Length: 23.6 km (14.7 mi) [many longer and shorter options]
Ascent/Descent: 433/496m
Net Walking Time: 5 ¼ hours
Toughness: 6/10
Take the 09.27 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (09.55
Woking, 10.03 G’ford), arrives Haslemere 10.20. From Clapham J take the
09.27 Axminster train to Woking (09.47/09.55).
Return trains from Farnham are hourly xx.04 (chg
Guildford), xx.28 (direct, but save 14 mins by changing at Woking) and xx.58
(direct, but save 20 mins by changing at Woking).
Buy a Haslemere return, you then may have to buy a separate
Farnham – Woking single.
The route leads out of Haslemere in a northerly direction along the
quietest and shortest possible route to ascend through Coombswell Copse and
along the wooded Invall ridge up to Hurt Hill and the Temple of the Four Winds, the ruin of an
early 20th century belvedere, and one of several viewpoints with
striking vistas. Turn westerly up to Gibbet Hill (the second highest top in Surrey),
with more far reaching views, out to the North Downs and London, as well as
back to Black Down and to the South Downs.
Skirt around the Devil’s Punchbowl along the course of the old A3 and
descend into the remote Highcomb Bottom, a stunning sandy heathland
valley to re-join the Greensand Way to Thursley.
Its common (a NNR) is one of the largest heathlands as well as one of
the last lowland peat bogs in southern Britain and an optional extension gives
you prolonged exposure to it. Next up is Hankley Common, another large
heathland, and mostly MOD terrain, for an exploration of a D-Day training site
with a replica section of The
Atlantic Wall and assorted other defensive structures.
On to the
picturesque village of Tilford with its pub and cricket pitch on the green,
followed by quiet woodland paths and lanes along the River Wey’s North Branch
into Farnham, with an optional extension past Waverley
Abbey House to Waverley Abbey’s ruins along the way.
Elenvenses/Lunch: Café and Hotel Pub at The Devil’s Punch Bowl, The
Three Horseshoes in Thursley (10.5 km/6.5 mi, food to
14.30), or The Duke of Cambridge in Tilford Common
(15.9 km/9.9 mi, food all day) or The Barley
Mow in Tilford (17.5 km/10.9 mi, food to 15.00).
Tea: Tilford Village Shop, The Mulberry,
The Lamb
or The William Cobbet.
For summary, map, height profile, walk
directions and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.144
1 comment:
Unofficial walk report (walk Author notified)
3 disembarked the train at Haslemere which soon became 1(me) and a group of 2. The solo walker took the gentle approach to Gibbet Hill via Devils Punchbowl and the National Trust cafe. The weather was a treat (barmy October) and solo walker was treated to amazing views (though probably not the best view as those might have been reserved for the hot air balloon trips). Spending more time around Hindhead common areas and wishing to see the A3 tunnel I made by way onto Thursley via some diversions. Here some of the walkers had finished lunch (Three Horse shoes) and we were briefly together before again separating. Post Thursley with numerous options available to the walkers, I visited the Atlantic Wall before heading towards Hankley common golf club and a late lunch stop (the Duke of Cambridge). Onwards replenished and rehydrated I headed to Tilford (an idyllic village green although no sports were being played). Village Pubs were open but needing to press on I continued to Waverley and took opportunity to visit the amazing Waverley abbey ruins. The final stretch beckoned and the route rolled into Farnham smoothly. Overall with this walk being filled with many options group cohesion was hindered. However it was an opportunity to improve navigational skills which I enjoyed.
Late submission from our adventurous walker who did the main walk as he felt in good walking form:
Three started the walk together at Haslemere Station with one driver joining a few minutes after the start and another who had parked nearer the lunch stop making #5 in total. The 5 never walked together though as one walker ventured out alone on the early extension towards Devil’s PunchBowl which by all accounts (1!) was worthwhile and was only seen again once, fleetingly. 4 stuck to the main walk until lunch coming across other walking groups and several DoEers.
3 lunched at Three Horse Shoes where multiple species of butterfly were observed in a sun drenched beer garden, 1 diverted to picnic at the church and was not seen again, the adventurous one had a late lunch at Duke of Cambridge.
With one driver departing after lunch and the picnicker not seen again, 2 set off towards Farnham meeting the lone walker shortly after the pub. Short extensions to Hankley Common and Waverley Abbey were worthy additions.
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