As it was still very muddy and wet, we headed back to Reigate Hill, this time
parking in the car park at the top of road from Reigate to the M25
The car park was almost full when we got there, with the morning dog walkers
and some just for the café. However we found a space and headed off first for
the bridge and the track to Reigate Hill
A gradual climb up a wide muddy track, before descending the track we had
climbed up last week, only this time covered in debris from a recent storm.
Turning up the road when we reached it - leaping over the traffic queuing in
both directions. then taking the bridleway around the middle of Quarry Hill.
The track became a path after a while and then towards Wray Lane bounded
on both sides by fences.
Turning up the lane for a bit before taking a track up into Nut Wood, climbing
back up the hill. Curving around back to the car park, as I was convinced that
we should have paid for parking. Back at the van there was no signage about
payment, so we had come back for no reason.
A stroll around the car park and back out the same way we returned and into
Gatton Park. We followed the signs for the Gatton park circular in the reverse
direction. Initially we went down the track we had just climbed, before turning
off it where it continued to descend and we stayed level.
Climbing up to the high point of Nut Wood
dropping down the other side through the woods, until reaching a viewpoint
looking over the park towards the lake
coming out of the woods onto a farm track that cut through the farmlands back to
the old house - now a school village, and past the Hop Garden Pond, and
references to "Capability" Brown.
Merging onto the NDW we turned between the school buildings and the playing
fields, before exiting down the poplar tree lined drive.
After a few metres on the road we turned off around the side of Whitehall farm -
now all accommodation and onto a path down the side of the golf course.
Opening out to cross the open golf course, and then down towards Merstham.
Coming out beside the sports field and onto a back street, before taking a small
lane towards the Motorway
Crossing over the motorway using a footbridge
Climbing up past a church and through the graveyard, before turning up a housing
estate lane on Church Hill.
A path into the woods behind the houses soon opened out with views back across
to Reigate Hill
then dropping down through some arable fields (luckily well drained so the mud
was not sticky), and up once more on the Harps oak Lane
A path split off from the road through grazing fields and over to harps wood.
alongside the woods, first one side then the other, before coming out at the end
as it opened out with views of Hooley.
Turning West, and dropping down to the valley bottom before climbing up the
opposite side.
Coming out through Noke Farm (now all accommodation), a short zigzag on the road
and back into some woods, with a couple of diversions around fallen trees.
Up the road, to reach a bridleway opposite the football and cricket
pitches.
The farm track led down passed some errant sheep, to a large open field with a
number of cows in it, however Bertie behaved himself and they were not curious.
We contoured along one side of the valley
A right-angled turn in the field and dropping down before climbing up the
opposite side of the valley. This led into Long Plantation, where we disappeared
into the woods.
The path from the long plantation came out onto Chipstead Lane, which we
followed for half a mile before branching off and then up behind a kennels
building, and back into open farm land.
Across a road and now the grazing was split into horse paddocks, with kissing
gates between each one .. Bertie was cautious especially when a couple
of the horses wanted some attention.
Back into arable fields and up to Gatwick Farm, navigating around it and onto
another grazing field
Another section on the road, before continuing down the track beside Crossways
farm. This ended at some fields with views across to Reigate hill, as it
converted into a footpath between hedges.
Dropping down to an underpass below the Motorway
through the tunnel and continuing down the other side.
Crossing a back road we re-joined the NDW (and the Gatton park circular), and
began the final ascent back up to the car park
The wide chalk tracks worked their way back up the wooded hill, until we met
where we had turned off it earlier in the day.
Back along the final section to the car park - still a full as last time with some even on the road outside it. We had a bite to eat in the van, as we watched a rain shower go over - happy in the knowledge we had avoided it.
Gatton park Circular in National Trust site.
