Length: 24.9 km (15.5 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 486m; Net Walking Time: 6 hours
Toughness: 7/10
[
to shorten the walk: start or finish at Shalford or Chilworth, for details see the webpage]
Take the 09.30 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo (09.56 Woking), arrives Guildford 10.03.
From Clapham J take either the 09.22 stopping service (arrives Guildford 09.50) or the 09.27 to Woking, changing onto the 09.30 Waterloo departure.
There are four (fast) return trains per hour.
This walk was premiered a few years ago and I remember it as a very good walk through areas not touched by other Guildford walks. But since then “it was significantly changed”, to quote the author. So presumably it’s even better now…?
Here’s the summary to give you an idea of what to expect: “This circular walk explores the area to the south-east of Guildford. The landscape is exceptionally varied, with water meadows, valleys, woods, heathland, parkland and fine views from the contrasting chalk hills of the North Downs and the adjacent Greensand.
The walk leaves Guildford via
Shalford Water Meadows alongside the
River Wey Navigation, then heads east from Shalford up the valley of the
River Tillingbourne. This was once an important industrial area and the route includes a heritage trail through the extensive ruins of the
Chilworth Gunpowder Mills, the national importance of which is reflected in its status as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. An attractive stretch along the quiet valley of
Law Brook (one of the river's tributaries) and across the small
Albury Heath brings you to a lunchtime stop in the hamlet of Little London.
The route now heads north through
Albury Park, designed by the English landscape pioneer John Evelyn. In 1819 the estate was acquired by the banker
Henry Drummond, who built a new parish church in Albury and closed the old
Saxon Church, now isolated in the private parkland but accessible to the public. At the same time he became one of the founder members of a new religious movement and built the neo-gothic
Catholic Apostolic Church for it. The route then passes the crystal-clear waters of
Silent Pool on its climb up the North Downs, where a stretch along the
North Downs Way leads to a mid-afternoon refreshment stop at the
Newlands Corner viewpoint.
The final section of the walk includes one more climb to another famous church with a long history,
St Martha-on-the-Hill, perched on the side of the Greensand hills. A gradual descent through
Chantry Wood leads back to the River Wey and Guildford. An alternative return route to Shalford (see below) takes in another historical site on the Tillingbourne, the 18
thC
Shalford Mill, now managed by the National Trust (open Wed & Sun, by guided tour only; last tour 4pm); admission (2015) is £2.75.”
Lunch is
in Little London at the
William IV (11.5 km/7.2 mi, food to 14.00).
For
tea, a mid-afternoon break at the
Newlands Corner viewpoint (5¼ km after Little London) is possible. At the end of the walk there are many tea places in
Guildford ,
Bill’s and
Coffee Culture seem to be the preferred options (see the webpage for details).
For
summary,
map,
height profile,
photos, walk directions/options and
gpx/kml files click
here .
A few years ago I posted the “Western Walk” option from the full Guildford Circular via Albury Park walk, and this “Eastern Walk” is its companion. The travel arrangements are less convenient than starting or finishing at Guildford, but this option does pack many of its best features into a 10-mile walk: the Chilworth Gunpowder Mills, two vineyards, heathland, an old Saxon Church now isolated in private parkland, a haunted pool, a famous viewpoint at Newlands Corner and finally the hilltop church of St Martha-on-the-Hill.
This is a variation of one of our popular summer evening walks to the viewpoint at 
The full Guildford Circular walk is too long and tough for one of my Sunday postings, but it can be split into two mid-length walks and I reckon these are about right. This ‘Western Walk’ follows the main route out to the