Length: 13.9 km ((8.7 miles) 7/10
Originally the Book 1 Boxhill & Westhumble to Leatherhead walk, with a strenuous morning and lunch at Mickleham. The circular versions are possibly more interesting than the route to Leatherhead, so today I suggest the longest circular version back to Westhumble, including a high-level return route via Norbury Park, where last year's ash dieback work seems to have finished, and Denbies vineyard.
Trains: 1023 from Waterloo (Clapham J 1032, Epsom 1058) arriving at Boxhill & Westhumble at 1111. A late start as it's still a shortish walk. Return trains at 35 past the hour to Waterloo and 46 to Victoria.
Lunch: two pubs in Mickleham, the bigger Running Horses (tel. 01372-372279) and the more scenic King William IV (tel.01372-372590). Picnic in the churchyard or recreation ground.
Tea: Denbies Wine Estate restaurant does good tea and cakes. Or there's the Stepping Stones pub less than five minutes past Boxhill & Westhumble station. If heading there you could go directly through Westhumble village and skip Denbies.
Shortening the walk: From Mickleham, there are a couple of shorter options – the “Valley option” back to Westhumble saves 3.5 km and a climb. Or you could follow the original book route to Leatherhead (saves 2.2 km and a climb). The 465 bus runs half-hourly from Mickleham Church south to Dorking and north to Leatherhead and Kingston.
L=1.49 and choose the Boxhill Circular Hill Option via Denbies.
1 comment:
#17 including one car driver on a #very-warm-and-sunny day. Lots of people out including a big queue at the steppping stones. That and the stiff climb up Box Hill (and an ice cream stop at the top for some I think) ensured we got pretty spread out right from the start of the walk. Most regrouped for a picnic in the churchyard and/or drink squeezed into the small front yard at the Running Horses, from where one caught the bus to Leatherhead.
Although nearly everyone left the pub together, many seemed to vanish almost immediately after, maybe taking one of the short options. We noticed that you could see a bit more of Norbury Park than before, as some of the screening fence has been taken down. There were fine views back to Box Hill from the viewpoint above Druids' Grove. Bluebells and garlic were out and we spotted at least five kinds of butterfly.
Of those I was with, at least three different routes were taken back to Westhumble. Some headed for Denbies but despite the fine weather others decided on a shorter route, declaring that they had done lots of walking over the holiday weekend. Most reappeared in the garden area of the Stepping Stones pub, all telling each other we hadn't known it existed. I made a dash for the bus to Kingston just as the Denbies contingent were arriving, but ended up spending the rest of the afternoon in a traffic jam around Chessington World of Adventures - clearly I should have stayed and had another drink waiting for the next train . . .
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