Countryside News Corporate Volunteering Team Building Days

The Downlands & Old Downs Countryside Management Projects have had some great help over the last year from local companies joining their practical conservation task days, as part of their annual volunteering entitlement and team building initiatives. Staff from LexisNexis, an information analytics and workflow solutions company based in London, have enjoyed autumn scrub and summer ragwort clearance days on Chipstead Downs. The company recently kindly donated £500 to the Downlands Trust as a thank you for their days out with the work in April this year. With an average The best times for group tasks are team, which was greatly appreciated. of ten staff volunteering per day for four during the autumn, as scrub clearance The group plans to join us for further days on both occasions, this was a lot is great for larger numbers and for team tasks in September. of valuable help! Groups from Surrey building. If you would like to find out Another company, FirstAssist Legal County Council have also been getting more about corporate volunteering Protection, based in Sutton, helped involved, with a group from Trading with DCMP/OSD, plus sponsorship at Hutchinsons Bank (Croydon) last Standards enjoying a task day last year opportunities for local companies, please summer and returned to Banstead and a group from Passenger Transport contact Debbie on 01737 733933 or Woods Orchard to help with tree guard Group in April this year. email: [email protected]. Countryside Walk

A € ve-mile long signposted circular walk through the attractive countryside to the south of Chessington. The route takes in Winey Hill, a public open space with magni€ cent views across to London; and Common, both Local Nature Reserves as well as Common, a National Nature Reserve, where majestic 300 year-old oak pollards From Chessington South station turn right along Pond on . Continue past the are still standing. Lower Mole Project Garrison Lane to reach Kingston Road. Cross pond and then uphill. Follow the path around to volunteers have waymarked the over using the zebra crossing, turn left along the the left to reach Christchurch Road. Cross over route with the CCW distinctive logo pavement to the lane to Barwell Court. at the crossing point and follow the bridleway – seen here - hoping to encourage straight on to come out by the entrance to local people to enjoy and explore the Turn right up this, follow to a kissing gate on your West Park Hospital. countryside and diversity of wildlife on left leading into Winey Hill. Go through, walk up their doorstep. There are several stiles the hill to the top and bear left along the summit. Crossover, past the entrance and turn left down along the route, making it unsuitable a narrow path to reach a gap in a wooden fence for disabled people. Continue past the viewpoint cairn and straight on into Horton Country Park. downhill to reach a kissing gate in the corner. Go If you would like a copy of the lea’ et, through, follow the path ahead to turn left over Turn right to follow the path, crossing a hedge please send an A5 SAE to the Lower a stile. Continuing with Chessington World Of line to reach a surfaced track. Cross over and Mole Countryside Trust, 2 West Park Adventures on your left. continue straight on. Farmhouse, Horton Country Park, Horton Lane, Epsom, KT19 8PL. More At the bottom of the hill cross over a stile, follow On emerging from the trees turn right along the information on 01372 743783 or the path to reach Road. Cross over track and follow it around to the left to reach some www.lowermoleproject.org.uk carefully. Continue along the bridleway straight on, double gates. Turn right past the gates to go past crossing a bridge and onwards to reach Rushett another set of double gates. Lane. Cross over carefully and go through the gate. How to Get There Turn left and follow the car park around to the far By Car – Parking is available at Horton Continue straight on along the bridleway all the end, then take the path to the left. At the top of Country Park and Stew Ponds car park. way across the € elds and up the hill to go through the hill turn right to follow the track straight on Please do not park in or near farm or a gate on to . with the Equestrian Centre on your right. € eld entrances. By Train – Chessington South Station. Turn left along the bridleway at the edge of the Ignore turn to left and continue to next junction to By Bus – There are regular bus Common, continuing straight on to reach Stew bear left. At track crossroads go straight on down a services from Kingston, Epsom and narrow path to go through a kissing gate into € eld. Leatherhead serving the main roads. Turn right around edge of € eld continuing straight Ideally this walk description should be on to a footbridge over the Bonesgate Stream. used in conjunction with an Ordnance Survey Map Explorer 1:25 000 161. Cross over and continue straight on along a narrow path to reach Green Lane, turn left along the pavement.

Follow the pavement through the trees until the path comes out on a wide verge, take the path to the right up some steps.

Follow this up the hill to the top where it turns right downhill to come out on Garrison Lane. Cross over and turn left along the pavement back to the station. 16 17 Hindhead Tunnel

There can’t be many people in the south west of Surrey who are not aware of the work being carried out to construct a tunnel through the greensand hills at Hindhead to widen and improve the A3. Completion is on schedule and traffic will start to use the tunnel next summer, 2011. But what about the countryside The Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding enabling visitors to still gain maximum around the area – who looks after that? Natural Beauty (AONB) designations. experience out of the countryside and Whilst we are aiming to enable return regularly to see improvements to Hindhead Together is a partnership development, both residential and the heathland habitats. set up, amongst other things, to work commercial, in the area, we must We are also hoping that there will be with the landowners in the area around work to eliminate adverse impacts on an opportunity to provide a new visitor the crossroads to try to give them more the designated countryside through a information centre at the Devils guidance as to acceptable levels of number of education and interpretation Punch Bowl. development. There are sensitivities measures. Working with the National in the area because of the Special Trust to improve and maintain existing For more information on the work of Protection Area (SPA) for ground nesting footpaths, we hope to be able to open Hindhead Together please visit www. birds and the responsibilities and up new visitor routes and ensure that hindheadtogether.org.uk or contact guidelines that come with the Site of information is available about areas to Caroline White on 07772 855090 Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and avoid at certain times of the year, but

School Visits in the Surrey Hills

The children in the photo are part of a Fund. The group of 29 children aged 6 and 7 from aim of the a school in Putney who spent a day at visit was to Box Hill with Sarah Russell, the National give children Trust’s learning warden, in November from an urban 2009. This was one of a series of 6 visits environment organised by the Country Trust and a taste of the supported by a £3,000 grant from the countryside, Surrey Hills Sustainable Development helping them to appreciate nature and learn about plants and animals. The economic benefits to the Surrey Hills children spent the morning on Box AONB. Applications are welcomed Hill collecting leaves, fir cones and from organisations, businesses, lichen which they then used to make community groups and individuals who journey sticks – based on an Australian wish to explore and develop practical Aboriginal idea – to remind them of projects that enhance, conserve and their expedition in the Surrey Hills Area develop the environment, economy of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). and way of life. Since 2005 the Surrey The Surrey Hills Sustainable Hills Sustainable Development Development Fund is now in its Fund has awarded grants totalling sixth year. It offers grants to projects £372,789 to 75 projects. that bring social, environmental and www.surreyhills.org