Haslemere & Wormley Circle, Local

 It was raining...  however the lure of some exercise after a weekend of over indulgence, so I went on my own to the car park behind the firestation in Haslemere. paying for a day's parking. I sent off heading towards Devil's Punchbowl.

After negotiating the roads for a while I crossed the railway line and after the church continued climbing on the roads. At Ventnor taking a narrow lane between fences that opened out into a field.

A zigzag on a road again and up Stoatly Hollow, climbing on  a track as it changed into a bridleway.

On a road to some large houses then turning off onto a bridleway into the woods

Across some heathland, looking across to a massive house on the side of Nutcombe Down, before going steeply down hill again

At the bottom of the valley I continued straight up the track that climbed to the car park at Hindhead common and the Devil's Punchbowl.

Now I was on the old road, and a route I had been on before...  It was also foggy that day too.
Cutting around the top of Devil's Punchbowl

On top of Gibbet Hill, and the cross. 
before continuing down the old road

The route down started off on the mettalled section

But soon converted into a rutted track, all the time dropping down.
Eventually the track was just a dirt by-way and I got passed by 2 Landrovers and a dirt bike, before coming to the road head at Highfield farm.

At the bottom of the hill, and on the road once again, for a short section, until taking the path hidden behind a house driveway. 

this path followed the house boundary before heading off across the fields. Before turning sharp right at Smallbrook.

Following a lane into the village of Thursley, and through the churchyard, and out up a lane on the other side.
The lane changed into a footpath across some arable fields, before coming out on the old A3 (pre tunnel days)

I had to divert south for a while to get to an underpass to cross the dual carriageway, and then back up the otherside.
Then taking the road/ driveway for Cosford house

At the end of the road was a large converted farm house, I took the path through the garden until it ended at the wood, climbing up the other side of the stream, to reach a road.

Across the road and into another field, before dropping down to a tree lined path past Heath Hall.

the fancy gates at the entrance to the Hall estate, with a very tight kissing gate, and then heading across the fields into parkland.

Channelled through the woods and pasture, and then a steep descent through Furzefield wood - this was the site of my first fall of the day ..  slipping on the wet clay path - before coming out of the gates at the other end of the estate (another tight tall kissing gate), and then along the road to the village of Brook. There were lots of useful puddles along the road to wash my hands and sleeves of the sticky mud from my fall - it even managed to get up the cagoule sleeves!

Taking the track opposite a T-junction of roads, I climbed up Heath Hills

Alongside fields on a very muddy path, before coming out on the road at Sandhills.

Down the road through the village, and down a steep hill side in the middle of a road triangle

Now a section of byway, nicely flat heading into the village of Wormley. dropping down to the railway station, and a gate at the end of the London side platform. Along and over the footbridge before dropping down to the other side.

The noticeboards showed nearly and hour to the next train to Hazlemere, and as It was only just after 1pm I decided to walk back instead.

I would regret it later on, but for now was feeling fine.

Across the station carpark and intot he industrial yard at the end, before turning away from the rail tracks and into the woods.

Through the woods, which had the beginnings of the mud  choss I would find later. It was better out in the fields as I could walk on the grass, but still waterlogged.

Crossing over a road, and continuing into more woods, with several stiles, before crossing a plank bridge looking at a huge converted barn.

Then more fields and rolling hills ...  all wet but not too muddy,

Crossing the river by two earth bridges across fast flowing streams, up the opposite bank and across a field to the outskirts of Chiddingfold.

In chiddingfold, I turned right to stay on the outskirts then the bridleway opposite a road T-junction.
This opened into pasture fields after a narrow section alongside some houses.

Down to a pond by a track excessively churned up hard work down and even harder out the other side. Even the side routes were bad.

Turning onto Mill Lane - a metalled road to start with that got narrower the further along I went. The best things was that there was no mud.

The end of the road, as the track followed the path around the estate. Before crossing a road and following the driveway to Frillinghurst Farm.

Once more into the mud as I walked through Frillinghurst wood. A pause for some coffee and chocolate at a stream before tackling the slippery slope uphill then across some semi heathland (a little less muddy) before it got worse until we came out in a field

A staggered crossroads of paths allowed the track to bend around the fishing lake...  with attendant Herons

Past the farm and into more woods with its attendant mud - navigable due to the width of the track.

Across another road continuing in the same direction... Even the fields were muddy here, and waterlogged. There was an element of boardwalk, but it just made the unprepared sections even worse. Time for my second examination of the mud at close quarters as I slipped down the side of the path into a large puddle. this time sitting down. Now was not a time to be concerned about wet feet and the only way through was to take it all head on.

As I met up with the Serpents way close to Haslemere everything was now mud.. and the fields running with water. The gateways were ankle deep in mud and there was nothing for it than to wade through.

Respite (for a while) as the path picked up a farm track, however when this turned to the road, I took a shortcut through a field. More deep mud - by now i had stopped caring and just ploughed straight on through,

The path came out behind the high street, and I just followed the road out and across the high street and into the Waitrose carpark, before zigzagging past the fire station and back to the van in the car park there.

Thankfully the mud was over and I could have my lunch, sitting in the van