The Arms is a warm and welcoming place with a chic and quirky THE BLETCHINGLEY ARMS style, perfect for a coffee or lunch COUNTRY TRAIL, before or after your walk. A 4 mile circular pub walk from the Bletchingley Arms in Bletchingley, . The walking route explores the BLETCHINGLEY, SURREY countryside surrounding the village of Bletchingley, taking in the Ridge, large open pastures and small belts of woodland with glorious views to be enjoyed along Moderate Terrain the way. Getting there

Bletchingley is located on the A25, between Redhill and 4 miles . The walk starts and finishes from the Bletchingley Arms on the main , which has its Circular own large car park. Approximate post code RH1 4PE. 2 hours Walk Sections

081214 Go 1 Start to Castle Hill

Leave the Bletchingley Arms car park via the vehicle entrance and turn right along the pavement, passing in front of the pub. Follow the pavement uphill towards the Access Notes centre of the village. As you reach the staggered crossroads, you need to cross over the A25 to turn left 1. The route includes a few steady climbs and descents onto the road signed for Outwood. Do this with care as throughout. the A25 can get busy, if it is very busy you may prefer to continue a bit further along the road where you will find a 2. Most of the paths are unmade, crossing fields and designated crossing point with an island in the middle of woodland, and can be very muddy at any time of year the road. so good boots are a must. 3. You will need to negotiate 8 stiles on route (although you many find the farm gates alongside some of You’ll find this and many more walks at iFootpath.com. All iFootpath walks are available to download on the iFootpath App, these stiles are unlocked) plus 3 staggered barriers allowing you to follow your real-time progress on the live satellite and some steps. map as you are walking (no more getting lost!). You can also add your own comments, ratings and photos to each walk. If you notice any changes required to this walk please contact us at 4. The stiles have fenced surrounds that small/medium [email protected] dogs should be able to negotiate, but larger dogs will need a lift over. 5. The walk crosses through a number of sheep pastures so take particular care with dogs.

© Copyright iFootpath part of OneToRemember LLP THE BLETCHINGLEY ARMS GREENSAND COUNTRY TRAIL 1 Follow the right-hand pavement along Outwood Lane. The charming village of Bletchingley is of medieval origin. It is referred to in the Domesday Book of 1086 and the name probably derives from bleaching associated with the presence of fuller’s earth. Today the village is well known for its specialist antique shops.

As you draw level with the side road, Town Mead, you are forced to swap to the left-hand pavement. On the right you will pass the entrance for Tower House and you may be able to see the tower itself above the tree line. As you draw level with House No 12 on the left, look to the right and you will see a signed footpath. Cross over the road (there are some steps set in the grass verge) to join this path.

Follow this woodland path uphill, with garden fences on the right. The solid fences soon give way to open wire fencing and you will have great views across some old estate land. You will the pasture. Cross the next stile ahead and go straight on, emerge to the end of a residential road at Castle Hill. following the obvious grass track across the next pasture. The track leads you over a small stream and, at the end of the field, you will come to a signed crossroads of paths. Cross the stile ahead and then turn immediately left, following the fence/ 1 2 Castle Hill to Barns hedge on the left.

3 4 Crossroads to Outwood Lane

Look to the left and you will see two signed public footpaths. Take the second of these, the fenced path to the right of the tarmac drive, which heads steadily uphill and then swings right. The views now open up on the left, across the rolling slopes of the Surrey countryside. You will be able to make out the lake alongside Castlehill Farm which sits in the valley bottom. In the field corner, cross the stile and you will pass back over This path, which follows the , is part of the the stream to enter the next pasture. Walk diagonally left (at . The Greensand Ridge is a sandstone about 10’clock) to merge with the left-hand field boundary. Keep escarpment which runs in a horseshoe shape through East ahead with the fence and hedge running on the left. , Surrey and , around the . It is this ridge that forms some of the highest points in Surrey including . A stile ahead leads you into the next pasture. Continue ahead, To the right, through the trees, you will be able to make out the following the left-hand boundary. You will see a small orchard to mound of the former motte and bailey castle, Bletchingley the left (look out for the adorable pig foraging beneath the trees) Castle. The castle was first noted in 1160 as one of the four and then the path leads you past a small woodland on the left. castles of Surrey. In 1170, on the way to Canterbury, the four Immediately after the woodland, cross the stile on the left to knights responsible for assassinating Thomas Becket stayed reach the adjacent pasture. here. The castle was demolished after the Battle of Lewes in 1264, but the earthworks remain as a Scheduled Monument. Walk diagonally across the field to merge with the left-hand field boundary. Continue following the line of the old metal fence on The path swings left and leads you steadily downhill. The the left. Cross the stile and continue along the next field. A final fenced path leads you between pastures and down to a stile. stile will lead you out to a junction with the road, Outwood Lane. Cross this and join the wider fenced farm access track (likely to be very muddy as it is used by cattle) which swings left then right. At the fork in the track, bear right and you will pass some farm barns on the right. 4 5 Outwood Lane to Sleeper Bridge

Cross over and take the signed bridleway directly opposite. Follow this track as it leads you past a handful of properties on 2 3 Barns to Crossroads the right. The track narrows to a fenced path, with open fields visible through the hedgerows each side. After passing the barns, cross the stile ahead to enter the sheep pasture. Follow the obvious track which winds ahead through Further along, the path leads you into a pretty belt of mixed

© Copyright iFootpath part of OneToRemember LLP THE BLETCHINGLEY ARMS GREENSAND COUNTRY TRAIL 2 woodland. This area is used for raising game birds so don’t be care here as this can be slippery). Ignore the path off to the left, surprised if you startle the odd pheasant into the sky! Just instead keep ahead on the grass path through the section of before you emerge from the belt of trees, you will see a scrub. The path will lead you through a staggered barrier to waymarker post on the left. Turn left here onto the public reach the corner of the village playing fields (Grange Meadow), footpath which runs along the right-hand edge of the woodland. by the pavilions. Grange Meadow is host to a wide variety of The path leads you over a small stream via a sleeper bridge. village clubs including the bowls club, football club, rifle range club and the Bletchingley Players theatrical group.

Turn right along the tarmac access lane, passing the children’s Sleeper Bridge to Woodland playground on the right. At the end of the lane you will come to 5 6 a junction with the main A25. Cross over with care (using the Track designated crossing point just to your right) to reach the Bletchingley Arms for some well-earned hospitality.

Disclaimer This walking route was walked and checked at the time of writing. We have taken care to make sure all our walks are safe for walkers of a reasonable level of experience and fitness. However, like all outdoor activities, walking carries a degree of risk and we accept no responsibility for any loss or damage to personal effects, personal accident, injury or public liability whilst following this walk. We cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that result from changes to the routes that occur over time. Please let us know of any changes to the routes so that we can correct the information. Walking Safety For your safety and comfort we recommend that you take the following with you on your walk: bottled water, snacks, a waterproof jacket, waterproof/sturdy boots, a woolly hat and fleece (in winter and cold weather), a fully-charged mobile phone, a whistle, a You will emerge from the trees into a crop field. Cross this compass and an Ordnance Survey map of the area. Check the diagonally left (at about 11 o’clock) and you will reach a path weather forecast before you leave, carry appropriate clothing and through the gap in the hedge line. Pass through this gap and do not set out in fog or mist as these conditions can seriously affect your ability to navigate the route. Take particular care on cliff/ turn immediately right, following the right-hand edge of this mountain paths where steep drops can present a particular hazard. second crop field. Follow this long field boundary as it swings Some routes include sections along roads – take care to avoid any steadily left. At the top of the field, go ahead on the narrow path traffic at these points. Around farmland take care with children and through the hedgerow to emerge to a third crop field. dogs, particularly around machinery and livestock. If you are walking on the coast make sure you check the tide times before you Cross this diagonally left (at about 10 o’clock) and continue in set out. the same direction on the path through the woodland. As you emerge from the trees, keep in the same direction to cross the fourth crop field. In the top field corner take the path which continues uphill back into some trees. A few paces later you will come to a T-junction with a wider woodland track.

6 7 Woodland Track to End

Turn left along this track and follow it as it swings right between steep banks. At the first crossroads keep straight ahead (still climbing), with a fenced field to the left and a mast visible to the right. At the next crossroads, go ahead up a short steep bank and pass through the staggered barrier to reach a playing field.

Go straight over the field to reach the staggered barrier opposite. Pass through this and go down the steep slope (take

© Copyright iFootpath part of OneToRemember LLP THE BLETCHINGLEY ARMS GREENSAND COUNTRY TRAIL 3 © Copyright iFootpath part of OneToRemember LLP THE BLETCHINGLEY ARMS GREENSAND COUNTRY TRAIL 4