North Downs Way, Part 1

Spring has finally arrived in the UK, so I can get out into the countryside without having to wear my thermal underwear.  Last year the South Downs Way went well, so an obvious plan for this year is to do the North Downs in the same fashion - in fact that was my original idea last time, but the only hotel I could see working for the first weekend seemed to be booked out for the whole year.  Much like its neighbour to the south, this is a long distance path running for a hundred miles or so along the ridges of Surrey and Kent, specifically from Farnham to Dover.  Again there are alternate routes towards the end, either via Wye and Folkestone, or via Canterbury.  I reckon I can complete the thing over five weekends.

Starting out in Farnham.

As with the last weekend of the SDW, I have got Sarah and Stuart along for company, so three of us set off from Farnham station.  I can't say it's the most memorable of walks to begin with, we walk through woods, past golf courses, and in ditches that I suspect are ancient earthworks.  There is a ridge, the Hogs Back, but we're not on it - the A31 not being an ideal walking route.  Still, we get some excellent ploughman's lunches at the Good Intent in Puttenham, and then pass some points of interest.  Firstly, I drag the others up a hill to look at the ruined St. Catherine's Chapel, scrambling down a steep, sandy slope on the other side reveals why this is not the official route.  Then up another hill, this time on the Way, we pass St. Martha's, a church only accessible via a mile or so of dirt track, and amusingly find a wedding party toiling down it.  Before long - only fifteen miles today in deference to my companions - we reach our stop for the night, the Manor House Hotel.  Very nice too, we have a bit of a swim and try out the jacuzzi before dinner and several beers.  There's a wedding party here too, not the same one.  Hope they didn't mind me patronising their bar too much - I did pay!

Reminiscent of Portugal, apparently.

Sunday brings more clear skies, I do wonder if the tourist board or some such should pay me to walk the downs, always seems to be nice when I do so.  An interesting route today too... for most of the morning we walk on the south side of a ridge, wooded but often with views towards the Surrey Hills, and eventually towards the South Downs too.  At regular intervals we pass pillboxes, built in the early days of World War Two when a German invasion seemed imminent, and still in good condition.  For lunch, we descend into the Mole Valley and head to the Stepping Stones Inn for beer and sandwiches, then cross the Mole via the stepping stones in question.  Then it is the first big climb of the Way, Box Hill, hardly a mountain but certainly steep.  It is mainly steps cut into the hillside so really not that hard, and before long we reach the top, with its car park and many people enjoying the first sunny weekend of the year

Pillboxes on Box Hill.

The way continues along another ridge, yesterday's sand - prehistoric beaches I assume - giving way to familiar chalk.  Slowly we make our way downhill, but there is a sting in the tail, before we reach our destination, Reigate, we must climb Reigate Hill.  But again it isn't too bad, and once at the top we get an interesting folly to look at, then something I had no idea was there, Reigate Fort, part of the London Defences built in the 1890s due to concerns over a possible French invasion - funny to think the Entente Cordiale was signed just a decade or so later.  From here we clamber down the hill in time for a beer or two before getting the train back - just about, Reigate Station apparently being designed, much like the fort, to keep people out.

Donated to the people of Reigate by Sir Robert William Inglis.

Photos to go with this post can be found here.