A busy week so I chose to have a late walk today, and stay local. |The idea
was to park in Smithbrook Kilns and then cross over to climb Hascombe Hill,
then drop down the other side and around Hurtwood and down to Dunsfold. Across
the village to go parallel to the aerodrome coming out to cross the A281 to
Mill farm. Up the Wey & Arun Canal traces, across the complex at the B2130
and up to the point where the Wey South trail turns off. Turn here to return
to the A281 and drop down back to the Kilns.
Parking in the visitor car park for the Kilns, then leaving the site up the A281
to reach a track going up past the Smithbrook Manor. The fields beyond looked up
to the end of the ridge from Hascombe Hill.
Diagonally across the harvested stubble field then up the long driveway for Nore
collection of converted residences.
Beyond the houses and across the complex junction of staggered cross roads we
started the climb up to the ridge of Hascombe Hill. Initially this was a sunken
track like a stream bed, which got wider as it neared the top of the ridge.
Once on the ridge we turned West and up the slope to the summit platform. We
took the track contouring just below the south side of the ridge.
Passing the viewpoint looking over the aerodrome at Dunsfold, however continuing
on the ramparts around the fort at this end of the hill.
Following the ramparts around 3 sides of the fort, before dropping down a steep
slope avoiding the long ridge to the pub. This dropped us to the easier tracks
of the tracks from the parking area near here.
Weaving through the wide tracks of the public access area to reach the southern
end where it exited to the B2130.
On the other side of the road we picked up a hidden path along the fence line of
Hascombe Grange. Traversing around the outside of a paddock.
Into Hurtwood, but contouring around just inside the woods on a wide track.
After turning the corner of the woods the track descended to come out in a field
with views across to the south downs.
Along the top of the field before turning down the end (half in the woods and
half out in the field) to reach a back road.
Over the road and down the wall on the side of Markwick Farm, before it opened
out to a farm track leading down to some new barns.
Beyond the barn the track turned back on itself as we headed back to the east.
The track merged into the farm driveway heading towards Loxhill.
Leaving the farm drive we turned South East and through Standages wood, coming
out in the fields around Hook House Farm.
Crossing the back road and into the grazing fields beyond, following the edge of
the wood around the field.
Crossing over where Hookhouse hanger narrowed, past a line of ponds, before
climbing out the other side.
A clear path across more fields led to a gate that opened out onto the green at
Dunsfold village.
Across the road through the village and down a twitten beside houses, leading
eventually into a series of sheep fields in rolling hills.
A complicated route around High Loxley farm and followed down the road by a pack
of dogs until we turned off across more sheep fields.
Crossing into High Loxley Furze onto a concrete track, coming out into a field
that bordered the travellers camps on the Aerodrome access road.
Across the access road and down the driveway to Hall Place Farm, which mutated
into a gravel track heading to the A281.
The gravel track came out beside a row of houses onto the A281. We crossed over
and went down the Mill Farm driveway.
Through the farm yard and out the other side on a green track with a gate to one
side that leads to the canal towpath.
Following the towpath north, past the point where the Wey south path takes a big
diversion to the outskirts of Cranleigh. The tow path looked well used upto the
point where we re joined the Wey south path where it came back in.
The comical exit of the Wey South path onto the B2130 through a private garden
and anonymous gate straight onto the edge of a busy road.
Opposite this we dropped down a drive way to Rye Farm - now residential and then
on to the end of this section of canal. We turned back towards the A281 around
the estate of Rydinghurst.
The narrow track followed through some scrub hedges beside Rydinghurst farm. Across a final field and a narrow track beside the houses that replaced the Leathern bottle pub
Out on the A281, and some difficult section walking alongside the road to get back to the kilns, and the van.
