Essex Man Does Walking

Yesterday was a gentle opener of about 8 miles. Today is a grim 18 miler with the temperature expected in the 30s.

Didn’t have a good sleep. Too much hydrating meant I was up to the loo a few times and my snoring kept waking me up! I woke up at 6.00 and laid around for a bit before getting some breakfast whilst being as quiet as possible for those still asleep.

It was a bit cooler this morning, overcast so that was good. I bade farewell to the barn and headed off at 7:30am. Up the road and then right past a disused Harvester pub. Then over the road and into my second golf course of the trip.

So started the sandy wooded trails. I should have bought my beach wear. Cool in the wood so cannot complain. At the end of that trail I was back on a road passing under the A3 and a slip road before turning a quick left-right past the Watts Gallery.

The sand got worse on this road, slow going. It eventually ends but heads back into the woods. Eventually, civilisation is reached and I head right past Ye Olde Ship Inn and then left. I opt to leave the trail and head up a hill to see St Catherines Chapel. An old ruin and the views are fantastic.

Heading back down i find myself by the river which I have to cross and then across a park and into Chantry Wood. The track is sandy and runs uphill for a long long way. It emerges by St Marthas Church. What a magnificent place atop the hill. The view is amazing. Out the back of the church I head back down another sandy trail.

Thus ends the sandy Surrey hills and the familiar chalk and flint surface of the downs begins. Up a small track I step aside to let some people through. They keep coming! I must have let 50 through before I could carry on. I a hoping my lunch destination is soon as I need a break and the sun is starting to shine through. Across and up fields I reach Newlands Corner, my lunch stop. The place is over run by bikers. It looks like a scene from Mad Max but they are all ordering cappuccinos and lattes. One has even ordered a Gingerbread Latte! I get another burger and a coffee plus more water which I slowly eat before heading off.

The next bit is a slog through woods, hot in places. I emerge onto Blatchford Down and look at the view and info board. It tells me to look out for pillboxes from the war and as I head back into the woods I do indeed see lots of them.

Getting tired now, the heat and hard surface causing me to stop and drink more and more often. Heading across Ranmore Common I buy a lolly from a refreshment van. Wonderful. I then head off towards the famous wine vineyards of the Denbie estate. Passing the wonderful St Barnabas church the road winds around the vineyards before heading down towards Dorking. I leave the North Downs Way here and head towards Westhumble station which gets me to Dorking and the Travelodge. Thank God.

Tomorrow is another hot one. Hope I recover in time!