Looking for an easy, local stroll? WALKER DUNELM has surveyed this ramble near Oaks Park

This walk takes in lots of woodland paths around Oaks Park

This easy walk is just three miles long, but may not be suitable for very young children as it does involve crossing what can be very busy country roads. The first section is on roads between smallholdings with black wooden-clad houses which were built for soldiers returning from the First World War.

The walk begins from Oaks Park. After parking, walk down to Woodmansterne Road and turn right along the grass verge for a short distance, turn left and cross the road with great care and walk up a concrete road (Oaks Track) between smallholdings. Pass by a barrier and turn right at crossroads.

On reaching a road cross carefully and enter a wood. Follow the right hand fence as far as another busy road. Cross carefully and turn left. After 300 yards turn right on a signposted footpath beside iron gates and walk along a Tarmac avenue between trees. At the end of the drive the road bends right towards pillared gateposts.

From late May through to September, the Carshalton lavender fields are a local feature

Turn left and cross a substantial, tall stile and keep to the right hand edge of a field go over another stile and continue in the same direction. At the end of the field there is a patch of muddy ground.

Another stile gives access to an enclosed path, at the end of which turns right and immediately left over a stile.

At a road turn right, pass by the Woodcote Park Golf Club and enter a bridleway which, after 400 yards reaches the outskirts of the Clock House estate opposite a green. Turn right on Grove Lane (The Jack and Jill pub is on the left).

On a clear day, from this relatively high ground at points during this walk, if you get a view northwards, you can see as far as Canary Wharf in the east and Wembley Stadium in north-west London.

Keep to the right side of the lane and bear right on a signposted sunken footpath. At a fork take the left hand path for half a mile. When a footpath joins from the right, go forward for 50 yards and turn left on a path going diagonally left which goes through a rather strange metallic “squeeze” stile (signposted PROW 87 Carshalton Road).

Go diagonally left across a meadow, up a slope, diagonally right across another meadow and through another squeeze stile and turn left along a road for 120 yards. This is a busy road with no pavement and very little verge, so great care is needed.

Look out for a stile beside a gate on the right. Enter a meadow where horses are usually grazing and walk along the left-hand side follow the clear path as it bears right towards three stiles. Go straight on across lavender fields and over another stile. At this point there is another stile which is opposite the vehicle entrance to Oaks Park. Do not attempt to cross the road here.

Turn right on a track signposted “Safe crossing to Oaks Park”, then left to a light-controlled pedestrian crossing giving access to Oaks Park. To visit the café or toilets turn left along the edge of the park. To return to the car park by Woodmansterne Road walk straight ahead across the park.

Distance: 3 miles   Time: 2 hours     Grade: Easy

Terrain: Parkland, farmland, smallholdings

Start/Parking: Rough lane in Oaks Park, access from Woodmansterne Road. Grid ref: TQ276618

Nearest towns: Banstead, Carshalton, Wallington

Refreshments: Pub (The Jack and Jill) in Clock House; café in Oaks Park

Public toilets: Adjacent to Oaks Park Cafe

Maps: Ordnance Survey Explorer 161 London South

Related articles

• Weekend rambles: Earlswood to Nutfield (6 miles; moderate) (insidecroydon.com)
• Weekend rambles: Penshurst (5¼ miles; easy) (insidecroydon.com)