Friday 8 December 2017

A walk from Newlands Corner, to Albury, Blackheath, Chilworth and St Martha-on-the-hill. Late November 2017

Another favourite 'circular' walk from a familiar start point - Newlands Corner near Guildford. Although you pass through or near villages this walk offers sections of great peace and tranquility, if that is what you are looking for. The climb up to St. Martha's is enough to get the heart pumping for a few minutes!
Starting out.


One of the many pill boxes dating from the GHQ Line defences in 1940.



Needs some TLC!

Coming into Albury.

Albury - not exactly the Rat Race!


Lovely house!

Mid-week it's pretty quiet.

Love this section. Just after Albury on the route.

It's not the Alps, but I like it, a lot.

Crossing the rail line heading towards Blackheath.



Passing to the East of Chilworth, you can see St Martha's in the distance.




Chilworth Gunpowder Mills. Last used in 1920.




Hi guys!

Looking back on the climb upwards.

St Martha's coming into view.




Some great views at the top.







The North Downs Way passes St Martha's.

Before following the North Downs Way back to Newlands Corner you have the option to instead join the Downs Link Walk. 37.5 miles later you will reach the coast at Shoreham-by-Sea!

I hope to do the Downs Link again in 2018.

Another of the many pill boxes, still waiting for the invasion that never came.


Heading back up to Newlands Corner again.




Who lives in here?

Albury Down. On summer weekends this is often packed with families enjoying picnics. In winter during the week you can sometimes have it to yourself.

Looking back on St Martha's Hill before getting back to Newlands Corner and the Cafe there. Have I done enough to earn a chocolate milkshake? Yes, even in winter!

Saturday 18 November 2017

A walk from Newlands Corner (near Guildford), to Abinger Hammer and back. November 2017

This is a favourite walk I've done many times, and is about 10.5 miles. Starting at Newlands Corner you drop down to the picturesque village of Shere (where some of the 2006 film "The Holiday" starring Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz was filmed), and then continue east skirting just south of Gomshall and Abinger Hammer before climbing up (north) towards the North Downs Way, picking it up just west of Blatchford Down and heading back to Newlands Corner again. Great walk! 

It was very misty at the beginning of the walk, so I didn't take any pictures until I was almost at Abinger Hammer.











The following pictures are the climb up to the North Downs Way just east of Abinger Hammer, and a favourite section.
Love this gentle climb, my screensaver for many years...







Choices, choices!

Entering 'The Shire' (LOTR reference...)

Beware of trains.

Further up the hill and just off the path is a perfectly preserved pill box, part of the "GHQ Line" (built in 1940), and part of the ring of defences south of London designed to counter any WW2 invasion. It is a remote and secluded spot which probably explains it's excellent condition. Most of these pill boxes seem to have been bricked up but this one is open and still has the original whitewash interior, designed to reflect interior lighting more efficiently. It's position on a hill far from roads etc probably mean't that this one wasn't an easy build. Spare a thought for the Royal Engineers...





The following pictures show where this walk meets the North Downs Way at Blatchford Down. The walk is easy now, fairly level and very relaxing if you like being immersed in woodland as I do!






These two trees have always intrigued me. They appear to be connected by a large branch at knee level, really quite odd!


Back at Newlands Corner again, minus the morning mist now.


The Newlands Corner cafe, it never fails.

I will!

North Downs Way Part 5 (Wye to Dover) - July 2023

 This was the final part of the Trail for me. Once again, this was 2 sections from Colin Saunders official National Trail Guide, Wye to Etch...