A bright day promised a change in the weather, so I chose to go and recce my next AAC walk, however having the van meant I had to find a place to leave it. The next open area west was Great Bookham common and there was a car park near the station (it appeared to be NT, but there was no machine there and I had to buy a ticket by phone). From there I aimed to cross over to Effingham junction before starting the route over Effingham common and down through the ridings woods, onto the track around Horsley Towers. Into the woods beyond to count off the Lovelace bridges. Then crossing over to Sheepleas to see the view over London town, and down to St Mary's church. Over the road and through the fields to West Horsley, bypassing the pub, to the railway bridge and a loop to take in Lollesworth farm. Up Long Reach then Green lane and Whitehill lane, before turning down Blue ride and the forest to return to Effingham Junction. Finally back to Bookham common via horse fields and a zigzag over the railway, and through the undergrowth on back trails to the car park.
I fought the van up past all the residential street parking and into the common's car park (one of several). Then after struggling to pay on the app
I left on the major track (actually a gravel drive way) through the common.
At a complex junction at the inner hamlet I continued across to Bank's farm
Down Bank's lane (initially a bridleway) alongside Great Mornshill wood.
At Mornshill farm the lane became a full width vehicle track, and under the railway line (a side shoot of the main line)
Opposite Effingham Junction station driveway I moved onto Effingham common. Moving across the grass land on mowed paths to the neck.
Through the neck past the pond and into the narrowing area aiming for the point.
Now on Old London road following the yellow marks of the Jubilee trail. The trail turned off into the Ridings plantation reserve off the main track.
The trail snaked through the reserve, initially parallel to the lane, but soon dropped down and across a byway.
Intothe woods opposite to climb back up on a weaving track up to the lane (now called Dirtham lane, which followed the boundary of Horsley Towers.
The lane merged onto Dirtham calvert, up tot eh A246. Over it at the junction onto a path into Oldlands wood.
The first of the Lovelace bridges -
Pine grove, then climbing up through the woods on a bridle path.
A zigzag to climb up the side of the next bridge (
Stoney Dene) onto the track way
Up the track to the next one (remains) at the top of the slope -
Oak hangers - where I turned into the woods to cut over to then next one, rather than escape out to the farms.
Down to
Dorking arch which is over a back road , and into the shrubbery on the other side.
Along to the next pair -
Briary Hill Bridge East & West (one needing an excursion) then back under its twin, continuing the descent
The last bridge (
Raven Arch) was just above Honeysuckle Bottom, and along the lane until I reached the access point into Mountain Wood.
Along the track in Mountain wood and down to the Green Dene car park
Climbing up the other side of the road into Sheeplees, to reach the bridleway along the top.
Along the bridle way to where it opened up slightly to give the first views of London.
After the views then back into the jungle past the large picnic area to the view point.
The view point does not have such a good view with the tree growth all around. Then down the open valley on the other side.
Through an open area, bounded by the woods.
Then a final open area before settling onto the lane leading up to the A246
Crossing the road beside St Mary's church and down the bridleway on the other side.
Across the fields next to West Horsley Place and farm.
A zigzag through the fields crossing to the outskirts of West Horsley village
Along the edge of the village until coming out onto a green just above the pub.
Down tot he railway line and onto the path beside it, crossing over the rails on a bridge for Lollesworth lane.
Past the farm with the same name as the lane, and up tot the back road. Over it and down the lane called Long Reach - a long straight back road beside residential then sports fields.
Turning onto Green land crossing over to the B2039 then across to Whitehill lane.
Off the lane and into the Jungle of Blue ride. Along this and down the other side to the Drift (an old lane upgraded to serve more houses)
Into the forest on the other side ... this is back on t he Jubilee trail.
The trial ends at the back road that crosses back over the railway in a double back, then another sharp turn down a residential lane along the far side of the railway.
the lane turned into a bridleway along the side of the Effingham Junction rail works, and on to the station car park.
Now to get back to the van.... first back along the common to reach lower farm lane - a resident private road that led to horse fields.
Through the horse fields on a farm track to Long Maddox farm.
At the farm the track became private and the path moved along the edge of the farm beside the railway tracks.
Back over the railway and onto a back road that went along the edge of the Bookham common. At a small (free) car park I took an overgrown path into the common,
This overgrown path cut through the common and over a couple of streams until it met the gravel track of the outward trace very close to the car park.
