WALKER DUNELM is pulling on his rambling boots for the second Surrey stage of the Greensand Way
The Greensand Way is a 108-mile long-distance footpath which starts at Haslemere in Surrey, and follows the Greensand Ridge to Ham Street in Kent.
In Surrey, the Greensand Way takes the walker along paths which give unparalleled views to the south across the Weald as well as northwards to the North Downs. Much of the land is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
This section picks up from the first stage (click here to check it out) at Bletchingley, where you can park in Bletchingley High Street or on Outwood Lane (grid ref. TQ327507).
From Bletchingley High Street walk along Outwood Lane with The Prince Albert pub on your left. After Ponders End on the left, turn left on a signposted bridleway past a metal gate, then a pond on the right, bearing right by an iron gate to go uphill on a sunken path with the remains of a metalled surface.
At the top, where there is a junction, turn right on a track, which goes between concrete posts and downhill between fences. Cross a drive beside a metal gate on the right and continue downhill, bending left to walk along a sandy path inside the edge of a wood.
On reaching a metalled drive by a three-armed signpost, continue ahead to the left of a wooden barn. Just past a large house on the right, the drive bends left; go forward on a bridleway (there is a Greensand Way sign) and, after a group of cottages on the left, continue on a track between hedges and then around the right hand edge of a field and out to a road by a house.
Turn left for 350 yards and turn right on a bridleway (there is also a signposted footpath running along the field edge parallel with the bridleway. This may be less muddy in wet weather).
After 350 yards the track makes a sharp right and left turn where it is joined by the alternative footpath (GW sign). Follow the track to Tilburstow Hill Road.
Bear right, across the road to a signposted bridleway (GW waymark) and follow it around a hill on the left, ignoring the first footpath over a stile on the right.
Just before a metal gate across the track, turn right through a gap beside an old stile (GW sign) and go downhill towards a signpost in the middle of the field then bear diagonally left downhill to the bottom left hand corner of the field, cross a stile in a belt of trees and bear right downhill to a stile leading out to a road (B2236).
Cross to the pavement opposite and turn left. Where the road bears left, turn right down a lane signposted “Footpath and bridleway to Tandridge” (GW sign). Ignore a footpath going off to the left; continue down the drive past Leigh Mill House on the left and cross a footbridge by a ford.
Turn right on a track (GW sign), ignore a bridleway off to the left, continue on the footpath with a lake below on the right and pass through a kissing gate by the Godstone bypass (A22).
Take extreme care when crossing this busy road.
A footpath opposite leads to the road at Tandridge. Turn right along the road, passing The Barley Mow on the left.
Where the road bends slightly left, by a 40 sign and the Tandridge village sign, turn right over a stile on a signposted footpath. Walk along the right hand edge of the field then bear right up steps to a stile. Continue straight ahead across a field to a stile in the far left corner and bear half right to a gap in the hedge to the right of a small patch of scrub, then continue ahead parallel with a line of trees on the left to stile leading out to the A22.
Turn left for a few yards and cross the road carefully to a stile on the right, then go diagonally uphill to the corner of a hedge where there is a stile. Do not cross the stile, but turn right and keep to the right hand hedge to the end of the field where there is a stile.
Go diagonally downhill, over a ditch in a dip, maintain direction uphill to the left hand corner of the field and cross two stiles. Follow the left hand fence around the garden of a house, turn left between wattle fences, go over a stile and along a house drive to reach a road.
Turn right along the road to a T junction (Tilburstow Hill Road). If refreshments are required, turn right for a few yards for The Fox and Hounds.
Otherwise, to continue the walk, turn left, pass Nash’s Farm on the right, turn right at the next drive with a house on the left and, almost immediately, right again over a stile (footpath sign). Follow the right-hand boundary, cross another stile, continue to the end of the next field and turn right over a stile into an enclosed footpath.
At the next stile, turn right and walk slightly diagonally right to a stile at the far end of the field. Turn left along an overgrown farm road for 150 yards; at the end of a wood on the right pass to the left of a metal gate, turn right over a stile beside wooden bars and cross a field diagonally right making for a stile to the right of a yew tree at the end of a garden.
Turn right for a few yards on an overgrown farm lane, then left over a stile into a field; continue the line diagonally right towards an electricity pole and a stile in the opposite hedge.
At the road turn left for half a mile and continue ahead when it becomes a private road.
After passing two cottages on the right, turn right at a junction where there is a tree in a triangular green, walk past The Copse on the right and continue along the road to a crossroads by a house. Turn right: in 100 yards bend left on the road ignoring a footpath straight ahead over a stile.
On entering woods, take a clear path on the right which bends round, crosses a footbridge, runs along the edge of the wood with a field on the right and over a stile into the field. Cross the corner of the field diagonally left to a stile in a hedge and turn right along the right hand edge of a long field. At the end of the field, bend left and turn right over a stile.
Walk diagonally left towards a wood; follow the path through the wood, then go uphill across a field, through trees at the top to rejoin the Greensand Way.
Turn left and follow the track as it bends uphill to the right, crosses a drive and continues uphill between fences to a T junction. Turn left along the bridleway to reach Outwood Lane and turn right along the road to Bletchingley.
Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 146
Distance: 9 miles Time: 4+ hours
Parking: Bletchingley High Street or Outwood Lane (grid ref TQ327507)
Terrain: Field and woodland paths, country lanes
Nearest town: Godstone
Refreshments: Pubs in Bletchingley, The Barley Mow, Tandridge, The Fox and hounds, Tilburstow Hill Road
Stiles: 23
Grade: Moderate
Related articles
- Weekend rambles: “The four Bs” (5¾ miles; moderate) (insidecroydon.wordpress.com)
- Weekend rambles: Shabden Park (2¼ miles; easy) (insidecroydon.wordpress.com)
- Weekend rambles: Chipstead and Mugswell (4¾ miles; easy) (insidecroydon.wordpress.com)
