Junior Member Sex: Male Posts: 33 Joined: Location: Ashford Status: Offline
FARNHAM WALK (16th Jun 09 at 4:02pm UTC) A 12 mile walk around Farnham countryside, woods, lakes and hill-top vistas.
A 12 mile walk around Farnham countryside, woods, lakes, hill-top vistas - taking in parts of the North Downs Way and many of the rich and famous gardens and private tennis courts.
Walk starts just outside the BR station, but doesn't look promising as you begin to follow the A31. Gratefully this only lasts a few minutes before branching off where the walk joins the North Branch of the River Wey. Pleasant farmland / sparse woodland lasts for 1/2 a mile when you cross the river and pass Moor Park, here you could join a short Heritage Trial . I choose to end the walk with this, so I carry on pass the Park entrance. Somehow I came off the Norths Downs Way and found myself in Comptons Way - my first encounter with Farnhams many private masion size houses and grounds. Luckily my map showed a right of way which helped get back on route.
After passing Farnham Golf course, open countryside finally comes into view. Nice views looking over too the Hogs Back - you can't see A31 here and I can't remember any traffic noise. I even saw a lone deer in the brush wood - but private land to the right had a large marque erected which spoiled the sense of isolation.
After a short wood you walk alongside cultivated farmland, the views back toward Farnham are quite pleasant. More wood land follows until reaching my turning point off the Norths Downd Way, heading South up into Puttenham Common and alongside Long Pond. I stopped here for lunch - but if I could have waited for 20 minutes could have lunched at The Tarn lake which would have been more comfortable than the scrubland on top of the Common. Cross The Tarn and follow the road right around Lower Puttenham Common. I got tempted by a path into The Common which looked better than walking by the road and of course got lost. I thought I was heading though Britty Wood but after consulting me compass found i had headed south and was at Fullbrook Farm. Here I took a bridle way to get back on track at Three Barrows Place.
Here you head back north through Crooksbury Common. Vear left after the common and head up Stone Hill aimming for the Crooksbury Hill viewpoint. Its a short steep climb, but the views are quite good. Head back down hill and make your way to the Waverley mill Bridge. Here you join the other end of the Heritage Trial.