Net Walking Time: ca. 2 ¼ hours, Toughness: 1 out
of 10.
Take the 19.03 Guildford train from Waterloo (Vauxhall 19.07, Clapham J 19.12, then via Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Surbiton etc.), arriving Oxshott 19.37. Return trains: xx.01 to 23.01, then 23.31.
Take the 19.03 Guildford train from Waterloo (Vauxhall 19.07, Clapham J 19.12, then via Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Surbiton etc.), arriving Oxshott 19.37. Return trains: xx.01 to 23.01, then 23.31.
This is a walk through several adjoining wooded
commons on the Surrey/London border.
You start at Oxshott station and ascend the South
Slope of the wooded Oxshott Heath to a fine viewpoint by the War Memorial.
Skirt a pretty ex-sandpit and follow narrow paths through the woods and across
the A3 into Esher Common. There you follow enchanting paths through the
heathland and then some woods into West End Common to West End, a lovely Surrey
village (willow-fringed pond, diminutive church, cricket green, nice pub), with
a large garden centre. From there you return through more woods to The Ledges,
the northwesterly escarpment of the Commons, hanging over the Mole Valley, and
on back into Esher Common and past the atmospheric Black Pond, then eventually
back to Oxshott station.
Note: There are
far more paths in the woods than appear on any map. Follow the detailed written directions.
Map and compass or a smartphone/GPS device would help navigation!
Covid-compatibility: not really any fenced paths; trains should not be too busy with this
late start.
Food/Drink: the pub en
route is of course shut and does NOT sell takeouts, according to its website.
2 comments:
n=3 walkers from SE London in this deepest corner of SW (Greater) London. The train had been very empty indeed, and the heat of the day was just about vanishing to a (nearly) comfortable temperature, which - with a light breeze out there - made it an actually pleasant to walk in-climate.
We met very few local walkers, probably on account of the late start, and only saw higher numbers of people in West End village, picnicking or playing on the picturesque green. The pub was shut as advertised, but we had a short break outside anyway to have a sip of water and a rest, before the return route.
1 examined the slighly longer, along the river-route, all reconvened on the platform in good time for the 22.01 train, this one almost completely devoid of passengers.
The written directions helped cutting walking time by avoiding doubt at forks and junctions and minimising wrong turns.
w=very-warm-with-a-light-breeze
I will add the new instructions are a treat...first time I have finished this lovely evening walk in the daylight.....
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