Back to normal after last week's visit to North Wales for the AAC Autumn gathering, and a short visit to #2 daughter on the way home. It was time for another walk, and I determined to go back to Outwood where I had been several years ago.
The aim was to park in the NT car park then walk through Outwood common to pick up the Tandridge Border path. Follow this up over the rail line to slopes below Bletchingley, then across to recross the rails as they go into the tunnel, turning south to lower south park. Continuing through Whitewood and Horne park golf course to Bones lane. Next turn west past Chithurst farm to Burstow to pick up the Tandridge Border path and follow this to Outwood Common once again.
I parked the van in the car park, just off the back road. and followed the all weather path into the common. This went around the cricket pitch and past a curious weather vane on a pole.
Then into the woods - still on the all weather track. I got distracted by the instructions on the NT guide and got a little bit diverted form my original route, however soon back around.
Back on track and along side the church before crossing a field to the Tandridge Border path.
Away from the common and into fields heading for Burstow Park farm.
Around the farm and along more fields.
Around Henhaw farm and The Park heading towards the railway.
Over the rail line and along a grass field to the hedge line.
This was the northmost point of the walk and followed the edge of the fields past Sandhills farm.
Over a back road and down a driveway before the path continues , first wide then narrows.
The path merged onto a farm track and this merged again onto a driveway.
Along the drive past Cuckseys farm, into the woods beyond that hide the rail tunnel air shafts.
The path continued through woods and wide hedges, heading due south.
A sharp turn around the field edge in a pair of knights moves to reach Lodge farm
Along the driveway to Lower South Park where it ended at the farm of the same name, however before reaching I turned onto a path along a green swathe.
A driveway led past a house and along side fields and woods.
Along a wide hedge line between field and over a scrubby bit on the soggy track.
Yet more fields leading to Tile Barn, where it went around the outside and onto a lane.
This lane continued to Tedham farm in Whitewood.
Over the back road in Whitewood, down between two houses that used the path to dump their garden trimmings into. The path finally entered a field, with horses and electric fences - they obviously did not walk people walking through. The bridge at the end was heavily overgrown too.
Turning off the back road after passing Brickhouse farm, down a path back into the fields.
There was a bunker hiding in a bramble patch beside the path before it crossed a rutted horse field to reach Croydon Barn Lane.
Ove the lane and into the golf course, and onto the barely marked path through here before escaping the far side.
Into the fields past the golf course and a strange undefined route across towards Glen Farm.
Across Bones land and picking up a track leading to Bones wood.
Another grass field and this wone was the worse as they had ploughed right up to the fence. Then a further field where I followed the hedge line. This did not have a gate and I had to follow the hedge up to the next one.
Then down the farm track following my track on the other side of the hedge.
Notable here was the birds lining the power lines.
At Chithurst farm I picked up a path crossing to Dowlands farm.
Past Dowlands farm and down the drive to Dowlands lane.
A small bridge led into the field from the back road , then more waterlogged fields to pass Redeham hall. This came out onto a back road
Over the road and down a side road past Rede hall. Then following a driveway (which wasn't the path) and had to jump the fence. this path was very narrow and overgrown.
Over the stile at the end and into fields, to come out into Burstow. Here on the back road past the church undergoing renovations.
I was now back on the Tandridge border path and followed it up the road to the corner and a slight zigzag to reach a field.
The path kind of followed the hedge here, but inside the field.
A strange field with bullocks in was another navigation nightmare with the style hidden behind brambles. Onto a driveway passing several houses with wrecked cars.
The drive ended at a back road that led into Smallfield village.
After a zigzag I was back onto a bridleway that led throguh the new housing estates as a green corridor.
Around Burstow lodge farm and continuing on the bridleway.
Finally reaching Rookery farm, and around the back into beech woods.
The last section now crossed fields below Brightleigh farm
Around a hedge that hid a chicken farm and also contained several pigs, before a last scrappy wood.
Out onto the back road leading up to the Outwood windmill - looking a little worse for wear.
Across the lower part of the common back to the van. I was really glad I chose to wear wellies today as there was a lot of mud and there was a persistent mist/ drizzle that came and went through out the day.
