Stage 1 Farnham To Guildford (12 miles) - Tea Cake etiquette.

Thursday 30th November 2016 was the coldest day this winter and I reckon it was the coldest day for a number of previous winters down here too. There was a thick frost with temperatures around -6 to -8 in the South East corner. Despite the cold the forecast was for a sunny and clear day, perfect for the 12 mile walk between Farnham and Guildford.

Having negotiated on-line ticket purchasing and established, via a call centre in the far reaches of the far East, that a return ticket to Farnham would be valid for a return journey starting at Guildford, I set off for Farnham mixing it with the commuters into Waterloo. I arrived at Farnham at 10:00am when it was still bitterly cold and walked the short distance down hill to the fine artwork marking the start of the walk next to a busy intersection.

Start of The North Downs Way

The start signs informed me that it is 153 miles to Dover. I don't know where that figure comes from; by my reckoning, taking in the Canterbury loop, makes it 144 miles. Even the guidebook disputes the 153 miles, claiming the route including the Canterbury loop is 131 miles. Is the Garmin Gremlin at work already?

After complaining about several councils along the Pennine Way not doing their bit for way marking, route finding down here in the affluent suburbs of Surrey was not going to be a problem with more way markers than I could wish for. No need for map, compass or Garmin today!

Shortly after the start there was more art in the form of a bench seat carved with a Bee Orchid design on the back rest. There are several species of orchid that thrive on the chalk downs of Surrey and Kent over which the NDW passes. Almost makes me want to do the walk in spring / summer. Oh well, maybe I will return to the chalk downs at a more flowersome time of year.

Bee Orchid bench marking the start of the NDW

There is also an inscription around the edge of the seat that was too weathered for me to read it; I think the seat was installed in 1998.

The route East tries to stick to the ridge of the North Downs where possible but here that privilege has long since been given to the A31 along the Hog's Back and so much of today's route was in the valley bottom with fine views up to the ridge line accompanied by constant traffic noise.

The route crosses the River Wey which joins the Thames at Weybridge and was largely canalised as early as the 17th and 18th centuries for the transportation of chalk and other goods into London. It was one of the first rivers to be so canalised in 1653.

Crossing the River Wey

Despite the sunshine it remained bitterly cold all day. Thankfully there was little or no wind otherwise it might have become unpleasant. I did however struggle to find somewhere to stop for lunch. I'm fussy about where I have lunch; I like to have something to sit on. A tree stump or log will do, a bench is better and a picnic table is ideal. Sitting on the ground is very much a last resort and preferably not when the ground is frozen hard. Today I was getting a bit desperate when I finally found a bench just outside Puttenham adjacent to a busy road junction. I think some of the drivers thought I was a vagrant judging by some of the stares as I ate my lentil and bacon soup. 

I was pleased to see that the Pilgrims Way is anything but forgotten and there were a number of references to modern day Pilgrimages including these large wooden crosses set into the bridge parapet which forms a slip road onto the A3.

Wooden Cross on slip road to A3

Reservoirs were a common sight on the Pennine Way, feeding the canals of the industrialised North. The River Wey aside, I think this walk is likely to be dominated by golf courses. I crossed two today which were surprisingly busy given the fairways were frozen white where they were in the shade. I did help the golfers out, liberating a couple of stray balls back onto the course from my side of the fence. I felt fairly confident that they were out of bounds before chucking them back.

There was more art at the Watts Gallery, celebrating the work of the English artist George Frederick Watts (1817 - 1904). He was known for his portraits and many of his works are on display at the National and Tate Galleries. Towards the end of his life George decided that he wanted to display the paintings he had not sold to the public and had the gallery built near his house. He died just a year after the gallery opened. I did not have time to visit the gallery but as the route went almost past the door of the gallery tea room, it would have been rude not to have taken advantage, would it not?

So, tea cakes. I have eaten a great many fine examples over the years and they have always been served with butter. Just plain butter on hot toasted tea cakes, simple. It seems the vendors of Surrey are not content with that and a pot of raspberry jam was supplied which I declined to apply. When I came to pay it was noticed that I had not touched the jam and so I was kindly offered it as a take away. I declined, think of the weight I thought. The proprietor insisted. I declined, more assertively.  Had I been pushed further I might have told them how heretical I thought it was to serve jam with a tea cake; it's a tea cake not a scone. They must have thought I was strange.

Watts memorial stone

This memorial was created by Mary Watts, wife of George, in memory of her husband and in tribute to the Pilgrim's Way. I wish now that I had taken a closer look at it, rather than rushing off to find tea and cake, because I have now learnt more about its design. It is made from local terracotta clay and moulded at a local pottery founded by Mary Watts. It has Christ's Crucifixion depicted on the back and on the front a sword possibly representing the murder of Thomas Becket at Canterbury in 1170. Around the base are depictions of pilgrims making their way to Canterbury.

After tea and cake it was a relatively short walk into Guildford. I was concerned when planning the route that the walk into Guildford would be along busy roads but it turned out to be anything but that. I left the North Downs Way where it crosses the Wey again and turned North to follow the Wey into Guildford. By this time the sun was starting to set and the light on the river and the frozen fields either side were quite a picture. The atmosphere was only spoiled by a boat of youths out for a row. At least they should have been rowing but instead one of the oarsmen was having an almighty argument with the cox, not so much rowing as rowing. The F word was much used and in Guildford of all places! It all came to a sorry end when, in the absence of any coherent instructions from the cox, they collided with the opposite bank. Welcome to Guildford I thought. Maybe one of them did, or did not, get jam on his tea cake.

Rowers aside, the walk into Guildford was very pleasant indeed. I followed the Wey right into the town centre and then through an underpass right to the door of the rail station; not a single busy road to negotiate. I took the following picture of Debenhams reflected in the Wey in the setting sun.

Debenhams, Guildford

 It then took me several hours to get home (cracked rail at Surbiton, no, really). I didn't get where I am today...

Next up is Guildford to Dorking; hopefully also by train, subject to the vagaries of the return ticket, it being far cheaper than two singles.

AW

The North Downs Way

After the enjoyment of the Pennine Way I was keen to do another long distance walk but wanted to tackle something from home, in short trips or day hikes, rather than the multi-week adventure of the Pennine Way. This would be something I could do throughout the winter when my mood or the weather allowed.

There were three obvious contenders; The Greensand Way, The Pilgrims Way or The North Downs Way. Each of these I was aware of and familiar with where they pass through my local patch. Top of my initial wish list was The Pilgrims Way because of its historical interest. Pilgrims travelled from Winchester to Canterbury, from the shrine of St Swithun to the shrine of St Thomas Becket. However, it turns out that the Pilgrim's Way as a coherent footpath / walking route does not exist, as much of the old Pilgrim's route has been taken over by roads or disappeared under farmland over the centuries. The North Downs Way and St Swithuns Way is as close as you can get today in following the Pilgrims Way from Winchester to Canterbury. The Greensand Way is not a designated National Trail and the guidebook, for Kent at least, is out of print. The North Downs Way therefore seemed to have the most to offer and there is a 2016 updated guidebook.

The North  Downs Way runs for 144 miles from Farnham in Surrey to Dover on the Kent coast and via a loop through Canterbury if you wish to take it. Several sections I can do as day hikes using trains to / from the start / finish points. For other sections, the support team of Catherine and Gloria can be deployed where necessary. I already have a cunning plan for the walk into Canterbury, subject to support team approval.

So, I don't have an end to end, fixed date, day by day, plan. I have more of a broad plan of which sections I will do by train and which I will require the support team for. I intend to do the walk in 11 sections, in guide book order, starting at Farnham, via Canterbury, ending in Dover.

It would be good to complete the walk over this coming winter; lets say by the end of March 2017.

I will keep you posted.