Saturday Walk - Whyteleafe Circular

Length: 10.3 miles (16.5km)  5 out of 10

The walk has various options to shorten it.

"This walk covers a stretch of the Green Belt on the London/Surrey border which since July 2019 has been designated the South London Downs National Nature Reserve. It starts with a climb onto Kenley Common and a long stretch around the perimeter of Kenley Airfield, a well-preserved example of those pressed into service during World War Ⅱ. 

The walk continues across Coulsdon Common where some features will be familiar from the Riddlesdown to Coulsdon walk (2–15). You soon pass the lunchtime pub but unless you want to cut the walk short (or take a very early break) there is an hour-long loop across Happy Valley in order to see the internationally renowned 12thC doom mural in Chaldon church. The route back to the pub goes past a historically interesting burial ground, a salutary reminder of the time – not so long ago – when large numbers of people with mental health problems were confined in asylums.

The afternoon section starts by weaving its way back across Coulsdon and Kenley Commons, this time going around the other side of the airfield. After a stretch along a newly-restored patch of downland it takes a northerly loop through woodland to Kenley before crossing the valley.

One last climb onto Riddlesdown is followed by a level stretch through the Sanderstead to Whyteleafe Countryside Area, where you can look back across the valley to your earlier route. A flight of steps then takes you down to a park café in Whyteleafe Recreation Ground and a choice of return stations."

Trains: Get the 0952 East Grinstead train from London Bridge (East Croydon 1010) arriving Upper Warlingham 1022. This is a short walk from Whyteleafe station. Return trains from Whyteleafe to London Bridge at xx25, xx55 and from Upper Warlingham to London Bridge xx32, xx02.

Lunch:  The Fox (01883-340737) on Coulsdon Common, reached after 8¼ km on the Main Walk. This is the only place on the walk route, but shortly before reaching it you could detour to The Boundary on the Green (01883-818087) in the Caterham Barracks development.

Tea: the small Pavilion Café open to around 4.30pm, in the Recreation Ground, a friendly place serving hot drinks and a selection of home-made cakes.

On the A22 between the two stations are the refurbished Whyteleafe Tavern and the Radius Arms micro-pub

T=swc.363

Saturday Walk - Hilly Walk with a magnificent lunch pub: Haslemere to Midhurst via Lurgashall or Lickfold [train times amended, strike timetable now published]

Length: 21.8 km (13.4 mi) or 20.9 km (13.0 mi)

Ascent/Descent: 469/587

Net Walking Time: 5 ¼ hours

Toughness: 6/10 

Sunset: 16.05

Light for walking: until 16.35, with the last stretch being through town…

 

Take the 09.00 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (09.25 Woking), arrives Haslemere 09.53.

From Clapham J, take either the 08.52 Portsmouth & Southsea train (and wait a few minutes), or the 08.57 Frome train and change at Woking (09.15/09.25).

 

Take the 09.30 S'ton Central train from Waterloo (09.38 C'ham J), change at Woking (09.56/10.13) onto the Portsmouth Harbour train, arrives Haslemere 10.51.

Return to Haslemere Station from Midhurst by bus number 70 (roughly hourly, 26 mins journey, £5.00-ish fare, relevant buses: 16.05/17.05/18.10/19.15) or by taxi. 

Return trains from Haslemere are on xx.28 (change Woking), journey time 88 mins.

 

The route leads from Haslemere station through the town’s centre and along the waymarked Serpent Trail through a small Nature Reserve to rise steeply out of town and back down through Camelsdale to then rise with the Sussex Border Path through pastures and pine and heather covered slopes up to the Black Down. Following the crest through open heathland, with far views across West Sussex and out to Hampshire, you reach the Temple Of The Winds viewpoint, with further panoramic views over the Rother Valley to the South Downs escarpment and easterly across to the West Weald.

A long descent through the sloping open grounds of Blackdown House and through bluebell-carpeted woods leads to either the classic Sussex village of Lurgashall, with its pub and church at the corner of a picturesque village green and cricket pitch, or to the hamlet of Lickfold with its super-duper Inn.

The afternoon takes you through a mix of flat farmland and wooded hills to the Cowdray Estate, with its golf course-with-views as well as several polo fields, to the romantic ruins of Cowdray House, as captured by JMW Turner. Climbing from the River Rother’s banks, Midhurst's Norman castle ruins are passed en-route to the old market town's attractive centre with its many tea options.

 

Lunch: The Noah's Ark in Lurgashall (10.3 km/6.4 mi, food to 14.30, booking recommended). [The Lickfold Inn in Lickfold is unfortunately closed for good.]

Tea: lots of choice en-route to and in Midhurst (see the pdf for details), recommended are The Halfway Hut (3 km from the end), Cowdray Farm Shop & Cafe (2 km from the end, open to 17.00), Garton’s Coffee House, The Wheatsheaf, The Angel Inn, The Olive & Vine or Fitzcane’s. 

 

For summary, map, height profile, some photos, walk directions and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.48