Length: 16.3km (10.1 miles) according to the home page, 15.3km (9.5 miles) according to the pdf
Toughness: 2 out of 10 - very gently undulating
9.31 train from
Victoria (9.37
Clapham Junction, 9.59
Sutton) to Holmwood, arriving 10.32.
A
day return to Holmwood ought to be accepted on the return journey: the stop before Holmwood is Dorking and return from Dorking via Redhill is perfectly legitimate.
For
walk directions click
here. For
GPX click
here.
There are places like the North Downs, the Weald, the Greensand Ridge, and there are bits in between. This walk takes you across one of the bits in between. The North Downs are a pleasant feature on the northern skyline but you never actually walk on them. The only real hill is a ridge to the south of Reigate at the end of the walk.
Hard though it is to believe after the endless grey and cold of March, this is the time when spring really starts to spring. I have no specific information on floral delights on this walk, but this is the kind of territory where flowers ought to be popping up on verges and butterflies flitting between them, if we ever get some suitable weather.
There is
one pub for lunch. It has accommodated two parties of midweek walkers without griping in the past year and a quarter, but has not been tried on a Saturday for quite a while. It has a garden if the weather is nice. If it proves booked up, all I can suggest is a (map-led) migration 2-3km to the north to the villages of Brockham and Betchworth, both of which have pubs. You could then switch to the
Dorking to Reigate walk (a very pretty walk in spring, but alas too short for most SWC-ers these days): actually, this makes an interesting way to extend the walk, if 10.1/9.5 miles is too short for you.
Once in Reigate there are lots of
tea options. To those listed in the walk document, I might add the very nice cafe in the park that you cross as you come into town.
Allow
15 minutes at least to walk to the station from the town centre.
Trains back are at
14 past the hour direct to
Victoria (38 minutes) or
19 and
34 past to
London Bridge, changing at
Redhill (48 mins): these London Bridge trains stop at
Coulsdon South. T=3.32
Just add to add a second tea shop while you are updating the notes. I can recommend The Tea House on Church Street http://teahousereigate.com/. It has lots of space and good cakes.