The van was over 10years old and had suffered from the years of abuse.
On the recent trip to Austria it was making a nasty noise seemingly from teh
rear probably behind the driver. The local garagiste identified it as a
damaged wheel bearing (rear but nearside), so until it could be fixed I needed
to use it as little as possible. So I worked out a route going up the canal,
across to Alfold, then to the Downs link, and back through Tisman's Common,
and back along the Loxwood section of the canal.
We headed out from home along the drive to end of the village.... from
there we followed the Lane down to its junction and followed the road to
canal. Then up the canal to Gennets Wood and it lock.
Continuing up the tow path past the fishing lakes, and onto the newly acquired
section - this was very muddy and showed the difference between the "managed"
and "unmanaged" sections. They will have their work cut out here as there are 4
locks to be reinstated in this section.
At Sydney Wood we turned off the Wey-South Path and followed the bridle path
going north. This merged onto a forestry road in the wood
We caught up with the Wey-South path where the latter curved around to get to
the car park. We took a path that headed East through Sedghurst Wood, across
Sachelhill Lane at a very muddy crossroads. We continued in the same direction
across the fields of Springbok estate.
Beyond the fields we picked up the estate road and followed it to Park Farm,
where we took a footpath onto the driveway (the two are not connected these
days). On the B2133 we crossed and followed the footpath up through the
village until we could take the twitten following a stream through to the A281
just beyond the Barn pub. Crossing over we found the entrance to the old
Wildwood golf course (now closed and under development - however mainly
derelict)
Down the driveway tot eh old clubhouse (seems to now be a home for travellers,
and a couple of horses). Finally into the re-wilded golf course and followed the
rough trail of the bridleway that worked through it.
Turning across the course vaguely east trying to find the correct route through
a maze of paths (some old some more recent)
After the golf course we crossed a boggy grass field, with an indistinct path,
an followed the fence up past some houses. We went through the gate and retraced
our path along the other side to a path that went through a garden before coming
out at a pond.
Into a field with sheep, that much to Bertie's chagrin started to follow us -
not at all phased by a dog, and obviously wanting food. We ended up ion another
garden and struggled to find the ongoing path, distracted by the driveway for a
while before seeing it go in the wrong direction.
The correct path led into some woods and worked alongside and then merged onto
the Downs link path. We then followed the Downs link towards Baynards
Leaving the Downs link to follow the driveway for the houses of Baynards then
down their driveway to teh back road. along the back road until we could take
the path up the grass lands to the skyline where we would cross the Sussex
Border Path.
Across the SBP (now following our path from Tuesday coming back from Wellcross
grange. At teh junction to some farm houses we turned towards the back road at
Cooks Hill.
We now had a section on the backroads ... Across the A281 and continued
down Hornshill Lane to Tisman's Common. Here we picked up our route from last
Tuesday and down the lane to Barnsfold house.
Now in the muddy paths of the woods next top Loxwood. we managed to pick up the
relatively better track down to the parking area of the clay pits, then
across the road and back into the woods down to canal.
We followed teh towpath towards Loxwood, passing Baldwin's Knob lock and left it at Brewhurst. Here we took to the driveway that cut across to the B2133 and over it to teh fields beyond.
Over the fields to Headfoldswood farm then up to Plaistow road. Along the road back to Ifold, and back home.
