More rain overnight, but I needed to do a final check up of the the route I am
going to do at the weekend with the AAC walkers. It was starting at Effingham
Junction railway station, then following the Horsley Jubilee trail in a
circle, although I planned to add in more of the Lovelace bridges on a cutover
to Sheepleas then back on the jubilee trail back round to the start.
Parked in the station car park paying the surcharge for weekday parking, then leaving the car and around the gate to access the path to Effingham common.
Around the edge of the common aiming for the narrows.
Through the harrows and past the pond before crossing over to go to the exit at the point.
Into Greatlee wood on the old London road, before turning down into Great Ridings Plantation.
The trail follows a route snaking through the beech woods then drops down towards Greenfield farm.
The track leaves the plantation and crosses over a gravel track then into an independent wood
Back onto the lane now called Dirtham Lane, around the edge of the Horsley Towers estate, coming out onto the tarmacked Dirtham calvert
Over the A246 into Oldlands wood, at the start of the Lovelace estate. Climbing gradually on a sunken track.
The first of the bridges is only a ruin, then continuing on the track
The first real bridge, where I climbed up the side onto the track and away up the slope.
The track climbed up tot eh top of this Kiln field wood and the remains of another bridge. Here I left the jubilee trail t cut through the woods towards Crocknorth road.
Another complete and used bridge over the back road. On the far side the path disappears into a closed in track, with shrubs on both sides.
Now in Coles Copse, the track zigzagged up around a junction, and on a more definite track.
Two more complete bridges One left and one right of the track. I then turned under the right hand one and descended down to a very muddy track that curved around for a final bridge remains - I never found it.
Along the muddy path - I think I will skip this bit on the real walk! and down to Homeysuckle bottom lane.
Back towards Green Dene to the start of a track climbing into mountain wood. Then down the track towards the car park of the same name.
Across into the woods of Sheepleas, climbing from the car park, up through the beech trees.
Up on the high point and following the bridleway along the edge of Sheepleas. At a crossroads of paths the best view over to London town.
Back through the beech woods to reach the view point - now a little overgrown with a little bit of the London skyline showing.
Next down through clearings and paths through the woods.
The last clearing and onto the track back to St Mary's car park.
Down the car park access road to the church and over the A246 into the fields beyond.
Around the edges of the fields and up the edge of the houses of West Horsley
The track comes out onto the minuscule village green just up from the pub. Then along the road to go under the railway line. A triangle route to take in Lollesworth farm (I will probably also cut this out on the day), then back over the rail on a bridge to pick up a tarmacked path along the south side into East Horsley village.
Into the village and meeting the B2039 opposite the railway station. Along the B road back under the railway climbing up a private road.
Along the very exclusive road with many different houses
At the end of the road I turned into The forest. this picked up the nature trail through the trees.
The track came out onto a back road with a sharp turn to climb back up and over the railway. On the other side along another private road that went back along beside the train tracks.
The road zigzagged as it paralleled the railway line then mutated into a path as it passed the rail works sheds. Hence back to the station car park and the end of the trail.
