Length: 22.5 km (14.0 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 313/330m
Net Walking Time: about 5 hours
Toughness: 5/10
Take the 09.05 Alton train from Waterloo (CJ 09.15,
then Wimbledon, Surbiton, Woking etc.), arrives Farnham 10.13.
Return trains are on xx.04 & xx.30 to Paddington (change
Reading) and xx.09 & xx.35 to Waterloo (change Guildford).
Buy a return to Blackwater and a single from Woking to Farnham.
The walk crosses Farnham Park to Upper Hale then enters remote MOD land
(careful navigation needed) including a steep climb to Caesar’s Camp and
equally demanding descent from Beacon Hill, overlooking a network of water
channels and reservoirs. After lunch at The Foresters, you follow Gelvert
Stream to Fleet Pond, get your feet wet in Foxlease Meadows, dry out over a
cuppa watching cricket at the Crown and Cushion and view the boats from the
sandy shores of Hawley Lake, before crossing Hawley Common to Blackwater
station.
After Upper Hale the walk is largely within or close to MOD land until
the outskirts of Blackwater. The area is designated on the OS maps by clear
rather than red triangles, signifying managed access subject to the displayed
by-laws, as opposed to danger areas. In practice this means that you are free
to roam and the paths are clear on the ground, but there are no footpath or
bridleway signs. The section through Foxlease Meadows is also not marked and is
usually ‘spongy’ underfoot, so a drier alternative is given in the text.
Shorter Walk: Various options, check the webpage or the pdf for
details.
Tea: Crown &
Cushion, Minley (after 17.3 km).
For a summary, map, gpx/kml files and the walk
directions click here.
T=swc.160
1 comment:
After disentangling us from a larger walking group (meetup or similar) on the platform, 9 SWCies started the walk, soon caught up by a 10th walker, who after some questioning turned out to be looking for that other group though. Farnham Park was busy with people in the W=sunny weather and Upper Hale was a fine burb to walk through. Up into the MOD land of heaths with views, an iron age hillfort site, many fine woods and an 'interesting' descent from Beacon Hill.
2 turned off the route for early lunch at The Windmill Inn, which made sense as they were only going to walk to Fleet anyway.
Us 7 others walked on to The Foresters which had no tables inside until 4.30! but plenty of free ones outside.
We bumped into walker n=10 there who had parked at Fleet and walked back along the route. Punters who wanted to have the carvery lunch had to wait to be called up, so we had a long-ish stay but it was all worth it: a very well run establishment.
On then through more woods and past ponds and lakes to the slightly notorious bit of this route: padlocked gates, no right of ways and water-logged meadows with fallen trees and unclear paths. Only it wasn't bad at all today: most gates were not locked, there was a path most times and the water was just about ok. 1 then went to Fleet.
Which left Hawley Common to cross and then exit from it quite near the station. 16.35 it was and the trains we had just missed, so to the Mr Bumble pub we went before the next trains back to London (or Fleet).
A very rewarding route despite much noise from the many A roads, a motorway, Farnborough Airport and a race course. Great for autumn, not too muddy (it's mainly sandy soil after all) and with many fine views.
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