I wanted to complete one of the walks in the OS Surrey walks book - #6 Leigh, however I needed to add some distance on it to make this a little longer. So I planned to start at the car park in Holmwood Common, cross over to Hammonds Copse, then circle around Mynthurst, and approach Leigh from the SE. Follow the Leigh walk around the north of the village, then back to Mynthurst. Across to Shellwood then direct to the railway and down the lane back to Holmwood common.
I parked in the Fourwent pond car park, beating most of the dog walkers. then set off down the back road towards Newdigate, going under the main line railway
Escaping the road down the driveway to Swires farm, and through the yard - mainly empty, and out the back onto Ewood lane.
Along the lane first as a gravel track that mutated into a chalk farm track.
At Ewood farm the track merged onto the driveway, which I followed to a T-junction.
On to a track through a Bluebell wood - the houses on each side had made features of large swathes. Across a back road and into Hammonds Copse - a coppice woodland, coming out into fields at Parkhouse farm.
Around the farm and into crop fields, down and over a stream rising into horse paddocks. Here teh path became obscure and I wandered around finding the stiles.
The path signs led into a rough area of grass, but older maps showed it going down the drive. Either way onto a back road at Hales Bridge, and picking up a path beside some houses separated by a hedge and fence.
Escaping into a grass field an following the edge of this down to a stream with an overgrown bridge.
through the woods on the far side - the trees had been planted like a column, then into more grass fields.
Across the field on a barely recognisable path and over the stiles between. I overshot the final gate and had to walk back along a farm track.
Down the driveway to the back road from Norwood Hill. Then through a grass field to the driveway to Rose Cottage farm - now purely a large house, around this and into the woods behind.
Through the woods (and more bluebells) and into a crop field behind. This crossed to Nutley Dean farm.
The farm was part working and part given over to a "farm village" with fancy gates. Along the drive until turning sharply onto a farm track.
The track came out onto Deanoak lane, and I did a zigzag along the road until could cross into a grass field beside the lane.
Across several fields, until reaching a trig point, where I doubled back and missed the path I wanted (I crossed the fence when I should have stayed in the field). Down the wrong side of the hedge before escaping across a fence in the woods.
Through sheep fields and onto a farm lane
I turned over a crop field - this was an error and I should have continued into Leigh to pick up the planned route). I continued to parallel the intended route reaching Skeets farm.
Through another field and a short section of woods (and bluebells) to reach Flanchford Road.
Over the road, and into the fields, where I finally merged onto the intended Leigh track
Past Rice Bridge and along the fields to Snowhill road.
Over the road and down a driveway, and subsequent green lane to cross to Wellhouse Road.
Following the path back across the fields to Gadbrook house, then along the road of the same name to gain a path back into the fields.
Down beside Hall farm, over a stream and into the fields again.
Across the fields to reach a back road that led into the village of Leigh. Here leaving the published walk and onto a path at the back of a parking spot.
Along side Brown's copse and over a back road onto a narrow path beside gardens
Over Hammer bridge and around a field heading to the woods.
Through the woods (initally the path was beside a farm track before merging onto it when it curved around.). Rising up the slope to Rigden farm (residential)
Into animal fields (sheep and cows) doing a right hand turn just before Mynthurst and herons Head farms.
Through some woods (these with garlic) and over a bridge. Through fields to Brook farm.
Along the driveway until a path back into the fields. Through some woods leading to a back road beside Little Shellwood.
A by-way along side the farm and across to Shellwood road - and the driveway to the Manor of the same name.
Past the various houses that the manor now contains and the road continued in a straight line to the cottage of Fettercairn.
The track merged onto a second track heading for Lodge farm. This was where I planned to cross the railway. However once there I discovered the crossing locked and closed. So a quick change.
Along the path beside the line and a wheat field - even this did not follow the map and I had to go around the edge.
Picking up the map route and over to Brockhamhurst Cottage
Down the driveway from the cottage to Red Lane. Then along this busy back road, over the railway and around Blackbrook farm. Into the edge of Holmwood Common following the road around to Blackbrook road.
Into the car park opposite and along a path into the woods. Picking up the circle route through the woods for a while.
Leaving the main track to head across to the southern end and the Fourwents car park.
