Day 9 - Chilworth to Haslemere

The route (all links open in a new window)

Start point: Chilworth

w3w: ///along.tonic.ground

Accompanying video

I knew today was due to be another of those long days. I'd prepared myself mentally for a 21 mile hike but with the added pressure of needing to catch a train at a certain time. It was doable but I would need to keep a brisk pace throughout the day instead of keep stopping to film. This meant the accompanying video may suffer as a result.

I marched my way out of Chilworth station and back down the road I had arrived on on Day 8. Hindsight being 20/20 it was clear to see that this road wasn't a road to be navigating during any kind of rush hour, which I was doing. It is tight, bendy, and has hill brows that hide you from oncoming vehicles. Thankfully this was only a few miles worth of worry and in the main, drivers seemed to be very careful. I advise having a bright cloth/jacket on a long stick with you to forewarn the traffic of your presence.

I arrived at a crossroads where I knew there to be an odd little hut where I could do my video intro. As soon as I started rolling, a circular saw started up nearby. It was going to be one of those days. I decided to crash on regardless. I had no time to be retaking and setting shots up.

The recording booth wasn't without sound issues

Dreams of being the next Spielberg behind me I set off on my continuing journey across the country and along the Greensand Way (GSW). Today was the last day travelling on GSW and, if I followed the SC2C route laid down in Ray Quinlans namesake book I would depart the GSW before reaching the end. Now, I know I didn't start the GSW at Hamstreet BUT I have walked the Hamstreet to Ashford section in the past so, in my mind, that counts towards day-hiking the GSW. That meant, if I left the GSW to follow the SC2C today I would have missed out on completing the GSW by a mere few miles. That seemed like a no-brainer to me. I must finish the GSW!

Before reaching the end I had some walking to do. To my surprise and delight I walked into a farm but not any old farm. This was Gate Street Farm which prized itself on free-range animals and reintroducing animals that have been lost to our isle. The White Stork project is trying to reintroduce 50 breeding pairs. It started in 2016 and in just 4 years they had a breeding pair with white stork chicks. The first chicks of these kind born in over 600 years! One of the juveniles had a GPS fitted and was tracked migrating all the way to Africa. It boggles the mind that the birds still have this in-built capability to navigate such vast distances.

Inquisitive pigs cram for the same fence hole. Although fenced in, they had lots of free-range space.

For my money, on a hot summer's day, with a backpack and water bottle, trudging my way across the country cannot be beaten. The people, animals, views, and buildings you encounter are just a joy to me. It is hard to be miserable when in the English countryside. It is also hard not to notice the churches that adorn the countryside. I'm not a God fearing man but I do like a church. They hold masses of history and I always feel I am passing through, even for a moment, its time zone. If you could instantly know the history of everyone that came and went from these buildings you would likely go mad but if you could make sense of it, it would make for some of the most interesting stories. I find them so appealing just to look at if nothing else.

St. Peters church in Hascombe

Soon after filming St. Peters church in Hascombe my thoughts turned to asking myself why I do what I do. I often find myself asking introspective questions. Probably too many if I am honest. There is a part of me which has wanted to keep moving from a very early age. If I am trying to get away from something I am not sure what it is but I have failed so far. Maybe that is the cynic in me. Maybe the driving force is the interest and excitement of what is to come, rather than what I leave behind. Which begs the question - why does looking back seem so appealing? That's possibly too deep a question to be answering in a travel orientated blog!

Yet another church, St. Michael and All Angels in Godalming, was the signal that my trail was now going to be steadily climbing for the next few kilometers. This rise in elevation was to summit the Devils Punch bowl. Had I not been in a rush today, this would have been a great place to stop and take in the surrounding area. Plenty of other people were enjoying the sights and nature. If you were thinking of a visit there is a visitors center near the top that you can drive to. I believe there is a paid-and-display car park. Yet another great thing about walking everywhere, I don't queue or pay. Well, I guess I do pay with replacing shoes and time.

Once I had topped out the devils punch bowl it was a pretty straight walk down to Haslemere town and then out to the station which signalled the end of my days hike. As I had kept the pace speedy (not fast) and consistent it meant I arrived feeling in good form but I did feel a little like I had glossed over a lot of the places I had walked through. Never mind, it just means I'll have to go back and do more exploring another time!

I don't want to end on a disappointing note but I had spoken to a local who had said there was a placard which stated the start of the Greensand Way (for those heading to Hamstreet). I was looking forward to getting a picture of this but all I could find was this tiny sign that only stated a trip to Limpsfield was ahead of prospective walkers. 

Add 50 miles to that and you've got the full GSW experience.

Well, we know better don't we dear reader!