpet of bluebells, justifying the signs telling walkers and dogs to keep out. There were red kites flying over Brockham Quarry, but no sighting of peregrine falcons. There was plenty of room at the Red Lion to enjoy the very generous portions on offer, though some chose to sit outside with packed lunch, watching preparations (the erection of two sight screens) for a cricket match between Reigate Pilgrims and Beddington - the opening match of the season. Another first was tea and cakes at Christ Church, available on Sundays and bank holidays between late-April and mid-October. Tea was a reasonable £1 a cup, and very popular as a result. There was plenty of seating available, so it was a good alternative to the Village Hall Reading Room Coffee and Cake House, mentioned in the walk notes. At the end of the walk, the footpath was closed for temporary repairs to the steps descending from Box Hill towards the stepping stones and footbridge but, with no sign of activity on a busy afternoon with large numbers of walkers out and about, we bypassed the barriers and thus avoided a lengthy diversion back up to the top of Box Hill. Sean asked those walkers returning by train to check whether Pilgrim Cycles is open again and I can confirm that it is indeed open from Monday to Friday, between 10 and 5.
The openness of Pilgrim Cycles is confined to its bicycle business. No tea or cakes.
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