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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Sunday 11 December 2016

Sunday Walk 1 – Watts-'is-name Gallery & Chapel

Book 2 Walk 12a – Guildford Circular
Length: 13.6 km (8.5 miles). Toughness: 2/10

10:30 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (Clapham Jct 10:39), arriving Guildford at 11:10.

There are fast return trains from Guildford at 05 & 35 minutes past the hour.

I suggest doing the standard version of this Book 2 walk, but the website version now includes a slightly more strenuous alternative start and you could take a vote on this before setting off. Both variations lead you into Compton via the Watts Gallery tea room and/or Watts Chapel (the latter is free and well worth a visit), before heading back to Guildford via Loseley Park. If you want a pub lunch you have to make a small detour to the Withies Inn on the return leg, but this popular pub is likely to be even busier than usual just before Christmas and I'd be tempted to get something earlier at the Gallery tea room.

For refreshments at the end of the walk you'll find all the usual suspects along Guildford's High Street as well as several riverside pubs. Debenham's self-service restaurant has a particularly nice riverfront setting, though they might be a bit sniffy if you're trailing copious amounts of mud as you make your way to it through the store.

You'll need to print the directions from the Book 2 Walk 12 document.
T=2.12.a

4 comments:

ramblinros said...

Those interested in Arts and Craft design may like to take advantage of tours of Limnerslease, GF and Mary Watts' home, built for them nearby and recently opened to tours. http://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/en-gb/whats-on/tours-limnerslease/.the exhibition at Watts Gallery.
Leighton House is displaying 'Flaming June' at the moment and a visit to LH is much enriched by an included tour, every sunday at 3pm by a knowledgeable Scotswoman. Connected with F J's display is an exhibition at Watts Gallery of works of the same period, each accompanied by a description from the owner - Untold Stories: British Art from Private Collections offers an exciting opportunity to see great works of art which are normally kept behind closed doors.
These extra items may delay your return to Guildford, but there is a regular hourly bus service detailed with full timetable at the bottom of the 'Visit Us' web page of the Watts Gallery http://www.wattsgallery.org.uk/en-gb/visit/how-find-us/

ramblinros said...

p.s. reduced entry at LeightonHouse with Art fund card and NT England card, NOT NT Scotland

ramblinros said...

p.p.s. NO TOURS OF LIMNERSLEASE on sunday 11th December.

PeteB said...

n=15 on this walk in w=fine-sunny-and-clear weather. We all took the longer tarmac climb to enjoy views óf Guildford with its cathedral dominating the landscape. Because the pub was fully booked we all lunched or had refreshments at the Watts Gallery cafe and if you get there early enough seating should nót be a problem. After lunch most of us visited Watts Chapel before the return leg to Guildford which is mostly the opening stretch of the Guildford to Farnham walk in reverse. On the way we were joined by a friendly half-grown rottweiller dog which appeared to have become separated from its owners. It was tagged so we left it in the hands of a kindly local. We forsook the riverside route to return to Guildford via a track across the still dry water meadows. Six of us then found a table in a cafe Nero in Guildford's bustling High street before heading home on a fast train. An excellent winter walk with little mud underfoot and some fine views.