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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.

Saturday 7 October 2017

Farnham to Godalming (or Circular) - Surprisingly remote for Surrey

Farnham to Godalming (Book 1, walk 12) - 20.6km (12.8 miles)

or

Farnham Circular (Book 2, walk 12c) - 16.2km (10.1 miles)

Toughness: 6 out of 10 (officially, but I remember it as fairly flat actually...)

9.23 train from Waterloo (9.41 Surbiton) to Farnham, arriving 10.25

If you miss the above, the 9.30 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo gets to Woking at 9.54, where you can catch the above train at 10.00

From Clapham Junction, squeeze onto the 9.27 Exeter train, arriving Woking 9.45 and connect as above.

Buy a day return to Farnham. If returning from Godalming you will need to get a single from Godalming to Guildford (two stops) on the return leg. (Guildford, not Woking, it having been established in the past that a Farnham return goes through the automatic barriers at Guildford and is thus valid for travel to that station.)

For walk directions click here. For GPX file click here.

If you are doing the Farnham Circular option you also need pages 6, 7 and 11 of this document (starting with page 11), with the GPX file available here.

This walk (Farnham to Godalming) basically shadows the River Wey throughout, though for much of its length water is not in sight. An exception is the start of the walk where there is a pretty walk up the river valley (including remains of Second World War defences) to Tilford. Though it is only about a quarter of the way into the walk, the Barley Mow here is a possible lunch stop. You might at least like to check before passing it whether the Donkey in Charleshill, the official lunch stop for this walk, can accommodate you, as the latter is a small-ish pub (though a very nice one).

After Charleshill, the Farnham to Godalming walk continues through woods and heaths - surprisingly remote countryside for Surrey - to pretty Godalming for tea. The Farnham Circular option is to instead switch to option c of the Book 2 walk 12 directions, which takes you over heaths and through woods back to Farnham - a slightly shorter walk for those who think 12.8 miles is a bit of a stretch.

Trains back        from Godalming at 25 and 53 past 
                            from Farnham at 28 and 58 past. T=1.12

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Anyone interested in doing Farnham circular?

Anonymous said...

I probably will do the Farnham Circular but we do not need to choose until after The Donkey pub - the recommended lunch venue. Stephen

Anonymous said...

Yes,I'm keener on doing the circular one. Also at lunching at the Donkey, the other one sounds too soon into the walk.
See you on Saturday !
Gabriella

Anonymous said...

Sounds good, Stephen and Gabriella. I will join you.

Anonymous said...

n=30 got off of the train at Farnham
The guard on the train seemed to have loads of extra work to do as over the intercom he offered tickets for future travel to save people queuing at the station on Sunday or Monday morning and also offered to print out time tables - is this part of the idea to increase guards productivity ? As we left the train he announced 'To the majority of you leaving at this station I have one word for you " Walkies " ' - which raised a titter - nice to have happy guards - we were hoping to get him on the way back but no such luck - our return guard was a lot less sanguine.
I guess 20 of the walkers did the short version ( Farnham circular ) and so returned to that station in dribs and drabs for the return journey which means about 10 did the Godalming version
The weather was w=overcast-all-day but still quite mild so it was shirt sleeves for most of us throughout the walk
This walk is very pretty with lots of autumnal leaves and some violet toadstools - see pics - in the woods and occasional views out to the surrounding area. It is easy and flatish so the short version is no more than say a grade 2. We measured it as 17.4 km. The only downside is the amount of metaled paths which were a bit hard on my feet knees and hips
About 18 of us had lunch in The Donkey - excellent service and the food was wonderful according to the 5 others on my table and the staff were good natured. 2 of the walkers seemed determined to moan and whine loudly about the service whilst waiting at the counter - well done the staff for keeping a good attitude and looking after us - thank you to them
Five of us researched a new cafe the Krema in Farnham old town - about 500 meters form the station and the cafe was very good as was the tea ( loose leaf ) and the cakes - not too sweet. One of our group mentioned that service in this area seemed to be very good - on the train, in the Donkey and now at Krema - it works we all left feeling really good.
https://www.facebook.com/Kremacoffeefarnham-947903108614897/ and they do well on trip advisor
For those who are interested there is a good selection of charity shops in Farnham
Thank you to the people I walked with for a good day
General Malaise

Anonymous said...

About 10 ate in the earlier pub, the report was also excellent, one said it was the best pub he ate for a while, so thumb up for this pub.