Putenham Common and NDW circuit, North Downs

After a few days of cloud, today was forecast to be the calm before the impending storm due for the weekend.

Bertie and I headed out to do another section of the North Downs Way, starting a Puttenham Common and making our way, cross country, to the point we had reached last time we were this way at Watts gallery, before coming back along the North downs way. However as we were walking around, it seemed as though we were doing a tour of all the pubs we had the office christmas lunch in (on this side of Guildford).

Parking in the "top" carpark at the common, which is a huge area, and seemed to be the local haunt of all the dog walkers. We did have to creep under the barrier (tight at 1.95m). We departed in the general direction of Guildford along the bridleway heading away from the common towards Shackleford. The sun was out in a cloudless sky, however the wind kept the temperature down enough to wear several layers.

Breaking out of the woods and across fallow fields with views across to the hills below Guildford.

The bridleway ended on a minor road which we then had to follow into the village.

The early morning sun and blue sky giving excellent reflections in a pond as we passed. Approaching the village with the morning mist burning off, but also reinforced with smoke from boilers.

The first pub of the day as we passed Cyder house Inn, scene of several departmental xmas lunches, then cutting up Rokers lane - the drive way to several houses,before it turned into a bridle path.

The bridle way was very wide and mown grass...  I could only guess that it was used to train racehorses. Before this track arrived at the A3 there was a gate across and a sign warning that there was no easy way across the dual carriageway, and it recommended a diversion via the road underpass. We took the obvious solution and turned down a path between large houses (another feature of today's walk).

The diversion came out at the road, however on the Norney side of the A3 there was a "horse refuge" along the side - seemed more like a path to me. On the other side of the underpass we passed the second of the Xmas lunch pubs - The Squirrel, before the path ran out and we had to resort to walking along the road until picking the pavement up in the Hurtmore village.

Picking up a path through the woods, however we missed the turning we had planned and ended up coming out on the borders of Charterhouse school, and having to backtrack along the subsequent road.

Back on track a "private" road through an estate of huge houses with special measures to keep away the unwashed was at odds wit the public access, before it changed into a path beside a wood dropping down to grazing fields below.

Large open fields, thankfully without their bovine residents for the winter. This came out in the village of Compton in the car park of the Lemongrass (I am sure it was not called that when we were last there). 

The telephone box on Compton Common always used to be "decorated" by the residents for effect, but now it seems to be less well supported. We passed by and crossed the common before turning down the Polsted lane. Opposite the junction to my favourite pub around here - The Withies - we turned onto a path through Bummore Copse

This track came out beside a livery yard and a path we had walked down last time we were here. Walking down the driveway and up around the sides of the yard, to drop down to the road beside Watts gallery.

Directly opposite, the path continued down a road under the A3 once more. We did stop here on a suitable tree trunk in the sun for a short break- just over half way.

Now on the North Downs way as it worked through the Hurt Hills and passed isolated houses

The track continued alongside Puttenham golf course (suitably separated by hedges on both sides), until coming out beside the car park for the Jolly Farmer - used to be a beefeater or similar chain, then turning down the road to Puttenham village and passed the Good Intent - another Xmas party pub

The North Downs way continued through the village and out the other side before continuing up a single track lane (without passing places, where we had to jump the bank to get out of the way of a car, then again as it reversed to let another car passed, and once more as it came back up!).

The lane ended at some farm cottages beside Little Common where it changed into a hogging path

Views of the hogs back dominate the skyline to the north

Out on Puttenham common once more and the NDW passed beside the heathland and down into woods as it dropped to the stream. Here we turned south to follow the stream and ponds back to the car parks

Through the woods and up to the remains of an iron age hill fort - not really noticeable from this side, but the earth banks were on the other side.

Through the ramparts and down the other side along leaf strewn paths. To our right we could hear water birds arguing, but the trees hid the water

General's pond was the first sign of water, but it was unconnected to the unseen Tarn to our right. We turned away from the water and through the woods back towards the car park.

The middle car park - larger than it looked from the road, and we turned slightly to parallel the road whilst keeping in the trees.

Coming out at the heathland below the to car park, where we took the direct route through the grass tussocks up the slope and back to the van and a welcome picnic sitting in the sun out of the bitter wind that had followed us all day.

One final look at the view across to Farnham and beyond before heading home.

Trembyd and Wye Valley Walk, Mid-Wales

 It was misty, but with a promise of brightening up later, so Bertie and I went out for a walk while the others stayed in the warmth. The first idea was to walk up the road on up the other side of the valley and see where it went, however things changed as we went along.

Out of the back of Steph's house and down to the river, before cutting up the first road afterwards to the right.

Climbing up the road, and past the big house on the hill and the field centre

A more gradual climb, but still on the road, and straight across at the crossroads 

Heading towards the hills on the skyline.

The road changed into a farm track leading to the farm at the end, where it stopped i the yard.

The path continued out the back of the yard and steeply up the bank behind, before opening up above a small gorge.

This track ended at a gate, which proved to be the start of the National Trust open access land.

A slight change to the itinerary now as I just had to go and see what was at the top of the slope.

Cutting up the side of a sheep field and onto the open moorland, where the trail disappeared into a multitude of sheep tracks

The path goes somewhere across this

We were heading in the right direction when we arrived at the cairn - probably an old building at one time, now just a pile of stones. The views across to the col and the top of Trembyd.

Traversing around to the col rather than dropping down and climbing up. the drop was more impressive than it appears on the map.

The col itself was very boggy, and we had to navigate through it all going from clump to clump of marsh grass. Then on the other side it was easier on the grass and gorse. As we neared the top we got views over the other side of the river valley

The top was very rounded, but had a cairn. there were views all around 

Although the map did not show a main path down from here, there were plenty of sheep tracks going in the right direction and these all coalesced as we reached a corner of the open access area. 

Now a much greater track we pressed on down past a field with tups in and a ewe trying to get in. We took the farm track down from a gate here rather than the minor path through the bracken. Looking across to Doldowlod house on the other side of the river.

Dropping down onto the Wye Valley walk (on the slope at this point rather than down by the river. There follows a long section with a slight descent contouring around the side of the hill. At the edge of the open access area the gate opens onto a wider farm track

This track changes into a minor road at the point where the Wye Valley walk gets a little contorted and climbs up away from the river, before taking to the pasture fields

The route wanders through the fields, up and down, through a number of gates, and other several small streams, before ending in a small wood (currently home to several cows) where the path disappears into the mud.

We eventually come out onto the road from earlier this morning. Dropping back down to the river once more, and thence back to Steph's house and lunch.