Time Out Country Walks near London Volume 1

Walk 20 : Milford to Godalming

The Greensand Way & Winkworth Arboretum

Length	16.5km (10.3 miles), 5 hours. For the whole outing, including trains, meals and a church visit, allow 8 hours.
OS Landranger Map	No.186. Milford, map reference SU 955 414, is in Surrey, 9km south of Guildford.
Toughness	6 out 10.
Features	This is a relatively strenuous walk, and bits of it can be muddy in wet weather, but it is rewarding and full of interest. From Milford Station, you come to the lakes and the magnificent timber-framed Enton Mill - one of the many houses on this walk that have seventeenth or eighteenth-century galleting - black pebbles lining the mortar of the walls, a method much used in those days in Kent and the south. Near a pub and church in Hambledon, you join the Greensand Way, a sandy bridleway through The Hurtwood, offering hazelnuts and blackberries in season. Lunch is at the gourmet White Horse pub in Hascombe, a village with a remarkable church covered in wall decoration, so that it looks almost Moorish. In the afternoon, the walk goes on legitimate rights of way that give free access to the National Trust's Winkworth Arboretum and its lakes - the azaleas and bluebells make this a place to visit in springtime - and then along the fringes of its woods to a horse training course and the rich outskirts of Godalming, with its many imposing buildings. The final approach to the town is along the National Trust's River Wey and Godalming Navigations path along the canal, to the Church of St Peter and St Paul and the ancient High Street.
Shortening the Walk	You call for a taxi from the Merry Harriers pub in Hambledon. There is a bus at about 3pm from the White Horse in Hascombe to Godalming or you can get a bus every 20 minutes from the outskirts (near where the Ram Cider House used to be - see below) into the centre of Godalming.
History	Timber-framed Enton Mill was built in 1757. St Peter's Church, Hascombe, was rebuilt in 1863, following the old Saxon design, but slightly larger and incorporating older features such as the seventeenth-century font. At the same time, Canon Musgrave had almost every inch of wall space decorated 'to make us aware of God's glory shining through the physical world'. Above the altar is an ornate dome, formed from the decorated undersides of the roof's supporting timbers, and allowing a view through to the hallelujahs painted on the roof. John Betjeman called it 'a Tractarian work of art'. (The white button for the lights is just through the curtains, up on the left.) The Ram Cider House, Godalming, takes its name from the Ram gravity pump, opposite the Cider House, used for raising water. The house is based on a wattle-and-daub sixteenth-century building and has over 35 different types of cider on sale. [It used to be open to the public as a pub but has recently dissolved into private housing.] Godalming is thought to mean 'field (-ing) of Godhelm' (the putative first Saxon to claim the land). It was a coaching town between London and Portsmouth, and a centre of trade in wool, stone-quarrying, timber, leather, paper, corn and brewing. The High Street has many half-timbered and projecting buildings.
Saturday Walkers Club	Take the fast train nearest to 9.40am (before or after) from Waterloo Station to Milford (you may need to change at Guildford). Buy a cheap day return ticket to Milford. Journey time 49 minutes. Trains back from Godalming run about twice an hour. Journey time 45 minutes.
Lunch	The suggested lunchtime stop is the White Horse pub (tel 01483 208 258) in Hascombe, which serves good food from midday to 2.20pm daily (till 2.30pm at weekends. Groups of more than 15 people should phone to book. A lunch earlier on in the walk is possible at the less gourmet but cheaper Merry Harriers pub (tel 01428 682 883) near Hambledon, which serves lunch midday to 2pm daily. Groups of more than 15 should book.
Tea	The suggested tea place is the Pizza Piazza at 78 High Street, Godalming. Also on High Street only a few doors along is Bay Tree, for tea and light supper items. A pleasant alternative is to have tea beside the Wey Canal at the Farncombe Boat House cafe (tel 01483 418 769), Catteshall Lock, Godalming. Groups of more than 20 should book. This is open until 5pm or 6pm Wednesday to Sunday during the summer and at weekends in the winter.

Walk Directions

[Numbers in square bracket refer to the map in the book.]

1. [1] Coming out of Milford Station, cross the railway footbridge and exit platform 1 on the station building side by a white gate.
2. Cross over the main road to take the footpath opposite, between fences, this path runs parallel to the railway lines on its left hand side, your direction 200 degrees.
3. In 425 metres the path bends right away from the railway lines and, in a further 200 metres you begin to see lakes to the left hand side. Then in 100 metres your path joins a farm track to continue straight on.
4. In 300 metres cross a road (The Quest and Mill Lane Cottage are to your left). Continue on a footpath your direction 210 degrees.
5. In 140 metres you come out on a road T junction, with Witley Mens Club on your left hand side, and you turn left, your direction 110 degrees.
6. In 210 metres bear right with the road, a stream (visible in winter) now on your left hand side.
7. In 150 metres you pass the very lovely Enton Mill on your lefthand side, to go under a railway bridge and continue on the road.
8. 300 metres beyond the bridge, you come to a T junction, by a barn supported on wooden pillars on your right hand side [2]. Turn right, your direction 170 degrees. In 140 metres, at a T junction, cross it to go straight on, your direction 120 degrees, on a signposted footpath.
9. In 130 metres go over a stile bearing half right, your direction 130 degrees.
10. In 100 metres you pass a metal barrier (a kissing gate minus tongue) to continue straight on. In 200 metres cross a car lane and continue into another field, heading towards a lake (visible in winter).
11. Keep the minipylons on your right, your direction due south.
12. In 325 metres you enter fringes of the wood through a metal swing gate (which has a wooden fieldgate on its left hand side)
13. In 40 metres, by a mini pylon fork left, following a yellow foot path arrow on a post, your direction 160 degrees.
14. In 100 metres you come to a post with arrows and go left [3], your direction 100 degrees, initially following overhead mini pylons.
15. In 65 metres, at a crossing of paths, keep straight on, your direction 110 degrees. Ignore tracks to the right and in 100 metres, you come to a potentially muddy zone by a post with multiple arrows, at the edge of the wood you go left, your direction 70 degrees.
16. In 65 metres you veer right with this wide bridleway, out of the wood, your direction now due east, following mini pylons.
17. In 600 metres you come out to a car road T junction with the Merry Harriers pub to your right, offering 'warm beer, lousy food'.
18. Turn right on the road, your direction 165 degrees. And in 25 metres take the path opposite the pub, a signposted public footpath, through a metal kissing gate, your direction 75 degrees.
19. In 145 metres bend right with this path, and in a further 80 metres, your path becomes a driveway for houses. In 65 metres you come out on a tarmac road and turn left on this road, uphill, your direction 110 degrees. In 50 metres you come to St Peter's Church, Hambledon, which, alas, is kept locked.
20. Just past the church, but still alongside its churchyard wall [4], fork right on a signposted public bridleway (an earth car road), your direction 125 degrees and a small parking area on your left hand side. You are now on the Greensand Way (so marked on the OS map).
21. Keep on this road and, in 450 metres, it becomes a narrower path. In a further 370 metres, you come to a T junction where you go to the right, on a sandy road, your direction 170 degrees.
22. [!] In 20 metres turn left up an easy to miss public bridleway, your direction 150 degrees, to go along the north fringe of the wood. In 170 metres bend right with the path, down into the wood, your direction 140 degrees, and ignoring ways off to remain on the Greensand Way.
23. In 125 metres keep on, following a GW and bridleway sign (with a car road parallel to you on your right). In a further 75 metres, ignore a lesser car wide way straight on, to fork left with your way, uphill, your direction 100 degrees.
24. Then in 130 metres, ignore a faint fork off down to the right and towards a house. Keep on the main path, now along the south edge of the wood.
25. In 85 metres you pass under a mini pylon. In 650 metres, having enjoyed fine views off to the right, ignore a signposted footpath off to the right.
26. In 160 metres, at a tarmac road, go left, uphill, your direction 295 degrees. In 85 metres turn right on a bridleway, signposted Greensand Way, your direction 45 degrees, into The Hurtwood (as marked on the OS map).
27. In 80 metres you pass a metal fieldgate to continue in the same direction.
28. In 200 metres, at the top of the incline, bear slightly left along the main track. In 200 metres cross over a car-wide earth track and in a further 200 metres cross a car wide earth road [5] to keep straight on along the Greensand Way. In 220 metres ignore a fork to the right.
29. In 150 metres, by a post, turn right, your direction 150 degrees, following a GW yellow arrow.
30. In 25 metres, at a post, follow the GW yellow arrow (on a black background) taking the left-hand fork, steeply downwards, your direction 20 degrees.
31. [!] In 200 metres (with in winter only a large house and tennis court visible ahead), and by a post with a yellow footpath GW arrow (on a black background), follow the arrow left steeply downhill, leaving the bridleway, your direction 50 degrees.
32. In 40 metres you exit the wood by a stile to continue on with the field edge on your right hand side.
33. In 130 metres go over two stiles, straight on towards the White Horse pub, Hascombe, the suggested lunchtime stop, through a potentially extremely muddy area.
34. Coming out of the pub after lunch, fork sharp right into Church Road, your direction 25 degrees, in 75 metres coming to the entrance to the delightful St Peter's Church, Hascombe (it is open to visitors).
35. Continue on the road past a pond on your right hand side, and bear left with the road as it passes the School House on your right hand side. Then in a further 200 metres, by a cottage [6], where one bridleway is straight on, you go left, on another bridleway, your direction 290 degrees, with the course of a stream still down below you on your left hand side.
36. In 75 metres you fork right to go over a stile (with a metal fieldgate on its right hand side), your direction now 305 degrees. Continue over two stiles, and after 130 metres you join a footpath and turn right along it, your direction 345 degrees.
37. In 80 metres your path merges with an earth road and you carry straight on through a metal field gate marked 'The Stables'. In 45 metres you pass a house on your left hand side. In a further 175 metres, fork left on a path down between fences following a blue public bridleway arrow, your direction 285 degrees. In 120 metres, having negotiated this potentially muddy path, go through a metal fieldgate to cross the B2130 to continue straight on up a public bridleway (a gravel driveway signed to Leybourne Cottage) your direction 255 degrees.
38. In 55 metres you pass Elm Cottage on your left and, in a further 50 metres, Leybourne Cottage, to continue steeply up the bridleway.
39. In 160 metres ignore an opening and way off to the left. In 145 metres, at the brow of the hill, you pass High Winkworth House on the left hand side. By a sign for the entrance to High Hascombe House, turn left on the tarmac lane, your direction 260 degrees.
40. In 210 metres, at a tarmac T junction, go right, your direction due north.
41. In 400 metres you come down the B2130 where you turn right, your direction due east.
42. [!] In 140 metres [7] take a not very evident signposted public footpath, sharply to the left (just 1 metre inside Eden House's driveway, forking left off it), your direction 345 degrees.
43. In 45 metres you pass a part-timber framed house on your lefthand side, with Winkworth Arboretum soon visible beyond the fencing on your right hand side.
44. In 500 metres or so, you come to an earth road, with a car park on your left hand side, and you follow a public footpath sign to the right, through a wooden swing gate to the right of a metal fieldgate, your direction 55 degrees, along a carwide earth road. In 10 metres you pass a cottage on your right hand side. And, in 60 metres, you pass a wooden ticket kiosk on your left (entrance for those leaving the public footpath costs £5).
45. In 150 metres, at a crossroads, you follow the yellow public footpath arrows going straight on down towards the Azalea Steps and lakes.
46. In 75 metres turn left with the yellow arrow, by a wooden sign saying Fiona Adam Steps. At the bottom of these steps, turn right, again following the yellow arrow, your direction 110 degrees.
47. In 130 metres, at a T junction, follow the yellow arrow to the right, your direction 200 degrees.
48. In 35 metres, where the steps go up to the right, go left, with a log cabin then on your right hand side, your direction due east. You pass a lake on your right hand side.
49. Out of the wood you come to a T junction by a National Trust donation pyramid on your right, and you go left with the yellow arrow, your direction 100 degrees, passing a National Trust sign saying 'Hope you enjoyed your visit'.
50. In 100 metres you go through the car park on to a tarmac road where you go left, your direction 345 degrees.
51. In 100 metres take the signposted ‘Permissive Footpath’ to your left, running parallel to the road. After 200 metres you rejoin the road to continue in the same direction. In 100 metres, by a public footpath sign and a sign for Phillimore Cottage, [8] turn left uphill on a tarmac lane, your direction 340 degrees.
52. In 100 metres take a stile off to the right, marked with an arrow, and once over it, turn left, your direction 300 degrees, with the field edge on your left hand side. In 200 metres go over a stile, then in 10 metres you pass a sign saying 'Agricultural and sporting pursuits in progress' to go straight on in 15 metres crossing a path your direction 310 degrees. In 160 metres you pass a bench on your left hand side to keep straight on (slightly to the right). Then in 45 metres you cross a path, and in a further 350 metres, having ignored all ways off, you come out through a metal kissing gate on to a tarmac road where you turn left, your direction due west.
53. In 100 metres [9], by a public bridleway sign, fork right, your direction 330 degrees. In 25 metres ignore a fork to the right.
54. In 250 metres, at the end of a tall wooden fence on your left hand side, cross a bridleway to continue straight on past a metal barrier, between fences.
55. In 265 metres cross a tarmac road [10] to continue straight on, along a signposted bridleway.
56. In 1km you pass the swanky gates to Catteshall Farm on your left hand side. In a further 250 metres, you pass the entrance to Catteshall Manor (with a sign for The Book People) on your left hand side, and bend right with the road. Then in 80 metres you come to a T junction, with the ex pub, the timber framed Ram Cider House, on your right hand side, at a car road junction, where you go left, your direction 245 degrees.
57. In 65 metres you turn right in front of Lawnwood Cottage no.4, your direction 335 degrees. Then in 80 metres you cross Warramill Road to continue on Catteshall Road.
58. In 50 metres, by Brocks Close, you fork left on to the main road to cross the bridge, your direction 300 degrees. Stay on the road and, 175 metres beyond the bridge, you cross another one by Farncombe Boat House cafe, the attractive alternative place to have tea, on the righthand side. Once over the river cross the road and turn left, going through a small metal swing gate in 5 metres, to pass Catteshall Lock on your lefthand side, continuing on the National Trust's River Wey & Godalming Navigations path, your direction 220 degrees.
59. In 900 metres you pass the partially converted Godalming United Church to come out on the A3100 where you turn left, your direction 210 degrees, to cross the Town Bridge over the River Wey.
60. At the other side of the bridge turn sharp right down some steps to get on to the riverside path, meandering with the river on your right-hand side (and Godalming library away to your left).
61. In 450 metres, beyond the bowling green and before the church fork left away from the river path towards the back entrance of the churchyard of Godalming's Church of St Peter and St Paul (which is kept locked).
62. Go through the churchyard and exit it, in 80 metres, into Deanery Place, a car road made up of bricks, your direction 160 degrees. Going uphill, in 130 metres, you turn left into the High Street, and in a further 140 metres, you come to Pizza Piazza at no.78, the suggested tea stop.
63. Coming out of Pizza Piazza after tea, retrace your steps to the church in other words, turn right into High Street and in 140 metres, by the Old Town Hall, turn right down Deanery Place to go back down the church but then straight on, to pick up a passageway leading to the station, still straight on.
64. Once at Godalming Station you need to go under the subway for trains to London.

Revised	This walk was fully revised in : Apr-08 For the walk map, please see the Time Out Country Walks near London Volume 1
Major Updates	Fully revised in 2008 [details]