On a cloudy day 9 set off from the station and soon got strung out into smaller groups. After passing Woldingham School two took a shortcut to avoid an inconvenience of cattle in the field ahead, but the beasts turned out to be extremely placid and no bother at all. The famous Godstone Sinkhole also proved to be something of an anti-climax, although remarkably the High Street is still closed to traffic eight months after it first appeared.

On our pit stop at the Hare & Hounds we puzzled over an olive-like tree with tiny pear-like fruit; a learned app was duly consulted but none of us were inclined to believe its rather dubious verdict of "willow-leaved pear". At this point a few who'd observed that the North Downs seem to be getting higher and steeper every year might have been tempted by the frequent buses passing through the village, but at least six made it to Oxted in time for a 4pm train.

Adding the person who headed off on the short walk just before Marden Farm, we could call in10

3

Three met at Woldingham station in partly cloudy skies, but this soon cleared to give a sunny and hot day.

Most of the morning was in woodland which gave welcome shade.

Arrived at Godstone, and all Three enjoyed a welcome beer.

They kindly allowed us to eat our sandwiches in the garden

In the afternoon we proceeded to a church a mile from Godstone, had a welcome break then visited inside. Home made jam was on sale, different concoctions for £2.50 each.

We then proceeded to Oxted, excellent views but very hot when no shade.Walked through old Oxted, then all Three finished for another welcome beer in the wetherspoons less than a minute's walk to the station.

2 of us caught the 1630 and the other walker 1659

Another enjoyable day out with excellent company as usual.

3 sunny and hot

3 Two regulars and one newcomer. Light rain . All decided on the short walk. Slope was indeed slippery! Upon arrival at Old Oxted, the route to Oxted was tempting and a stop at Spoons for a hot drink beckoned. A good leg stretcher!

5 off the train, but joined by a late comer to make 6 on this enjoyable walk. Two ate at the Hare & Hounds, joined by the others for a drink. We stayed together for the rest of the walk, splitting at the station. Great weather and views throughout.

6 people enjoyed this scenic walk with plenty of autumn leaves on the ground and more colours starting to come through on the trees. Despite the uncertain weather forecast, we had a dry day, apart from a lunctime shower when we were conveniently in the pub, sun in the morning a shower at lunchtime then dry . A nice day out.

19 on a warm cloudy and dry day. The shortest route was suggested and that’s what we took. though, in the afternoon, some may have strayed as far as Tandridge. I don’t like to use the L-word, as you know, but, in the morning, there was a little confusion about the official designated spot to drink prosecco (a sort of cider made from grapes). This resulted in there being two separate stops, with some people maybe having more than the prescribed dosage,

This did not put us in best condition to tackle the precipitous slippery descent from the Surrey Alps into Old Oxted. Miraculously, we all survived to reach base camp in the George. Here, sustenance was a long time coming but did eventually arrive. To help pass the time, more alcohol was consumed. A merry band then proceeded to Oxted where some went for tea in the old cinema and others just went home,

20 on this walk, on a day of sunshine and sticky subtropical heat . Really it was ridiculously warm for late October. Autumn is the new summer!

What to say about this walk? It made a lovely summer outing, albeit that there were some unseasonal tinted leaves. In places there was some - ahem - “creativity” about the walk route (we don’t use the L word) but mostly we found our way.

In Godstone four went posh by lunching at the Bell Inn. Many of the rest of us ate at outside tables at the Hare & Hounds whose simple pub fare was actually very tasty. Many and varied were the topics of our conversation.

In the afternoon we paid our respects to the amazing Tandridge Oak, still producing berries after 2000 years. We eschewed long cuts, to take the direct route into Oxted. Some went straight to the train, muttering about evening events they had to get ready for, three squished into the Papillon tea room in the brief interval before it closed, and six went to the Wetherspoon’s by the station where tea was £1-something for limitless hot water and the chocolate puddings were really scrummy. Then we got a train home.

A warm day indeed but does anyone remember October 2011 when the temperature in parts of kent reached 30C. I was doing a solo walk in the Chilterns and stopped to rest in a wood after a climb with the temperature around 27 degrees. The autumn leaves were glowing golden under the harsh sun and I remember thinking this is so, so wrong.

Sounds like a nice short Sunday walk👍

6 at the station 3 for the advertised short walk 3 for the longer walk. Highly recommended for attractive scenery and views. Haycutters pub was well appointed with Sunday roasts and service the fastest since records began! Bit slippery in the hills and worth more than 3 out of 10. Rain started approaching Oxted. Tea at Wetherspoons and an early 4.29 train.

6

Information gathered from surveillance photographs and my extensive network of spies suggests weather was Mostly cloudy rain near end

3 who opted for the long walk met 1 more (who arrived on a slightly later train) in Godstone. So 7 in total.

14 on this walk - 13 at the start and another who got the train half an hour later and caught up with us near the end. There were also another seven non-SWC walkers who had apparently seen the posting on our website and decided to do the walk independently, but I don’t think that really counts, since they didn’t interact with us.

The weather was misty to start - even up on the downs ridge. After that cloudy . The sun did come out at 3.30pm but by then all but your correspondent were in headlong rush for the next train mode.

We had a nice walk through the North Downs woods, admiring from time to time the inconspicuous way the 1980s road planners threaded the M25 through the landscape below. We came down to Godstone, where the unpretentious Hare and Hounds were not busy, and served nice food. Six ate there and others had drinks.

Did some finish in Godstone by taking a bus? Whatever, there were fewer of us afterwards. We ploughed on past the Barley Mow (revamped) and after some hemming and hawing took the slightly longer route via the Tandridge Yew. A zillion years old and still producing berries. Gilbert Scott (who? - Ed) is buried in the churchyard and possibly other famous people: but since we could not remember who or where, we could not find their graves.

At Old Oxted, as the sun came out, I lobbied in vain for a stop in a pleasant pub garden. Instead we went on by the old mill, where I was arrested by the sight of several dragonflies and an unusual damselfly that I think was an Emerald. Due to this I lost the rest of the group.

Oxted proper, when I got to it, seemed in a miserable state of torpor. All the shops and cafes either were shut or looked it. I went to the Costa and had an interminable wait for a takeaway tea while the barista made some sort of frozen yoghurt triple latte mocha cream whip concoction for another customer. Just before going in, I was informed the others were in the Weatherspoons by the station, but when I got back to it they were not there, so I guess the 4.23 train swallowed them up. I took my tea to the park and sat in the sun to write this, trying to ignore the noisy funfare in its opposite corner.

Gilbert Scott:Harrow School library, St Pancras Railway Hotel, Brighton College. And many more, including multiple workhouses.

I don't wish to prolong this thread unduly, but to be accurate [Sir George] Gilbert Scott is buried in Westminster Abbey. As stated in the Walk Notes, the marble tomb-monument in Tandridge churchyard (which we had a quick look at) is in memory of his wife, Lady Scott.

Annoying that both the coffee shops in Station Road West were closed. One walker reportedly pressed on to look for a fabled community orchard in the next town, others had a quick drink in the conveniently-placed Wetherspoons. I had a brief chat there with three of the independent walkers, who were all very complimentary about our website and walks. I think most went for the 4.20 non-stop to Croydon, spurning the attractions of the park fairground.

I assume 0 given the train problems. I ended up doing Wivelsfield to Haywards Heath after contemplating what trains were leaving from East Croydon. delightful .

A convenient 6 set off from the station on a rainy misty but mild day. Quite a muddy walk and at times treacherously slippy. The group soon split into two and the younger ones scampered off ahead, despite the quagmire. Yours truly had intended to do the shorter walk but didn't read the directions properly and ended up doing the whole thing. :(

The route through Marsden Wood was a bit tricky thanks to logging activities obscuring paths. Luckily. I had brought my PA, who is a dab hand with a GPS, along. In the woods we were overtaken by a late starter so 7 Later we were slowed down by having to kick a ball for a dog for about half a mile. Drop, kick, catch, drop, kick, catch. And so on. I wouldn't care, but it wasn't our dog.

Can't say what the pubs were like. didn't go in any myself. Got to Oxted by 3:30, which was a bit of a surprise. (I was resigned to darkness).

A large group assembled on the platform at Woldingham station. I didn't count but I'd estimate 25. The weather was dry and mild misty at times . Thanks to those who brought Champagne, crisps, cake and chocolate, we toasted the New Year at a conveniently located bench on a hilltop mid morning.

The group split between pubs at Old Oxted. The Crown was not too busy and accommodated several of us, though service was slow today. After a post lunch loop around Tandridge, we returned to Oxted where some of us went for refreshments in the Old Oxted Inn before hopping on the train home.

An enjoyable start to the New Year.

If the weather is bad, you could do the shorter version of this walk, Oxted Circular. Alternatively, it's about 45 mins walk from the lunch stop in Godstone. If the weather turns bad, you could walk to Godstone station. You'd need a map for that however as directions are not included in the walk instructions. It looks like there is also a bus between Godstone and Godstone Rail but you'd need to check details yourself on traveline.info

I meant to say 45 minutes walk from the lunch stop in Godstone to Godstone train station.

If you want to abandon the walk at lunchtime I wouldn't recommend the 4 km road walk to Godstone station. There are details of three bus routes through Godstone Green and links to timetables in the walk document.

NB. The shorter version of this walk doesn't go through Godstone Green (and isn't an Oxted Circular).

Buses leave Godstone Green to OxtedEnter at 49 mins past the hour

With the weather forecast for this afternoon being v wet I expect to do the 5 mile short route to Oxted and have lunch there.

2 of us lightweights did the 5 mile short route direct to Oxted with lunch at The Bell Old Oxted and then tea in Oxted and a train arriving back in London Bridge at 14.30

We avoided any rain as I suspect did the Godstone group so I will leave them to write up a proper report

9 off the train & car. 2 took a short cut. Dry morning with light rain all afternoon. 5 in the hare & hounds, 2 picnicers. The 5 resisted the temptation to get a bus & had a muddy variation to Oxted.

14 assembled on the platform but we picked up the walk inspector late on in the pre-lunch section who had caught a later train and done a short cut and was waiting for us at a panoramic viewing point so we'll count him as well making a total of 15. Two dropped out early on to do their own thing. Weather w= mild-and-cloudy. The ground was dry with little mud so we made good time along the undulating woodland trails. Four ate in the Hare and Hounds and the "sandwichers" met up with them fora drink before setting off on the afternoon leg.

Just before lunch a small hawk (about the size of a wood pigeon) was spotted in a tree mewling piteously as it appeared to have lost its handler. The bell on its leg could be heard when it fluttered away. I resisted pleas from the group to attach a piece of sandwich meat to my arm to lure it down but lets hope it found its way back home. Also a lost hat was reunited with its owner by 2 assiduous back-markers.

Most caught the 3.29pm train back to London whilst I and 2 others had a coffee at Costas and caught the 3.59. A superb day out with much witty chat and banter - obviously not from me - on a walk which deserves a spring or autumn outing to see it at its best.

Best wishes to the walker who is tackling a challenging mountain trek in Ethiopia to raise money for children in need. Finally a special mention in dispatches to the venerable and venerated SWC stalwart who using written walk instructions of vintage provenance drawn from the bowels of his unique bespoke filing system managed to take a wrong turning after lunch and ended up doing a huge extra circular section to complete a walk of around 13 miles and still just missing the 3.29pm train. A fine adventure in the very best traditions of the Saturday Walers Club (Sunday section.)

It is a bizarre fact, but 28 December is often a sunny day. It was so in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, and it was so in 2017. A glorious day in fact - cloudless, windless, a deep blue sky, frozen ground with just a few flecks of snow in places meaning there was much less mud than there might have been. What a joy it was to be out.

18 took advantage of all this, 2 of them late starters who we only met at tea. The rest of us enjoyed a lovely ridge walk in the morning, with sun-drenched views, though it has to be admittedly plentiful motorway noise too.

We had been helpfully informed at the start that all three pubs in Godstone were deficient. One certainly was - the Beafeater chain pub has closed and shows signs of being redeveloped into housing. We had been told that the Hare & Hounds was slow but some ate there, I understand, and had no complaints. Six of us went instead to the upmarket Bell Inn. It was fully booked but we squeezed into the bar. The food was OK, I guess.

The afternoon with its low lying country is a nice contrast to the afternoon. We six Bellers had coffee in the Barley Mow and got to Oxted in time to join a few other walkers in spreading more mud onto the floor of the Papillon Cafe, whose staff were just sweeping up the last lot. We all got the 16.54 train, but one (me) got off at Woldingham for a lovely hour long moonlight walk. Stargazer, you were missed.

I can recommend Coughlans' Bakery as another tea stop. It's on the high street on the other side of the station to Cafe Papillon. It has a nice selection of cakes and mince pies and about 4 or 5 tables at the back for eating in. It was still open and serving just before 17.00.

Thank you for your walk report Walker but the real number of walkers was a little over 18, though I am not sure how we quantify someone who joins us for say and hour and a half. You missed the ‘Inspector’ who supposedly had come out to check on the lunch venues but it seems that he only visited the Hare & Hounds where he had several pints and scrounged loads of chips from us 4 diners.

He then had a short stroll with us before returning to his car outside the Hare & Hounds as he had ‘an important meeting’.

All the best

A. Wellwisher

We noticed that The HayCutter Inn, which is stated as closed in paragraph 13, has now re-opened.

https://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/haycutter/

Thank you for post I g.

If there is a large group, it's best to split up and try different pubs. Past experience of a large group in a single pub in Godstone at this time of year was very long waits for food for those could get served and some walkers not being able to order.

17 on this walk, which made a fine outing in the low winter sunshine (such a relief to see something other than grey clouds). Still wierdly warm with some walking in shirtsleeves.

The new route along the top of the North Downs seemed to reduce the traffic noise from the M25, which in any case never seemed intrusive. We split between the Hare & Hounds and White Hart for lunch, enjoyed the Godstone almshouse chapel and the amazing Tandridge yew (surely the biggest of all the ancient yews we see on these walks), and finished the walk at 4pm. Tea in Caffe Nero (who were very nice about the mud we left on their floor) and then home.

doing this, anyone else?

arthur - which one to print out please ?

Which anonymous is it this time? jfk Hoping to go

Print Requester

I'd suggest clicking the This Link and printing the full monty.

On the map page the walk option I've posted goes south then down the dotted line before turning east. Curving south and slightly east to Godstone for luncheon.

On the afternoon leg the walk turns north at Tandridge swinging east to follow the second dotted line into Oxted.

E&OE

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If you want to save a few pages then clicking 'Main Walk' generates that route, with the short cuts in §2 and §14 reducing the length by 2½ km. But do head west at the end of §2, not east...

Intend going and would like to lunch at the Bell with their excellent and reasonably priced menu-2 courses for £12.

Print Requester (correction)

I'd suggest clicking the This Link and printing what you need.

On the map page the walk option I've posted goes south then down the dotted line before turning west. Curving south and slightly east to Godstone for luncheon.

On the afternoon leg the walk turns north at Tandridge swinging east to follow the second dotted line into Oxted.

E&OE

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"MAX" the dog

If the designated lunchtime pub allows dogs inside then our regular Wednesday canine walker, 'Max', will be taking his place under a table near me. This dog is extremely well-behaved and appears to be well-liked among walkers.

Any complaints about Max will be logged and duly IGNORED.

Thank you

Melanie

Quite a pleasant walk but muddy underfoot. jfk

Anyone here? Really want to escape the city on sunday :)

I intend to go.

8 sunny and fine

Rail replacement buses from New Cross Gate southwards let 2 of us down so we started 1 hour after the original 6.

2 others clearly displaying the instructions briskly walked ahead towards the North Downs Way where they disappeared from view so I don't know if they opted for a short option. That's the nature of walking independently as I guess they were: you don't show up in the statistics.

We were so lucky with the weather despite some gloomy forecasts.The going was fairly firm and mud free, so we stopped for a picnic with a fine view towards Godstone and way beyond. We passed the Pub stop (one of my favs) around 2.30. I hope the others enjoyed their fayre earlier!

The Greensand Way took us past some great stretches of water and the whole walk was easily navigable and enjoyable if a little gruelling with lots of ups and downs especially just before the end!

We encountered the others who were just finishing their tea at the cinema cafe on Station Road in order to catch the 4.27 to Victoria, having possibly done a short cut somewhere(?)

The two who opted for the later train were in need of an Irish coffee - actually latte and Baileys! Great way to finish this diamond of a walk on a fab day out.