WALKER DUNELM suggests this walk along another section of the Greensand Way, less than half an hour south of Croydon, to blow away the cares of the working week

You can reach the start of this walk by parking near the lakes on Earlswood Common, off Woodhatch Road. From there, you begin your walk by going northwards away from the road towards a metal barrier and follow a metalled path across the common with a lake on the right.

At the end of the first lake continue ahead by the second lake and bear left up a bank. At the top, turn right along the bank (you should see a Greensand Way sign) with the lake on the right and a golf course on the left; at the end of the lake continue ahead, then through oak trees (GW sign) and along the edge of the golf course with woods on the right. By a golf green, bear right to reach the A23.

Turn left and, after 300 yards, turn right and cross the busy main road with great care to the road to Royal Earlswood. After going under a railway bridge take the left fork, go past a lodge and two hostels on the left and across a road by two houses on the right.

When the road bends to the right towards the YMCA, go straight ahead on an enclosed path (GW sign). On reaching a T junction, turn right with the Redhill Brook on the left, cross a stile into a field, bear right to a gap in the hedge on the right and go diagonally left to a stile.

You’d need to be up early on a Sunday to get this view of the lakes on Earlswood Common in the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness

Follow the clear path diagonally left uphill towards a pole, go over a stile beside an iron gate and continue ahead to a concrete road to reach a kissing gate. Cross a field on a path going between two electricity poles on the left and a thicket on the right towards a stile on the far side, which leads to a path through a coppice.

Turn left on an old, metalled road and, in 20 yards, bear right across a field (GW sign). Go through a gap in the hedge and follow the left-hand hedge to the end of the field where a stile leads out to a road opposite Hamme House.

Turn left and, just beyond Mill Cottage on the right, bear right on a short section of old road to Kings Cross Lane. Cross over to Bower Hill Lane opposite and follow this under a railway bridge and uphill to a bend where a road joins from the left. Bear right along Sandy Lane and, where the road starts to go downhill, turn right on a signposted footpath (GW sign), over a stile into a field.

After a few yards, cross a second stile into an enclosed footpath along the hillside, and continue over another stile on to a path between hedges, which leads out to the road in South Nutfield and turn right.

To visit the pub (The Station Hotel), go along the road, under the railway bridge and turn right into The Avenue.

To continue or resume the walk: after Braesmead on the right and opposite Kentwyns Rise on the left, turn right by a gate into a sports field and walk along the right-hand edge to cross a stile at the end. Bear left with a fence on the right, go through a gate and continue along the right-hand edge of the field.

In front of the farmhouse bear diagonally left towards the far left-hand corner of the field where there is a gate, then go along by the right-hand hedge of the next field, over a stile and up steps to cross the railway line. Once over the railway, turn right for a few yards, then turn left on an enclosed footpath with a ditch on the right and a wire fence on the left and emerge between houses to Kings Cross Lane.

Turn right for a short distance to the crossroads with Bower Hill Lane and turn left to retrace the Greensand Way along Kings Mill Lane. At Hamme House on the left, turn right over a stile by a public footpath sign with a GW marker.

Follow the path along the bottom edge of the field, go through a gap at the end of the field and turn left going uphill with a hedge on the left. At the top of the hill, by a gap on the left, cross a stile into a paddock and continue by the left-hand hedge to cross a stile on the far side into an enclosed path, which snakes about between gardens and reaches a drive beside the entrance to Robin Cooks Farm.

Cross the drive to a stile opposite and go straight down the field towards a white house visible in the distance, making for an arched gap under a tree, where there a stile. Cross the stile and a bridge and continue ahead over the field towards a stile visible at the corner of a hedge. Walk along the left-hand edge of the next field, bend to the right, go over a stile and bridge on the left and go straight ahead over the next field towards the gap between two bungalows to the left of Whitebushes Village Hall.

At the road (Masons Bridge Road) turn right, bend left, cross to the green on the left and walk parallel with the road. Cross a side road and continue along the pavement. Just after Canada Avenue and before reaching a railway bridge turn right on a signposted metalled footpath. After 440 yards, bear right bear right to a road and turn left. At a T junction turn left, under a railway bridge and out to the A23.

Another autumnal view of the Earlswood Lakes in Surrey

Cross the busy road with care, turn left and, after 300 yards, just before railings on the right, turn right and follow the Greensand Way to the crossing path which goes between the two lakes. Turn left downhill towards a brick building. Pass to the right of it and follow the path across the common back to the car park.

Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 146

Distance: 6¼ miles. Time: 3-3½ hours

Parking: Car park by Earlswood Lakes on Earlswood Common off Woodhatch Road (A2044) GR TQ267482

Terrain: Commons, field paths, woodland, country lanes

Nearest town: Reigate

Refreshments: Kiosk in car park. Station Hotel, South Nutfield

Suitable for: All. Grade: Moderate

Related articles

• Weekend rambles: Penshurst (5¼ miles; easy) (insidecroydon.com)
• Walk of the Month: The Chilterns (independent.co.uk)
• An Autumn Walk on the Dartmoor Borders (stravaigerjohn.wordpress.com)