Length: 18.7 km (11.7 miles)
Toughness: 6 out of 10
London Waterloo: 09-45 hrs South Western service to Portsmouth & Southsea Clapham Junction: 09-52 hrs
Arrive Milford: 10-38 hrs
Return
Haslemere to Waterloo: South Western services at approx 02, 14 and 30 mins past the hour
Rail ticket: Buy a day return to Haslemere
It takes a while and some unavoidable road walking before this walk gets going, but when it does, through Bagmoor Common Nature Reserve, you are soon on sandy paths through Surrey heathland, parts of which are surprisingly remote.
You reach the village of Thursley after a couple of hours where lunch can be taken at the usually good pub, The Three Horseshoes. Booking ahead is advisable (01252-703900).
After lunch you head for the Devil's Punchbowl - now mercifully quiet after the A3 road was diverted into a tunnel. You have a choice of walking down into the Bowl then up the other side, or you can walk around the rim of the Bowl - both are pleasant. At the top of the Bowl you have a National Trust Cafe - an early tea stop. From here it is 80 minutes walk to Haslemere Railway Station, if you take the original, direct TO Book route, but the recommendation is to detour to two historic (and gruesome) landmarks - Sailor's Stone then Gibbet Hill. Directions are given from both to walk-end.
Tea can be taken in Haslemere at either of its two cafes, opposite one another; Darnleys - a long-time SWC favourite - and Hemingways, the relatively new kid on the block, but equally good. For a stronger drink, there are three pubs in town, as noted in the Directions.
T=1.27
Walk Directions are here: L=1.27
2 comments:
Understand the Three Horshoes might be booked up . Double check though.
23 at the station. Off we marched, like an army of driver ants, striking terror into all in our path (or perhaps just mild annoyance). It was w=sunny-all-day. Apart from Bagmoor Common, the ground was dry and firm. And it wasn’t that bad there, no mammoth traps, just the occasional patch of squidge. One or two got separated from the column on Thursley Heath and had to navigate their way across as only ants know how (mostly with their electronic devices).
The column had divided by Thursley. About 10 stopped at the 3 Horseshoes,where two more ants had mysteriously joined, perhaps dropped by passing birds. That made our number n=25 The rest marched on to the churchyard to consume their victuals, some of which had been foraged in Milford’s Nisa.
It was a pleasant sunny sojourn in the pub’s garden. Brimstones and an orange tip were seen. There seemed to be an air of disappointment with the quality of the food, but Mr Tiger was alright. He was happy drinking his cider and being fed chips by a kindly ant.
After the pub Mr Tiger was left behind. Apart from a brief encounter with 2 stragglers, he never saw the others again, so can offer little comment on how their afternoon went, other than to say it was a tough slog, up, down, up, down and up again. Directions easy to follow. Caught the 17:02 without sampling the delights of Haslemere.
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