Length: about 8 miles or 11-12 miles T=2.12
9.36 train from Waterloo (9.44 Clapham Junction) to Guildford, arriving 10.19
Buy a day return to Godalming, unless you are definitely intending to do the full circular walk to Guildford, in which case a day return to Guildford is fine.
This walk is a combination of some of my favourite bits of walk route around Guildford:
- You start with the Hog's Back start of the Guildford to Farnham walk (click on the link for GPX, directions) etc) - a nice energetic climb to banish all that festive season lethargy, and then fine views from the top of the ridge. There is then a descent to Watts Gallery, with its cafe, and the nearby chapel. All this is just under 4 miles
- At Watt's Galley, switch to the Wanborough to Godalming walk (click on the link for GPX, directions etc) and follow that to Godalming - again, just under 4 miles. Early in this route a pub lunch is possible at the wonderful Witthies Inn, though it is always a good idea to book (it has both a restaurant and a bar area where one can eat). You could expect to arrive at the pub at 12.30-12.45.
Godalming has various tea options and you can get trains back from there at 12 and 40 past the hour.
- If you want a longer walk, simply head north along the Wey Navigation path. In 3 miles there is the option of diverting to Shalford station, which has trains at 11 past the hour to Guildford (there are also regular buses), or you can carry on along the Wey for another mile (or so) into Guildford, from where fast trains to London go at 21, 35, 52 and 59 past today.
2 comments:
It looks like the 14.12 may be the last train from Godalming to Waterloo for some time. Lots of cancellations due to track inspections.
I want to say “many”: people came at me from all directions in the foyer of Guildford station. I counted at least 22. I hear two got a slightly later train, so at least n=24.
Off went this enormous group in the wrong direction. I phoned several to try to summon them back to the right route and got nothing but voicemails. But at last the GPX corrected them and we set off to climb the Hog’s Back.
Nice views from the top, but when the route switched to the other side of the ridge many decided instead to stay on the track, the old road, with no views. A few of us followed the specified route (NOT muddy btw) and enjoyed the southern views. I lost sight of a big chunk of the group as a result.
At Watt’s Gallery at least one split off to walk to Farnham. Did any go to the Chapel? My contingent did not. As we got close to the Withies Inn there was W=a-bit-of-sun, which was nice, and the same was true for a time after lunch. Otherwise cloudy.
What a lovely pub the Withies is! Possibly the friendliest and most attentive on all our walks. Two tables had been booked in their bar and they actually encouraged us to combine them into one. Food came quickly in generous portions. Their restaurant looked empty, which I hope was just a post-Christmas lull. Ten at the start of the walk had indicated they wanted a pub lunch, so predictably 14 actually had one.
I had picked this walk as being not to prone to flooding. I had forgotten that it approaches Godalming along the River Wey. First sighting of this revealed a mighty brown Amazon, filling the entire valley. Predictably the last riverside section into the town was under water and we had to divert around it on the roads.
The flood plains at Godalming were also living up to their name, making a walk north along the river to Guildford doubtful - a pity as it was still only 2.30pm. I heard two did try it but did not get too far. There was also a sudden intelligence that the trains south of Guildford were all suspended due to a landslip south of Petersfield. About a dozen walkers greeted this news by diving onto a bus to Guildford.
Three of us stayed in Godalming and went for tea, with two going to the Star for a drink. Four more also arrived for tea. Godalming is now full of tea places!! Ours was called Esquire’s and had gorgeous cakes and big tea cups.
While at tea we discovered that trains had resumed. We got the 16.12 - the first northbound train in five hours, according to station staff. Approaching Guildford we could see that the Wey south of the town resembled the Okefenokee Swamp, so it was probably just as well we did not try to walk it. Oh well, a longer walk next week….
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