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Ash to Brookwood Walk

Ash Ranges and Brookwood Cemetery

Ash Ranges Surrey Surrey Hills

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Option Post # Weather
Sat, 30-Nov-24 Extra Walk 107 – Ash to Brookwood 13 Dull at first with some drizzle sunshine later
Thu, 29-Dec-16 – the Ash Ranges & Brookwood Cemetery 8 sunny then foggy
Mon, 26-Aug-13 Ash to Brookwood Walk
Sun, 26-Aug-12 Ash to Brookwood Walk
Sat, 25-Feb-12 Ash to Brookwood Walk
Sun, 29-May-11 Ash to Brookwood Walk
Mon, 03-Jan-11 Ash to Brookwood Walk

Saturday 30-Nov-24

branchline

Ash Ranges to Brookwood Cemetry

Length: 15.3 km (9.5 miles), with shorter and longer options.

Toughness: 5/10 (but more like 2/10)

Trains: 10am train from Waterloo changing at Guildford (arr Guildford 10:32, dep Guild. 10.43) arriving Ash at 10.52.
Trains return from Brookwood at xx:16, xx:23, xx:46 & xx:53 minutes past the hour (some stop at CJ).

Ticket type: The Walk Notes say that a return to Ash is normally accepted from Brookwood (but to be sure, buy a return to Aldershot, which is valid to both stations).

Walk directions found here: https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/walk/ash-to-brookwood/


This interesting walk was last posted in 2016. The walk goes through the Ash Ranges but the walk poster has checked the government website and telephoned the relevant office, both of which confirmed there will be no firing on Saturday 30th November 2024. You cross this heathland habitat in the morning and the afternoon is an excursion through the huge and atmospheric Brookwood Cemetery (with directions for shorter and longer options). The full walk ends with a short loop around Sheet's Heath on the other side of the railway, but there's an exit from the cemetery to Brookwood station if you want to finish earlier.

The recommended lunchtime pub is the popular White Hart in Pirbright (01483 799715), with the nearby Cricketers Phone: 01483 473198 mentioned as a quieter alternative. Opportunities for refreshment at the end of the walk are limited, however.

You'll need to print the directions from the Extra Walk 107 page, which contains directions for an alternative walk just in case you see red flags at the entrance to the Ash Ranges.

T=swc.107


  • Thu, 28-Nov-24

    In case you're interested in the fascinating story of how an obscure Saxon king came to end up in Brookwood Cemetery (in Russian custody), this is a good read!

    https://www.john-clarke.co.uk/m/st_edward_the_martyr.html

  • Fri, 29-Nov-24

    I’ve done this walk several times with an enthusiastic member of Kingston Ramblers and strongly recommend the experience. The sandy and stony tracks are unlikely to be problematic from mud and flooding. The views stretch for up to 10 miles from the ranges with no significant climbs. GPS is strongly recommended as the walk directions can be confusing as there are no footpath signs.

    Subject to trains running from my departure station and the signal problems caused by flooding on the train tracks which has plagued services this week I hope to join the walk.

  • Fri, 29-Nov-24

    Thanks Marion. I think the trickiest part to navigate is the steep climb before you enter the Ranges, after that it's clear paths. I seem to remember that two sinister black cubes appeared overnight on the path, maybe someone can solve that riddle. Do make a comment if I need to make any updates afterwards.

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    Thanks for the link to the article about St Edward the Martyr. Very interesting article about a forgotten young king (was it the inspiration for Game of Thrones I wonder).

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    If I am not mistaken, portsmouth train at 10am is cancelled. There is an earlier slow train to Guildford at 9.54

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    Yes. Taking 9.54

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    9:54 arrives at Guildford at 11:07, connect train from Guildford 11:23am

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    Several of us on 9:54 train from Waterloo

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    Im at Woking platform 5 waiting with the train driver of the Alton service and intending to changie at Aldershot for the connection to Ash. There’s signal failure at Weybridge affecting lots of services.

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    You’re on a very slow train and there’s no guarantee of any trains running at present.

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    I’m on the Portsmouth train now looking for you and will change at Guildford

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    Meeting you at Guildford

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    Now on the 11.23 waiting at Guildford plat 6. Arr 11.33

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    If it's getting dark later you might do better to finish along the canal rather than diving in to Sheet's Heath. Good luck!

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    11 on a cloudy-sometime-sunny day. 10aam train cancelled so we made our way to Ash in different but ingenious ways. 4 arrived at Ash and set off at the scheduled time and we met them in the churchyard briefly. We had some welcome sunshine walking through the ranges.y4 had a lovey lunch at the busy Cricketers and then walked through Brookwood cemetery pausing to look at graves and mauseleums. 16.16 train home with clean boots and trousers.

  • Sat, 30-Nov-24

    In fact 5 managed to make the start time by various routes, and pretty much walked together to Brookwood except when those following the directions and GPX diverged once or twice. A sixth churchyard picknicker caught us up near the end, so I think that makes13 in all. Dull at first with some drizzle sunshine later . Thanks for posting a rare chance to do this interesting walk.

Thursday 29-Dec-16

Sean
Extra Walk 107 – Ash to Brookwood
Length: 15.3 km (9.5 miles), with shorter and longer options. Toughness: 5/10 (but looks more like 2/10 to me)

10:15 Haslemere train from Waterloo (Clapham Jct 10:22), changing at Guildford (arr 10:50, dep 11:00) for the Ascot train, arriving Ash at 11:10. The Walk Notes say that a return to Ash is normally accepted from Brookwood (pessimists should buy a return to Aldershot, which is valid to both stations).

Trains return from Brookwood at 16, 23, 46 & 53 minutes past the hour (only the first two stop at CLJ).

This interesting and unusual walk doesn't get many outings because it's only feasible when the Army aren't using the Ash Ranges. You cross this heathland habitat in the morning and the afternoon is an excursion through the huge Brookwood Cemetery (with directions for shorter and longer options). The full walk ends with a short loop around Sheet's Heath on the other side of the railway, but there's an exit from the cemetery to Brookwood station if you want to finish earlier.

The recommended lunchtime pub is the popular White Hart in Pirbright, with the nearby Cricketers mentioned as a quieter alternative. Opportunities for refreshment at the end of the walk are limited, however.

You'll need to print the directions from the Extra Walk 107 page, which contains directions for an alternative walk just in case you see red flags at the entrance to the Ash Ranges. T=swc.107
  • Fri, 30-Dec-16

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  • Sat, 31-Dec-16

    The Ash Ranges and Brookwood Cemetery

    8 on this walk of two halves. Before lunch we walked in brilliant sunshine across the heath and firing ranges. After a very nice lunch at The White Hart, we walked through the huge Brookwood cemetery which we seemed to have all to ourselves. The sun sank, the mist arose, and it put us in mind of nearly all the horror films we had seen. A great day out.

  • Anonymous
    Sat, 31-Dec-16

    8 sunny then foggy