Rich in history in Rich

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Special wildlife Inspiring views views Inspiring wildlife Special L

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A link with the with link A

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U 01273 494631 or [email protected] or 494631 01273

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et designed & printed by Evonprint by printed & designed et fl Lea

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Illustrations by John Davis 01243 512351. 01243 Davis John by Illustrations

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and is managed by Sussex Wildlife Trust Wildlife Sussex by managed is and

01737 276000 or visit www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk. visit or 276000 01737

local councils and London Gatwick Airport, Airport, Gatwick London and councils local

walks, telephone Reigate and Banstead Borough Council on on Council Borough Banstead and Reigate telephone walks,

Dorking. The project is supported by all the the all by supported is project The Dorking.

Banstead Downs to Horley. For further information about these these about information further For Horley. to Downs Banstead

the Millenium Trail, a long distance path that stretches from from stretches that path distance long a Trail, Millenium the Horsham, Crawley, Horley, Reigate and and Reigate Horley, Crawley, Horsham,

The East Horley Circular Walk is one of six walks that link with with link that walks six of one is Walk Circular Horley East The

people, wildlife and the countryside between between countryside the and wildlife people,

Farmhouse Pub. Farmhouse t t benefi to works that project Landscape

nd the the nd fi you until metres 200 for Continue “roundabout”. the on

is a Living Living a is Gatwick Greenspace Partnership Greenspace Gatwick

left along Ladbroke Road just before you reach the Petrol station station Petrol the reach you before just Road Ladbroke along left

Follow the A23 from Redhill towards Horley. Turn Turn Horley. towards Redhill from A23 the Follow From Redhill: From

nd the Farmhouse Pub. Farmhouse the nd fi you until metres 200 for

you join the A23 turn right along Ladbroke Road. Continue Continue Road. Ladbroke along right turn A23 the join you

Find us on Facebook Facebook on us Find

Follow the Balcombe Road into Horley, just as as just Horley, into Road Balcombe the Follow From Crawley: Crawley: From

Sat Nav – RH6 8PB RH6 – Nav Sat

Website: www.gatwickgreenspace.org.uk Website:

Please respect the Countryside Code. Countryside the respect Please

Arriving by Road by Arriving

Telephone: Telephone: 01293 550 730 550 01293 R A

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lead when walking near livestock. near walking when lead uk roads-and-transport/buses-and-trains/bus-timetables/ uk

For more information information more For

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A Surrey County Council Website for details: www.surreycc.gov. details: for Website Council County Surrey on this walk and dogs should be kept on a a on kept be should dogs and walk this on

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Horley has many bus services and it is worth checking the the checking worth is it and services bus many has Horley

landowners.

elds to cross cross to elds fi grazing of number a are There

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turn right for the pub. the for right turn

education, health walks, and advice for for advice and walks, health education, I I

Dog Walkers Dog

eld Way just before Langshott, where you will will you where Langshott, before just Way eld Wheatfi along

opportunities, wildlife events, environmental environmental events, wildlife opportunities,

C C Langshott, where you turn left to the Farmhouse Pub, or get off off get or Pub, Farmhouse the to left turn you where Langshott,

We offer conservation volunteering volunteering conservation offer We Stout walking boots with thick soles are ideal. are soles thick with boots walking Stout at The Acres and walk back down Orchard Drive back to to back Drive Orchard down back walk and Acres The at

Metrobus Number 20 stops close to Langshott. Either alight alight Either Langshott. to close stops 20 Number Metrobus

Footwear

Arriving by Bus by Arriving

we start the walk. the start we

route become quite waterlogged and muddy. and waterlogged quite become route

200 metres you will come to the Farmhouse Pub from where where from Pub Farmhouse the to come will you metres 200

very wet periods some of the clay soils on the the on soils clay the of some periods wet very metres until your come to Ladbroke Road on your right. After After right. your on Road Ladbroke to come your until metres

local area local

about 300 metres. Turn Left onto the Balcombe Road for 400 400 for Road Balcombe the onto Left Turn metres. 300 about

unsuitable for wheelchairs and buggies. In In buggies. and wheelchairs for unsuitable

Station Road, and eventually meets the Balcombe Road after after Road Balcombe the meets eventually and Road, Station

and wildlife in the the in wildlife and rough ground and many stiles make it it make stiles many and ground rough

Leave Horley station Station Approach, which changes to to changes which Approach, Station station Horley Leave

This walk is almost entirely fl at, however however at, fl entirely almost is walk This

Arriving by train by Arriving Working for people people for Working

region’s long and interesting past. interesting and long region’s Suitability

walk, which leads you through many historical sites from the the from sites historical many through you leads which walk,

It is a short walk from the pub to the start of the circular circular the of start the to pub the from walk short a is It

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(Dorking, Box Hill and Reigate). and Hill Box (Dorking,

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Reference: TQ 290 441 290 TQ Reference: E E

Explorer 146 146 Explorer S S Greenspace Partnership Partnership Greenspace

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Pub, Ladbroke Road, Langshott, Horley, RH6 8PB. Grid Grid 8PB. RH6 Horley, Langshott, Road, Ladbroke Pub,

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OS map: 1:25000 1:25000 map: OS Banstead Borough Council by Gatwick Gatwick by Council Borough Banstead

This 5.7 mile (9.1km) walk begins and ends at the Farmhouse Farmhouse the at ends and begins walk (9.1km) mile 5.7 This

et is best used with with used best is et leafl This et was produced for Reigate and and Reigate for produced was et leafl This East Horley Circular Walk Circular Horley East

y o j n E Enjoy d n a and e r o l p x Explore

E EExplorex plore aandnd EEnjoynjoy This lovely circular walk takes you on a It is said that Harold himself rested with some There are certainly historical references HO journey through time where new meets old of his men at Thunderfi eld Castle on his way to to people paying their rent to the court of ST RLE and built up areas merge with farmland, Hastings in 1066, and yet no physical evidence “Herewoldeslea”. In fact the Thunderfi eld EA Y streams and woodland. Your route passes of an actual castle has been found within the Estate itself is referred to as far back as 800 through the newest housing developments curious double moat. The mystery of the site is A.D., once comprising not just of the land in slowly moving outwards into the Surrey further enlivened by ghost stories of a bell that this walk, to the east of Horley, but up to 3000 countryside, indicating how the South East of tolls the arrival of a small ghostly army heading acres stretching in all directions. It is thought England continues to thrive. for the “castle”. Could this be Harold? that the area would have been predominantly open heathland used for pig grazing. Going back in time you will encounter World The site is now listed as a scheduled Ancient War Two Pill Boxes positioned to protect Monument which protects it from further So while you enjoy the walk, remember that the area from enemy invasion, old wooden archaeological digs, so it will remain you are not the fi rst to walk some of these barns, hints of the tanning industry, signs of shrouded in mystery for the foreseeable ancient paths, and nor will you be the last. C coppicing and ancient woodlands, and further future. Some historians suggest that perhaps I K still to the earliest Saxon records for the area a timber framed manor house lay within the R L which talk of pig farming and the mysteriously moat, and that any remains have long since C A historic site Thunderfi eld Castle. rotted into the soil. U LA R W do not cross this footbridge. Turn to your left and walk directly Notice how at fi rst the trees lining the track are predominantly across the fi eld keeping the brook on your right. At the next Willow, often an indicator of damp ground. Slowly they give hedge there is a gate with a small bridge, cross this and from way to Oak, Hazel, Elder and Hawthorn which prefer drier here simply keep Burstow Stream to your right and follow it all spots. Hazel was widely coppiced even into the 20th Century the way to the Sewage Works. and often grown interspersed with “standards” of Oaks - two woods used for very different purposes. Kingfi shers patrol Burstow Stream, so keep an eye out for a fl ash of colour skimming over the water. See how many species of tree, bird and mammal you can fi nd and hear on this long straight stretch – you might be surprised 6 Keep the sewage works on your left and the brook on that diverse woodlands, a haven for wildlife, can be found your right and continue to follow the stream to another this close to a major motorway! bridge. Pass over the bridgeg and move into open heath land criss-crossedd wiwithth ppaths.atthhs. 8 KKeepeep goggoinging ununtiltil yoyyouu seseee a sisignpostigng pop st ffororo “B“Balcombe Road ¾”

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WWII pillboxes held the line against invasion Kingfi sher, a speeding streak of brilliant blue 1 Turn left as you leave the pub and walk along Langshott for around 200 metres until you come to a crossing of the Surrey his ghostly army can still be seen walking to rest for the night Cycleway. Turn left to head up Lake Lane and begin your at Thunderfi eld Castle, just to your right. e 5 journey through time. n SScotchmanscotchmans GGreatreat LLakeake a

L Coopsepse With this in mind, turn right along the road, crossing over FFarmarm 2 e The Surrey Cycleway is a series of routes for bikes, mainly on k a BurstowBu stream again, until the road bends to go around the tracks and quiet roads that allows cyclists to travel all over the LLake Lane doubledod moat of the castle itself. But where is the castle?

county with a minimum of traffi c. The Surrey routes link with 3

2 TheThT e name “Thunderfi eld Castle” originates from the Saxon “Thor”,

similar schemes in adjacent counties. AA23 goggodod oof thunder. The unusual double moat dates from the 12th Lake Lane is also one of the north-south droveways for Saxon TThehe FarmhouseFarmhouse PubPub CeCCenturyentu and is an Ancient Monument, however of the castle, swine herds which were driven from the parishes in the north BBrookrook thttherehere e is no trace. Due to the moat’s designation it is not possible LLadbrokeadbroke RoadRoad 1 of Surrey to feed on the plentiful acorns in the oak woods to WWoodood toto eexcavatex the site to look for evidence of a castle, and so the WWheatfi LLangshottangshott LLangshotta the south. h n mymmysteryyst of Thunderfi eld continues, but if you feel the presence of a WWay e g s 14 a h

a o 3 t t fi t ghgghostlyhos exhausted army, maybe you can decide for yourself! 2 y eld 2 After about 400m you will pass Great Lake Farm and then e l AA23 d 6 cross over Burtstow Stream. SSewageewage worksworks 100 ContinueC to follow the road around the moat until you meet a puppublic bridleway crossing your track. Turn left between three Keep an eye out for a 17th Century Barn at the farm. You’ll gaggaragesrar and a fence. also notice that although you are walking on “Lake Lane” LLangshottangshott WWoodood there are no lakes, only streams. Another Saxon mystery! 111 After 100m ignore the lure of the footbridges and turn This is because of the track’s Saxon origins, a Saxon word for rirrightghg and walk until you get to Harrowsley Green Farm. stream, pool and pond was “lacu”, which here seems to have AsA you zigzag through the farm look out for a 17th century barn. been translated into lake. 7 122 Leaving the farm you will see Smallfi eld Road ahead. Once 3 Shortly after the pylons cross the lane, take the kissing gate ata the road you will see a bridleway opposite you, but you don’t on your right. Go through it and follow the footpath through wwant this path, look instead to your left for a much wider track. 13 ld Road two fi elds. Cross the stile and short footbridge leading through SSmallfimallfi eeld Road the hedge and into the third fi eld. Head directly for the gate CCarefully cross Smallfi eld Road, and head to your left for the straight ahead, where you will fi nd a kissing gate buried in 12 sstart of your fi nal stretch! the hedge. As you pass through the kissing gate you can see a sley 13 The track here is lined by oak, hazel, holly and HHarrowsleyarrow pill box immediately to your left. arm GGreenreen FFarm rhododendrons with big houses either side. Take care here Head straight across this fi eld in the direction of the house and because some local traffi c uses this route. After a short telegraph pole opposite, keeping your eyes peeled for a gap while your bridleway becomes a tarmac byway. The open in the hedge on your right, where you will fi nd another gate woodland of Brook Wood is now on your right as the route and stile. bears to the left. If you are lucky you may spot a Little Owl perched in one of Look out for Langshott Manor to your left, another old building the large Oak trees in the hedgerows that line the edge of the HHORLEYORLEY with a moat. A Roman Road ran past this site (Roman coins fi eld. High overhead you may hear the song of the Skylark. 11 3 have been found recently) and it is possible a much earlier 2 rfi eeldld TThunderfihunde MM23 Roman building once stood here. The current building, 4 Go over the stile and walk diagonally across the fi eld. CCastleastle however, dates from the early 17th Century. The building is Heading across the fi eld bearing right, cross the fi rst stile, then now a luxury hotel, restaurant and spa. continue straight across the second fi eld to the next stile in the 10

slea hedge, noting the Pill 9 rold 14 The road eventually leads you back to Lake Lane, and HHaroldsleaa ve Boxes on the way. The DDriveri back along Langshott to The Farmhouse Pub where your second stile takes you journeyy began.g over a small footbridge TTheh Roughs e Ro into a narrow copse. ughs CCross through the copse, over a second

small footbridge and ne La into another fi eld. k oo Br M23M2M23 s Scotchman’s Copse, ek PPeekse Brook Lane to your right, holds a ttanning pond where lleather was treated in MM2323 SpurSpur 8 thet 16th Century. This rare feature is now N Coppice woodlands offer a wonderful spectacle listed as an Ancient of bluebells and wood anemones in Spring Monument. Nearby there used to be a Turn left, away from Burstoww StreaStream,mm, aandnd wwalkalk tottowardsw the farm called ‘Tanyard just after a goods yard and just before ththe llane passes under Public House/Bar Bus Stop nearest pylon, and proceed keeping it and an old wooden Farm’, again a link to the M23’s Gatwick Spur Road. Turn right and follow the small fence to your right. After about 250m you will come to a well the tanning industry. path as it creeps around the goods yard, parallel to the spur made up bridleway, where you turn left and follow it a short Busy Road Train Station road. You soon see a signpost for “Horley ½”, heading to your 5 Now just across the distance to Smallfi eld Road. fi eld you can see a metal right, which you should follow all the way to Haroldslea Drive. t Horley 7 Cross the road and follow the signposted “byway”. as Ci handled bridge at the 9 When you reach Haroldslea Drive, stop a moment and E rcu Little Owls become active when dusk This long stretch eventually becomes Peeks Brook Lane as you lar Walk falls, hunting for beetles, worms and base of a large Ash tree consider that this may have been the very path taken by King head towards Gatwick and move ever closer to the M23 on small mammals. and the Burstow stream to Harold on his way to the Battle of Hastings. It is rumoured that your right. Walk to, but your left.