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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.

Wednesday 28 March 2018

Wednesday Walk - Milford to Godalming

Length: 18.6 km (11.6 mi) [extensions possible, see route map]
Ascent/Descent:   327/344m
Net Walking Time: ca. 4 hours
Toughness:  5 out of 10 

Take the 10.15 Haslemere train from Waterloo (10.22 CJ), arriving Milford 11.05.
Return trains: between 15.51 and 17.51 trains are on xx.25, xx.38 and xx.51, then 18.25, 18.46, 19.11… Buy a Milford (Surrey) return.

This walk had no confirmed attendance last year on a weekend and has not had a mid-week outing for 4 years…
It is a rewarding walk full of interest - the Greensand Way, a pretty village pub, an NT Arboretum (that’s free to walk through), a tea room by a canal, and historic Godalming's pubs to end.
From Milford Station, you come to the lakes and the magnificent timber-framed Enton Mill – one of the many houses on this walk that have 17th or 18th century galleting – black pebbles lining the mortar of the walls, a method much used in those days in Kent and the south. In Hambledon you join the Greensand Way, a sandy bridleway through The Hurtwood. Lunch is at the White Horse pub in Hascombe, a village with a remarkable church covered in wall decoration, so that it looks almost Moorish.
In the afternoon, the walk goes through the National Trust's Winkworth Arboretum and its lakes. The final approach to Godalming is along the River Wey and Godalming Navigation, to the Church of St Peter and St Paul and the ancient High Street.

For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here.
Lunch: The White Horse in Hascombe (8.5 km/5.3 mi, food to 14.30).
Tea:  see webpage and pdf. T=1.20

16 comments:

tartanrug said...

Could be a good to great lunch. New chef. Untested by SWC. Large table in bar reserved for 1 pm. Can’t wait. Lunch Monitor.

Anonymous said...

am intending to walk this lovely walk and bringing dog

Felicity said...

I'm hoping to join you. Sounds a really nice walk! Felicity

Anonymous said...

Heavy rain predicted all day. may give this walk a miss. Melanie

PeteG said...

To avoid the worst of the rain, a couple of us are doing this walk on Thursday. Feel free to join us. Same timings.

Anonymous said...

Just for the record I have made other arrangements for today as i do not approve of walkers bringing dogs. The media is campaigning against dogs in the more remote areas of countryside as their natural instinct is to go hunting for sheep and other livestock. Nor do I appreciate owners interacting all the time with their dog when these walks are for humans to interact with each other!! Please find a dog friendly group away from livestock.

Anonymous said...

Haha haha! I know who you are anon.stop whingeing.

Marcus said...

Just to advise mid-week colleagues I am NOT the author of comment 6 below. Whilst most of you know that I dislike dogs, I always post comments under my own name - I disapprove of, and have no time for, those hiding behind "anonymous" labels. I have long cursed Andrew, our web-master, for providing the "anonymous" posting option. As it happens I have an amicable arrangement with Melanie (comment 7), the dog walker who occasionally brings a small pooch on Wednesday walks - she doesn't bring her dog on any of my posted walks - although she - sans dog - is always most welcome to come along.

tartanrug said...

Not the author, surprised that someone got an anti-dog comment posted, as my past comments on the dog issues, under my blogger ID, were removed by pro-dog Webmaster in about 3 seconds, least any floating voters might be influence by fake dog news.

Anonymous said...

For guidance on bringing 4 legged friends along, please see this website's New Members page:

https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/swc/index.shtml

Can I bring a dog?
Yes. It doesn't often happen, but dogs are welcome, and assistance dogs are very welcome. Please be aware that not all people are 'dog people' though, and wouldn't appreciate a dog running between their feet while walking. Please read the The Rambler's advice for taking dogs on a country walk beforehand, paying particular attention to 'sheep' and 'cows'.

Gabriella said...

May I just check please that Pete G’s splinter group are still doing this tomorrow instead ?

Anonymous said...

Yes going tomorrow

Frankie said...

Frankie

N=2
Just two cheerful souls, indifferent to rain and dogs, met on the quiet platform in Milford at 11.05. There was no dog and after 90 minutes or so there was little or no rain. Indeed most of the walk was in warm spring sunshine. But there was plenty of mud and plenty of puddles to wash it away.
In the morning we climbed up to the Hydon’s Ball and were treated to fine views from the top. The White Horse pub in Hascombe did not disappoint either. The food, beer, service and cosy fire were all of a very high standard. The church nearby was also worth visiting.
In the afternoon sunshine the daffodils and camellias in the Winkworth Arboretum were a delight. Sadly the tea room in Hector’s on the Wey cafe was closed when we got there sometime after 4pm although it was not clear when it had last been open. We decided to press on to Godalming station along the banks of the river Wey and arrived just in time to see the 16.51 train leave the platform. On asking a member of the platform staff where we might get a cup of tea he offered to make us one himself. Is this a first ? So we sat in the station beside a vase of tulips drinking an excellent cup of tea much to the incredulity of other passengers. Then on the 17.25 train back to London by which time it had started to rain again.

A great day out.

Marcus said...

I would hope Pete G is not leading a "splinter" group. Wednesday walks suffered from such a group eighteen months ago, which resulted in the resignation of our then walk poster, through frustration over alternative walks being posted behind his back. Let's hope today's walk is a one-off due to the weather, and extra curriculum walks will not be resurrected.

PeteG said...

n=5 on the weather avoiding Thursday walk. A dry morning, but rain during and after a delightful lunch left just 2 to carry on encouraged by the rain stopping just before the bus arrived, only to get caught by heavy rain in the last 30 minutes when we abandoned the finish, just caught a bus to Farncombe and straight onto the train home.

Thomas G said...

n=7 w=mostly-wet