The sun was shining after a mild frost overnight, however after the rain
of the weekend, I thought we should head for some hills, and there was a piece
of the north downs way jigsaw that had been waiting for just such an
opportunity.
This would link the part from White Downs to the part from Box hill, and take
in the Edge of Ranmore common and a diversion to circumnavigate Polesden
Lacey.
We parked up in the national trust car park at Ranmore Common, and started
through the hedge after getting our ticket from the machine. Immediately the
view across to Leith Hill opened up to the south masked by the morning haze,
but you could see the tower sticking up in a notch on the skyline.
setting off along the north Downs way heading west across the open grassland
and into the woods
The track here was wide but glazed in mud and quite slippy, as it headed in a
fairly straight line Westward. though there was an occasional opening that gave
a vista to the south across the valley below.
Then more of the woodland track, however I had expected to see some pillboxes,
as I had on previous sections on this ridge, but we missed them all
As we reached the point where previous walks had merged in, we turned north
and headed back to the road.
Crossing the road the nature of the woods changed and we crossed some more open
woodland with tufts of grass and brambles.
Eventually coming out at a car park (this one had no charging mechanisms) and
crossed over a back road and down to Hogden Lane, as this was mud soup we
crossed over and climbed up the other side
More evidence of woodland management where they were clearing scrub and also
holly, but the paths were relatively dry.
As we nudged the road once again, we turned north along the bridleway, once
again relatively dry, however well travelled as we passed several parties of
walkers going the other way.
As we reached the edge of the common the path became a paved road. and a vista
opened out to the big house.
Approaching Yewtree farm, we could see out to the valleys on the West, as well
as glimpses of the big house through the hedges
Around the house were a number of marked trails, and at this point we took one
that crossed pasture fields down to the valley and up the other side.
Picking back up with Hogden lane which had curved around to meet us, we kept
going north, past vistas towards Heathrow in the far distance.
The lane passed the entrance to Polesden Lacey house (and a free external car
park) and merged into the drive.
We turned back south along Connicut Lane, which dropped down the East side of
the estate. This was more of a forest track as it passed though the woods
climbing slightly
Passing under a bridge in the middle of nowhere we continued down to the bottom
of a valley. We climbed up the other side on a track which climbed to the Youth
hostel by traversing the slope.
This YHA is an old house in the middle of the woods. Turning back on
ourselves the path we wanted was churned up by logging machines, however there
was a dry trace to one side. Everything dried up once the logging had
finished.
We came out of the woods into pasture fields near Bagden farm - currently being
converted into multi accommodation. then down chapel lane for a stretch.
After a road zigzag we took to the fields once more climbing over a shoulder
towards Westhumble
As we came up to the shoulder we met the route of our Box hill walk, and could
see back to the route on the slope behind. Then following the track to meet up
with the North Downs Way.
On the NDW - more a paved driveway here - we climbed up through Ashcombe woods
towards Denbie's vineyard.
Out of the woods and the view opened out above the vineyard to Dorking.
The road now climbed on a gentle slope above the vineyard towards Denbies
house.
A zigzag brought the NDW out beside the back road
Past the church - whose spire we had seen from the other side of the valley a
number of times.
This track merged onto the Ranmore road close to the car park where we had left
the van.
A diversion back to look at the view from the edge of the ridge, and also a zoom in onto the tower on Leith Hill.
The picnic tables were all occupied so we retreated to the van, before returning home.
