Chiltern Walks: Hambleden and Medmenham

River Thames between Mill End and Medmenham

Start & Finish: Car park next to the Stag and Huntsman, Hambleden, Henley-on-Thames RG9 6RP
Distance: 9.1 km (5.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 85m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Chiltern Way, Shakespeare’s Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Stag and Huntsman at the start and finish
Map: OS Explorer 171: Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
Links: Hambleden, Medmenham

This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

For this walk we parked in the private car park behind the Stag and Huntsman. Although there’s free on-street parking in the village, it gets very busy and takes away from the old-fashioned feel of the village. The car-park, at time of writing, can be paid only by phone via an app or text.

From the car-park walk through the village past the church and the village stores to the small bridge over the Hambleden Brook. Immediately after the bridge take a footpath on the left that crosses fields and follows the Hambleden Brook in a southerly direction. The path ends 1.3 km from the car-park at a small road leading to Rotten Row. Take a right onto this road then a left onto Skirmett Road. Continue along the pavement on Skirmett Road until it ends at the A4155.

Take a left onto the A4155 and follow it for 100m. Cross over the road and into a small parking area to the left of the last house on the south side of the A4155. Walk through the car park then take a left onto a path that leads to Ferry Lane. Continue along Ferry Lane to the end where there’s a footpath junction. Take a right to follow the path along the side of the field towards the river. Follow the path next to the river for 2.2 km until you reach the small bridge over a stream at (a different) Ferry Lane.

Here’s you’ll find an elaborate monument to a legal case regarding the ferry that used to cross the river here. The inscription says “This monument was erected to commemorate the successful action fought by Hudson Ewbank Kearley First Viscount Devonport which resulted in the Court of Appeal deciding on the 28th of March 1899 that Medmenham Ferry is public”.

Take a left onto Ferry Lane, following it for 300m until you reach a footpath on the left opposite the last house on the right. Follow this footpath until you meet the access road to the large estate to the left of the footpath. The access road is private but there’s a footpath that runs parallel to it on it’s western edge. Follow this path in a northerly direction until a path juction near a stream. Cross over the stream and continue along the path in a north-westerly direction to meet the A4155.

Cross over the A4155 to take the first footpath on the right. This leads steeply up a hill into woodland that’s part of the Hambleden Estate. Keep to the right at the first footpath junction on the hill to takes the path that leads to the small road to Rotten Row. Cross over and continue along the footpath until you’re back at Hanbleden.

Richard gowerTrek, Thames, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, England Comment
Walking The Chiltern Way

The Chiltern Way is a 134 mile (215 km) long distance path around the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). My friend Brian and I have been doing a section a year on or around the Winter Solstice since 2019. At the current rate we plan to be finished in December 2027.

Listed below are the 9 sections of the Chiltern Way that we have either completed or plan to complete. Click on the link for the blog post for already completed sections.

Futher down the page you can find details of short circular walks that include parts of the Chiltern Way.

The Chiltern Way in 9 Sections

Numbers above correspond to each section. Route direction is clockwise.

Short Walks Including The Chiltern Way

Click on the links below for details on short circular walks that include the Chiltern Way. The numbers in brackets at the start of the bullet relate to the related section of the Chiltern Way above.

Books and Maps

Richard gowerComment
2022 in numbers

My stats for the year:

TOTAL DISTANCE IN 2022

  • Run (outdoor): 519 miles (830 km)

  • Cycle (Outdoor): 651 miles (1,042 km)

  • Cycle (Zwift): 1,160 miles (1,857 km)

  • Trek: 642 miles (1,028 km)

  • Total = 2,976 miles (4,761 km)

Trek = recorded hiking & walking events, not general steps.

Richard gowerRun, Cycle, Trek, Zwift, SUPComment
Telegraph Hill: New Forest National Park High Point*

Significance: New Forest National Park high Point
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Win Green (?) NHN = Win Green
Elevation: 127m
Date “climbed”: December 28th 2022
Coordinates: 50° 56' 57'' N, 1° 40' 37'' W
On route of: N/A
Map: New Forest Map | Southampton, Ringwood, Ferndown, Lymington, Christchurch & Bournemouth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL22
Links: Wikipedia (New Forest), Peakbagger

*Telegraph Hill is, according to Peakbagger and some other sources, the highest point in the New Forest National Park. However, other sources list the high point as Pipers Wait which is 2 metres higher. I had only discovered Pipers Wait after having bagged Telegraph Hill, so a return visit will be needed at some point.

Bagging Telegraph Hill is pretty simple as the high ground is at and around the car park. The car park can be a good base for walk around the area. We were there on a rainy day just after Christmas so opted for a quick drive-by instead. Two nearby OS Trig Pillars, Pound Bottom and Bramshaw can be bagged in either a walk based from the Telegraph Hill car park or as quick drive-bys.

The name Telegraph Hill is due to a semaphore telegraph station built here in 1795. The station was one of the points where the admiralty communications were transmitted to London. This station was on the uncompleted London to Plymouth line.

Richard gowerTrek, Trig Pillar, New Forest, National Park, Hampshire, EnglandComment
New Forest Walks: Brockenhurst, Sway and the Disused Railway

Bridge over the disused railway.

Start: Brockenhurst Railway Station: Brockenhurst, SO42 7TW
Finish: Sway Railway Station: Sway, Lymington SO41 6BA
Distance: 10.6 km (6.6 Miles)
Elevation change: +79m / -101m. Net -22m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Southampton and Dorchester Railway Path
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 2
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Brockenhurst and Sway. None on the route
Map: New Forest Map | Southampton, Ringwood, Ferndown, Lymington, Christchurch & Bournemouth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map OL22
Links: Brockenhurst, Southampton and Dorchester Railway, Sway

This is a flat(ish) point to point walk between Brockenhurst and Sway railway stations, taking in a stretch of the disused Southampton and Dorchester railway path. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

From Brockenhurst Station cross over the car park onto Avenue Road and follow it in a north-westerly direction to Sway Road. Take a left onto Sway Road then a right into a small car park to the left of the school. Continue through the car park onto a path that crosses Culverley Green to Burley Road. Take at left at Burley Road and follow it for 300 metres before taking a path on the left. Continue along this path with the stream on your left and farm buildings on your right. Continue following this path in a roughly south-westerly through Hinchslea Bog. We were there in winter after a lot of rain and the Bog was very ….boggy. Make sure you wear waterproof boots and are prepared to jump over a few streams and puddles.

At 3km from the start of the walk you’ll arrive at a crossing in the path. Take the left hand path which will take you to the start of the Southampton and Dorchester Railway path at the south-western corner of the golf course. Take a left and follow the railway path for ~3.5 km until the path ends and the old rail route becomes a road. From here you can either retrace your route along the railway path or take another path just to the south back to the edge of the woods near Oaken Caravan site. From here leave the railway path and follow a footpath in a south-easterly direction through the woods to Adlams Lane.

Follow Adlams Lane to the junction with Mead End Road, then take a left onto Mead End Road and follow it onto Station Road to reach Sway Station. From here you can catch a train back to Brockenhurst (1 stop).

Scroll down for information on the Old Station Tea Room on the site of the old Holmsley Station, further along the disused rail line.

Holmsley Railway Station - The Old Station Tea Room

The route described above covers the section of the old Southampton to Dorchester line that has been converted to a shared path for walking, cycling and riding. Further up the line to the west, on the section that’s now a road, you can find the old Holmsley Station, now converted into a Team Room. It’s a great place to stop whether you’re a train enthusiast or not. It’s been lovingly restored and is now a busy cafe.

Links:

More Disused Railway Posts

Richard gowerTrek, Railway, Disused Railway, New Forest, National Park, Hampshire, EnglandComment
Chiltern Walks: North-East Hambleden Circular

Near Rotten Row

Start & Finish: Car park next to the Stag and Huntsman, Hambleden, Henley-on-Thames RG9 6RP
Distance: 9.7 km (6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 145m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Shakespeare’s Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns’ Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Stag and Huntsman at the start and finish
Map: OS Explorer 171: Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
Links: Hambleden

This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

For this walk we parked in the private car park behind the Stag and Huntsman. Although there’s free on-street parking in the village, it gets very busy and takes away from the old-fashioned feel of the village. The car-park, at time of writing, can be paid only by phone via an app or text.

From the car-park follow the Chiltern Way as it heads out of the village in an easterly direction. You’ll soon ascend into North Cot Wood, then level off as you cross fields to Rotten Row. After 2km you’ll reach the Marlow Common to Rotten Row road. Take a right onto it then, after ~150m take a left into the woods. Continue down the hill to the clearing, taking a left and leaving the Chiltern Way as it tracks east.

Follow the path in a northerly direction for just over 1km to take a right onto Chisbridge Lane. Soon there will be a split where a farm track leaves the lane. Follow this track to the left. Before this track reaches a cross-roads take a left onto a footpath that takes a westerly route through Bushes Wood to Colstre Lane. Follow Colstre Lane, still heading west for 250m, taking a right onto a footpath that follows a metal fence down the hill. Follow this path for 1.25km until you return to the Chiltern Way. Take a left onto the Chiltern Way and follow it back to Hambleden.

The Hambleden and Rotten Row walk is a shorter version of this circular that includes the Hutton’s Farm Trig Pillar.

Richard gowerTrek, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, EnglandComment
Walking The Chiltern Way Part 4 - Streatley to Peter’s Green

Through fields to Lilley

Start: The Chequers pub, 171 Sharpenhoe Road, Streatley, Luton, LU3 3PS
Finish: The Bright Star Pub, Kimpton Road, Peter's Green, Luton, LU2 9QP
Distance: 20.8 km (12.9 Miles)
Elevation change: +223m / -227m. Net -4m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Icknield Way Path, John Bunyan Trail
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway, Icknield Way Trail
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Chequers at the start and The Bright Star at the end plus The Lilley Arms (just off route at 8.7 km in) and The King William (13.3 km in)
Maps:
- Luton & Stevenage Map | Hitchin & Ampthill | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 193
- St Albans & Hatfield Map | Hemel Hempstead & Welwyn Garden City | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 182
OS Trig Pillar: TP6734 - Warden Hill
Links: Chiltern Way (Chiltern Society), Streatley, Luton, Lilley

This is the fourth of a series of point to point walks on the Chiltern Way. The full trail is a 134 mile (215 km) long distance path around the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). My friend Brian and I have been doing a section a year on or around the Winter Solstice since 2019. At the current rate we plan to be finished in December 2027. The Chiltern Way is well sign-posted however you should take a map or GPX route to keep on track and be prepared for all weathers. This post isn’t intended as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.

It had been 2 years since Brian and I had been on the Chiltern Way. An operation had put him out of action last winter so we skipped a year. Our Summer Solstice way on the River Ver Trail was a good test that his body was functioning again and were back on the trail. We finished Part 2 at Chalk Hill on the A5 but had already covered the next section to Streatley a couple of years previously on the Icknield Way. Rather than cover those 17 km again we picked up the trail at the Chequers pub in Streatley.

From Streatley the Chiltern Way splits off from the Icknield Way for 3 km, reconnecting with it on the ascent up to Warden Hill. After 4.5 km you’ll be at the highest point on this section where you can hop over the fence to bag the Warden Hill Trig Pillar. This is also a great spot to get a panorama of Luton town and the rest of the Chilterns the other side of the gap.

Despite being the highest point on this section, Warden Hill isn’t the highest point in Luton as it’s just outside of the town boundary. You’ll reach the Luton High Point a further 2.5 km from the Trig Pillar at the entrance to Whitehill Farm at the end of Butterfield Green Road. There’s nothing of interest here and I forgot to take a photo to mark the spot, but you can get a good view of it on Google Street View.

From Whitehill the route descends to Lilley where you’ll find the first pub on this section after Streatley. We were looking forward to a morning coffee but had arrived an hour too early and it wasn’t open yet. Instead we pushed on a further 4.5 km to Mangrove to visit the King William pub but also found it to be closed. Getting to pubs at the wrong time was becoming a theme for our Winter Solstice walks. By starting so early in the day we were covering a lot of ground before pubs opened. For this trip there were no more pubs or cafes between Mangrove and the finish point so broke into our emergency rations and carried on.

The final part of this section is a curve around Luton airport. It’s a pleasant section through farms and woodland with the occasional jet descending overhead and a a whiff of kerosene.

This was a much easier section than I expected. The forecast was for heavy rain and I was preparing for the sticky mud that we had experienced on previous sections. As it turned it it was a bright, dry day will little mud. This brought us to the end point at lunch time rather than sunset giving us a shorter than expected Solstice walk. We weren’t complaining though as our main thought was lunch at the Bright Star pub. The good news was that it was open. The bad news was that it wasn’t serving food. We returned by car to the Chequers at Streatley, our lunch stop on the Icknield Way for a big plate of fish and chips.

Don’t get put off by this section when you look at it on a map. By being so close to Luton town and the airport you could mistake it for being a less pleasant part of the Chiltern Way. The reality is that the trail keeps to the hills and farms outside of the town.

Whitehill-Butterfield Green

Significance: Highest point in the Unitary Authority of Luton
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Wendover Woods (Haddington Hill), NHN = Dunstable Downs
Historic County: Bedfordshire (of which Dunstable Downs is the County Top)
Elevation: 178m
Date “climbed”: 20th December 2022
Coordinates: 51° 54' 53'' N, 0° 23' 40'' W
Map: Luton & Stevenage Map | Hitchin & Ampthill | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 193
Links: Wikipedia (Luton), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Previous section: see Icknield Way Part 2 - Chalk Hill to Pirton (first half to Streatley follows the Chiltern Way)
Next section: Walking The Chiltern Way Part 5: Peter’s Green to Shubhill Common

Richard gowerTrek, Chilterns, UK County Tops, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, England, Trig PillarComment
Chiltern Walks: Stokenchurch and The Ridgeway

View to Radnage

Start & Finish: Free on-street parking around or near The Common, Stokenchurch, HP14 3QA
Distance: 10.6 km (6.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 231m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Chiltern Way, The Ridgeway, Aston Rowant Discovery Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Stokenchurch at the start and finish, plus the Sir Charles Napier pub (2.4 km in)
Map: - OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
Links: Stokenchurch, The Ridgeway, Aston Wood & Juniper Bank (Woodland Trust)

This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

For this walk we retuned to Stokenchurch where we visited a week earlier for our Stokenchurch and Radnage walk. Parking at the same place opposite the Kings Hotel we retraced our steps along the Chiltern Way for 300m. Rather than continue along the Chiltern Way the route follows Park Lane for another 400m then takes a footpath heading north where Park Lane curves to the right. Keep following this path in a northerly direction until you reach the Sir Charles Napier pub on Sprigs Holly Lane. There’s a few path junctions to navigate on this section so keep a close eye on your map to make sure that you reach the pub.

Take a left onto Sprigs Holly Lane, walking in a north-westerly direction as it becomes Chinnor Hill (road). After 900m from the pub take a footpath into the woods when the road curves to the right. Descend steeply through the woods for 800m to reach the Ridgeway. Take a left onto the Ridgeway and follow it for 2 km to the junction with the Aston Rowant Discovery Trail. Take a left onto the trail, leaving the Ridgeway and ascend through Juniper Bank and Grove Wood to the A40.

Follow the A40 for 300m then take a left onto Kingston Hill (road). The A40 can be very busy but there’s a safe path on the left hand side. Follow Kingston Hill for 200m then take a right onto a road leading to a farm. The farm road becomes private property after the gatehouse so you’ll need to take the footpath on the left to divert around the field. Take the first right onto another path that crosses the front of the farm. From the farm continue along the path for 1.2 km to re-enter Stokenchurch at Chalk Farm Road.

Richard gowerTrek, Chilterns, National Trust, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, EnglandComment
Chiltern Walks: Stokenchurch and Radnage

View to Radnage

Start & Finish: Free on-street parking around or near The Common, Stokenchurch, HP14 3QA
Distance: 9 km (5.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 182m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Chiltern Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Stokenchurch at the start and finish, plus the Mash Inn, just off the route (3.7 km) in Radnage.
Map: - OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
Links: Stokenchurch, Radnage

This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

For this walk we parked in Stokenchurch town centre near where the Chiltern Way crosses the A40. From here, the route follows the A40 towards High Wycombe for 450 metres before taking a left onto George Road. At the intersection of George Road and the oddly named Bartholemew Tipping Way take a right onto a footpath heading in a south-easterly direction running parallel to the A40. Continue along the footpath as it follows the perimeter of Stokenchurch Pre-School then crosses a field and onto a farm track heading in a north-easterly direction.

At 2.5 km into the walk the footpath ends at a driveway to a large house. Take a left onto the driveway and follow it into the woods where you’ll descend to Grange Farm Road. Take a right onto the road and follow it in an easterly direction. Continue onto Bennet End Road, right onto Town End Road and left onto Bottom Road. Approximately 180m along Bottom Road take a footpath on the left and ascend steeply into the woods until you reach the junction with the Chiltern Way. Take a left onto the Chiltern Way and follow it for 4 km back to Stokenchurch.

Although there’s no pubs directly on the route after Stokenchurch, the Mash Inn is just off the route at 3.7 km in Radnage. To get there take a left up Horseshoe Road when Grange Farm Road meets Bennet End Road.

Richard gowerTrek, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, England, National TrustComment
Hurtwood 50k Ultra Marathon

In The Hurtwood between Checkpoints 2 and 3

When: December 4th 2022
Start and Finish: Dorking Sports Centre, Reigate Road, Dorking, RH4 1SN
Distance: 50 km (31 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 1,084m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Leith Hill Greenway
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, Surrey Cycleway
OS Trig Pillar:
- TP6411 - The Nower (2 km from start)
- TP2379 - Coneyhurst Hill (19 km from start)
Maps:
- Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate Map | Leatherhead & Caterham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 146
- Guildford & Farnham Map | Godalming & Farnborough | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 145
Finish time: 7 hours 13 minutes
Links:
- Dorking, Milton Heath and The Nower, Wescott, The Hurtwood, Holmbury Camp, Holmbury St Mary, Winterfold Forest
- Leith Hill: Wikipedia, Peakbagger, Hillbagging, National Trust

My 10th Ultra was on familiar ground. Timea and I had been walking the Greensand Way in the Surrey Hills in small sections this year. As the Autumn finished we made it as far as Dorking and decided to pause until the Spring. I had signed up the the Hurtwood 50k in the Summer but hadn’t realised that the start and finish would be in the exact place as we finished our walks.

The course starts at Dorking Sports Centre and follows the high street for ~1km before reaching the Greensand Way. From here it follows the Greensand Way for 20km then takes an 8km circle around Winterfold Woods. After the circle the route retraces the Greensand Way back to Dorking. Along the way there’s >1000m metres of elevation, Leith Hill (Surrey’s County Top), Holmbury Hill, Pitch Hill, the Nower and 2 OS Trig Pillars. It felt like a Greatest Hits of the Surrey Hills walks that we had done over the Summer.

It was also the first winter Ultra that I attempted since my DNF on the Thames Path back in 2016. Wind and mud meant a very slow pace on that one and I had to pull out half way. That was a flat course too and I wasn’t confident in the weather or ground conditions for the Hurtwood after a wet autumn. As it turned out the ground was mostly dry, the air was nice and chilly and there was very little wind. These were perfect Ultra conditions for me.

This was my first out-and-back Ultra route. I wasn’t too excited about that as I normally prefer point-to-points. However, I found it to be a huge motivational advantage on the return stretch. It was still a long way but just seemed much easier as I was heading home. I found that I could run for longer stretches later in the race and the hills didn’t seem so tough. On the long descent from the summit of Leith Hill there was a moment when I thought I might beat my 50K PB of 6 hours 59 minutes.

The PB didn’t happen but I wasn’t bothered. I had forgotten about the return to The Nower, a steep hill on the approach to Dorking. In the end I finished in 7 hours 13 minutes, not far off my PB and not bad at all considering the more the double elevation of previous 50ks.

I’ll be doing some more distance events at this time of year. My mood dips from mid-November to mid-December due to a combination of a busy time at work and winter gloom. The focus on rest and nutrition leading up to this event kept me on track and the win of completing a very hilly winter Ultra will see me through till Christmas.

Thanks to Freedom Racing for hosting a well-managed, very rewarding event.

Richard gowerRun, Ultramarathon, Trig Pillar, National Trust, UK County Tops, Surrey, England, Surrey HillsComment
Chiltern Walks: Piddington and West Wycombe

West Wycombe Hill

Start & Finish: The Dashwood Roadhouse, Old Oxford Road, Piddington, Bucks, HP14 3BH
Distance: 8 km (5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 243m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Dashwood Roadhouse at the start and end
Map:
- OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
- OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
Links: Piddington, West Wycombe, West Wycombe Caves, Dashwood Mausoleum, National Trust - West Wycombe Park, Village and Hill

This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

For this walk we parked outside the Dashwood Roadhouse, formerly the Dashwood Arms. The pub is on the Old Oxford Road which runs parallel to the A40. There’s plenty of free parking spaces outside of the pub. From the pub cross over the road and follow the private road into Ham Farm. Turn right after the first set of farm buildings and take the footpath that climbs the hill in a north-easterly direction. Continue on this path crossing over Bottom Road, Chinnor Road and Slough Lane.

After Slough Lane climb the steep hill to Hearton Wood and take a right onto the main track that follows the ridge in a south-easterly direction. At the car-park leave the track to visit the Dashwood Mausoleum and St. Lawrence Church. If you have more time you can visit the Hellfire Caves under the hill. The entrance to this is on Church Road.

Descend the hill to the junction of Chorley Road and Oxford Road (A40), Take a right onto the Oxford Road and follow the pavement for 200m, then cross over to the south side to Towerridge Lane. Follow Towerridge Lane up the hill for 900 metres, curving to the right, until it stops at some private houses. When the lane becomes a foopath follow it in a south-westerly direction for 300 metres then take a footpath on the right into the woods. Follow this path in a westerly direction through Upper Dorrells Wood, cross over bullocks Farm Lane and onto a north-westerly footpath.

When you reach the village of Piddington take Queen Street to Princes Street, then follow that until you reach the Old Oxford Road and the Dashwood Arms.

Richard gowerTrek, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, England, National TrustComment
Chiltern Walks: Piddington and Bottom Wood

Between Horleys Green and Piddington

Start & Finish: The Dashwood Roadhouse, Old Oxford Road, Piddington, Bucks, HP14 3BH
Distance: 7.9 km (4.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 105m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Dashwood Roadhouse at the start and end
Map:
- OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
- OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
Links: Piddington

This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

For this walk we parked outside the Dashwood Roadhouse, formerly the Dashwood Arms. The pub is on the Old Oxford Road which runs parallel to the A40. There’s plenty of free parking spaces outside of the pub. From the pub cross over the road and follow the path that runs in a north-westerly direction along a farm track. After ~500m from the A40 you’ll meet a split in the path where you’ll continue along the farm track to the right. Continue following this track for 2km through Bottom Wood until you reach a field.

Instead of crossing into the field take a right and following the path in a north-westerly direction until you reach the end of Radnage Common Road. At this path junction take the path that’s straight ahead not the first left into the field. Continue for another 300m then take a left. Continue for another 350m, cross over Water End Road and continue until you’re back at the A40.

Carefully cross over the A40 and continue in a south-westerly direction through the wood for 400m. Take a left hand turn to follow a path through a field that takes you to Copse Drive in Horleys Green. At the end of Copse Drive take a right onto Bigmore Lane, than a left at onto Jones Way. When you reach the footpath at the entrance to the senior living estate take a right and follow the path south for 500m. Take a left to follow a path in an easterly direction for 2.2 km back to the Dashwood Roadhouse where you started.

This route is a variation on the Bottom Wood Walk with Peter Towersey published in the Chiltern Society magazine.

Richard gowerTrek, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, EnglandComment
Walking The Greensand Way Part 12 - The Nower and Dorking

Denbies Hillside. View towards railway and Westcott

Start & Finish: Reigate Road Car Park, 9 Reigate Rd, Dorking RH4 1SN
Distance: 10.8 km (6.7 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 222m
Greensand Way section covered: Bury Hill to Punchbowl Lane: 5 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 22, Surrey Cycleway
OS Trig Pillar: TP6411 - The Nower
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Queen’s Head (6.5 km in) and several on Station Road at the start/finish
Map: Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate Map | Leatherhead & Caterham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 146
Links: Dorking, Milton Heath and The Nower, National Trust Denbies Hillside, Deepdene Estate

This is the twelfth of a series of short circular walks featuring the Greensand Way. The full trail is a long distance path stretching from Haslemere in Surrey to Ham Street in Kent. Our walks take in short sections of the Greensand Way and loop back to the start on other paths. The Greensand Way is well sign posted however you’ll need a map or GPX route to keep on track for the return sections of the loops. The guidance below will help but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.

For this section we parked at Dorking Sports Centre at the northern end of the town. From here cross over Reigate Road and follow London Road until a footpath on the left that takes you onto a bridge over the Pipp Brook. Take a left onto the path that follows the brook. Pass the mill pond on your left, and cross the park to reach a footpath that cuts into a residential area called the Parkway. Continue in an westerly direction to Chalkpit Lane and take a right. Walk up Chalkpit Lane and take a footpath on the left after the railway bridge. Take a right onto Ranmore Road then a left onto a footpath immediately after the school.

You’ll now be in the Denbies Hillside National Trust property. Continue in a westerly direction for ~1.5 km until the path curves down to the south to meet the railway line. Carefully cross the level crossing and continue south for 1.2 km until you meet the A5 Guildford Road at Westcott. Shortly after the railway line you’ll reach a path junction in Clay Copse. Take the right hand path up through the woods to keep on track.

Cross over the A25 Guildford Road and continue south onto Milton Street. After 200m you’ll rejoin the Greensand Way at the point where you left it on section 11. Follow the Greensand Way for 5 km to Punchbowl Lane at Deepdene. Along the way you’ll pass up and over The Nower (with an OS Trig Pillar on top), the southern end of Dorking Town and what’s left of the Deepdene Estate. The Queen’s Head pub at 6.5km is a good place to stop for a rest.

At Punchbowl Lane you’ll leave the Greensand Way which heads in a southerly direction. Instead, take a left, heading north, then a right onto Ladyegate Road. After 200m take a right onto a footpath leading to Deepdene Park Road. Take a left, following Deepdene Park Road to Deepdene Drive. Take a right and continue to the end of the estate at the A24 Deepdene Avenue. Cross over and take the footpath leading to Moores Road. Take a right, a right again and you’ll be back in front of Dorking Sports Centre.

Richard gowerTrek, Surrey, Trig Pillar, National Trust, Railway, England, Surrey HillsComment
Walking the City of London Boundary

View of the Thames from the southern border of The City at the City/Tower Hamlets/Southwark Tri-point

The City of London is a unique place in the UK’s geography and governance. It’s part of Greater London but not one of the 32 London Boroughs. It’s inside a city but is a city itself. It’s a Ceremonial County and was within the boundaries of the Historic County of Middlesex but was self-governing.

The City is nicknamed the Square Mile as it’s internal area is 1.12 m² (2.9 km² ). The boundary is less that 11 km with negligible elevation change which makes it a very manageable walk of approximately 3 hours. As as walk it’s also fascinating as you’ll pass the 14 dragons that guard the boundary, 7 tri-points with the London Boroughs and the highest point of the City of London.

The dragons are cast iron statues the guard the main road entrances to the City of London. They were designed and installed in the 1960s. For a more detailed history of the dragons, see the post on IanVisits.

The page below describes the walk that we did in October 2022. Directions start at the Victoria Embankment Dragon, close to Temple Station, but there’s several other good starting points close to tube or rail stations. Let me know if you spot an error or have an interesting fact about the boundary to share. I’ll donate £1 to one of my causes for each update to the page.

Start & Finish: At the Embankment Dragons, Victoria Embankment, Temple, London, WC2R 2PN
Distance: 10.6 km (6.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 89m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Jubilee Walkway, Jack The Ripper Walk, Jubilee Greenway
Other routes touched (cycle): CS 3,7, C2,6
Map: London North Map | The City, West End, Enfield, Ealing, Harrow & Watford | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 173
Links: City of London, Dragon Boundary Mark

Route of the boundary walk showing locations of the Dragons (liliac icon), Tri-points (brown icon) and high point (red icon)

The City / Borough Tri-Points

Our boundary walk was partly inspired by David Natzler’s project to visit the Borough Tri-Points of Greater London. David’s project, documented in this blog post, visits 32 points where three London Borough’s connect. The City of London isn’t a borough so the 7 Tri-Points of the City with 2 boroughs was out of scope for that project. Given that all 7 of these are on the City of London boundary I wanted to find them all.

David had the great idea of using an oak sprig in photos of each Tri-Point. I wanted to do something slightly different and used a fridge magnet of a London postbox to show the Tri-Point location. Scroll down to see details and the photo of each Tri-Point at the relevant part of the walk.

Dragons 1 & 2: Embankment

Type: Twins, either side of Victoria Embankment, mounted on stone pedestals.
Distance into walk: 0 km
Address: Victoria Embankment, Temple, London, WC2R 2PN.
Nearest Station: Temple (Circle, District)
Coordinates: 51°30'40.0"N 0°06'41.5"W
Links: Victoria Embankment, Inner Temple Gardens

Dragon 3: Temple Bar

Type: Large single dragon on top of a memorial obelisk.
Distance into walk: 0.4 km
Address: The Strand, Temple, London, EC4A 2LT
Nearest Stations: Temple (Circle, District) or City Thameslink
Coordinates: 51°30'49.4"N 0°06'42.9"W
Directions from previous point: Right onto Temple Place, up the Milford Lane steps, along Essex Street, right onto The Strand. Note that the boundary runs through the buildings east of Essex Street. Essex Street itself is actually in the City of Westminster.
Links: Temple Bar, Temple Bar Memorial, Royal Courts of Justice

City of London High Point

Distance into walk: 1 km
Address: Junction of Chancery Lane and High Holborn.
Nearest Station: Chancery Lane (Central)
Coordinates: 51°31'05.3"N 0°06'49.5"W
Directions from previous point: Left onto Chancery Lane, continue to the junction with High Holborn.
See this related post for more details and photos of the City of London High Point

Dragons 4 & 5: High Holborn

Type: Twin dragons on stone plinths either side of the road.
Distance into walk: 1.2 km
Address: Either side of High Holborn near exit to Chancery Lane Underground. Staple Inn 5, London, WC1V 7QH.
Nearest Station: Chancery Lane (Central)
Coordinates: 51°31'05.1"N 0°06'40.7"W
Directions from previous point: Turn right out of Chancery Lane onto High Holborn, continue east.
Links: Chancery Lane, High Holborn

This one is often referred to as the Chancery Lane Dragon, however High Holborn is a more accurate name for its location.

Tri-Point: City of London / Westminster / Camden

Distance into walk: 1.3 km
Address: Between the two carriageways of High Holborn at the corner of High Holborn and Furnival Street, WC1V 7QU.
Nearest Station: Chancery Lane (Central)
Coordinates: 51°31'05.0"N 0°06'37.6"W
Directions from previous point: Continue east along High Holborn.
Links: City of Westminster, Camden

Dragon 6: Farringdon

Type: Single dragon on a pedestal.
Distance into walk: 1.7 km
Address: South side of junction of Charterhouse Street and Furnival Street, EC4A 4LL.
Nearest Station: Farringdon (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Elizabeth Line, Thameslink)
Coordinates: 51°31'06.6"N 0°06'19.1"W
Directions from previous point: Turn left onto Charterhouse Street at Junction of High Holborn/Hatton Garden/Charterhouse/New Fetter Lane.
Links: Farringdon, Smithfield, Smithfield Market

Look out for the 2 “bonus” dragons either side of the arch at the entrance to Smithfield Market on Charterhouse Street.

Tri-Point: City of London / Camden / Islington

Distance into walk: 1.7 km
Address: South side of junction of Charterhouse Street and Furnival Street, EC4A 4LL.
Nearest Station: Farringdon (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Elizabeth Line, Thameslink)
Coordinates: 51°31'06.6"N 0°06'19.1"W
Directions from previous point: N/A - at Farringdon Dragon.
Links: Camden, Islington

Dragon 7: Barbican

Type: Single dragon on a pedestal.
Distance into walk: 2.5 km
Address: Junction of A1 Goswell Road and Baltic Street West. 38 Goswell Road, Golden Lane Estate, London, EC1M 7AA.
Nearest Station: Barbican (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan)
Coordinates: 51°31'06.6"N 0°06'19.1"W
Directions from previous point: Continue along Charterhouse Street until end, turn left onto A1 Goswell Road, continue north.
Links: Barbican, Barbican Estate, Golden Lane Estate

Dragon 8: Moorgate

Type: Single dragon on a pedestal.
Distance into walk: 3.6 km
Address: South-east side of junction of Ropemaker Street/A501 Moorgate/South Place, EC2M 2RB.
Nearest Station: Moorgate (National Rail)
Coordinates: 51°31'08.5"N 0°05'15.9"W
Directions from previous point: Turn right into Baltic Street West, onto Baltic Street East, right onto Golden Lane, Left onto B100 Beech Street, onto B100 Chiswell Street, right onto Moor Lane, left onto Ropemaker Street.
Links: Moorgate

At the time that we visited in October 2022 the Moorgate Dragon was looking shiny and new having been recently replaced. The original had been removed to allow room for lorries accessing the construction site for Crossrail / The Elizabeth Line.

Tri-Point: City of London / Islington / Hackney

Distance into walk: 3.9 km
Address: North-West Corner of Finsbury Square / Sun Street and Wilson Street, EC2M 2PA.
Nearest Station: Liverpool Street (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Central, Elizabeth Line, Overground, National Rail)
Coordinates: 51°31'13.2"N 0°05'06.9"W
Directions from previous point: Continue east along South Place, left onto Wilson Street, continue to junction with Sun Street.
Links: Islington, Hackney

Dragon 9: Bishopsgate

Type: Single dragon on a pedestal.
Distance into walk: 4.5 km
Address: Corner of Worship Street and A10 Norton Foldgate.
Nearest Station: Liverpool Street (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Central, Elizabeth Line, Overground, National Rail)
Coordinates: 51°31'08.5"N 0°05'15.9"W
Directions from previous point: Turn right onto Sun Street, curve to the left onto Appold Street, right onto Worship Street.
Links: Bishopsgate

This one is often referred to as the Liverpool Street Dragon, however Bishopsgate is a more accurate name for its location.

Tri-Point: City of London / Hackney / Tower Hamlets

Distance into walk: 4.5 km
Address: East side of A10 Shoreditch High Street opposite junction with Worship Street.
Nearest Station: Liverpool Street (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Central, Elizabeth Line, Overground, National Rail)
Coordinates: 51°31'17.4"N 0°04'42.5"W
Directions from previous point: Opposite side of A10 North Foldgate to the Liverpool Street Dragon.
Links: Hackney, Tower Hamlets

Dragon 10: Aldgate

Type: Single dragon on a pedestal.
Distance into walk: 5.5 km
Address: South-west corner of Middlesex Street and Aldgate High Street, E1 8AX.
Nearest Stations: Aldgate (Circle, Metropolitan) and Aldgate East (District, Hammersmith & City)
Coordinates: 51°31'08.5"N 0°05'15.9"W
Directions from previous point: Turn right out of Worship Street onto A10 North Foldgate, left onto Brushfield Street, right onto Fort Street, (briefly) right onto Artillery Lane, left onto Sandy’s Row, left onto Middlesex Street, left onto St Botolph Street.
Links: Aldgate

Dragon 11: Tower Hill

Type: Single dragon on a pedestal.
Distance into walk: 6.6 km
Address: South side of Byward Street/Tower Hill, at 1 Tower Hill Terrace, London, EC3N 4EE.
Nearest Station: Tower Hill (Circle, District)
Coordinates: 51°30'34.1"N 0°04'43.1"W
Directions from previous point: Cross over Aldgate High Street onto A1210 Mansell Street, right onto Shorter Street, cross over The Minories and follow the north side of Trinity Square Gardens to Tower Hill (road). Cross over to South Side of Tower Hill (road).
Links: Tower Hill, Tower of London

Tri-Point: City of London / Tower Hamlets / Southwark

Distance into walk: 6.8 km
Address: In River Thames between west end of Millennium Pier (north-side) and east end of HMS Belfast (south-side).
Nearest Station: Tower Hill (Circle, District)
Coordinates: 51°30'24.7"N 0°04'48.7"W
Directions from previous point: Turn right onto Tower Hill Terrace, continue onto Petty Wales then to the Thames Path.
Links: Tower Hamlets, Southwark

Dragon 12 and 13: London Bridge

Type: Twin dragons on stone plinths either side of southern entrance to bridge.
Distance into walk: 7.7 km
Address: On A3 London Bridge (road) at south end of #1 London Bridge (plus twin on opposite side of road), SE1 9AJ.
Nearest Station: London Bridge (Jubilee, Northern)
Coordinates: 51°30'23.6"N 0°05'16.5"W
Directions from previous point: Follow Thames Path in a westerly direction to London Bridge. Cross bridge to south side.
Links: London Bridge. Other bridges between London and Blackfriars: Southwark Bridge, Millennium Bridge.

The actual boundary of the City of London runs through the middle of the Thames between the City/Tower Hamlets/Southwark Tri-Point in the east and the City/Southwark/Lambeth Tri-Point in the west. Both London Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge are wholly within the City boundary and are overseen by the City of London Corporation (through Bridge House Estates). Two other bridges, between these: Southwark Bridge and Millennium Bridge are not part of the City of London, however the northern half of each is within the river boundary.

Dragon 14: Blackfriars Bridge

Type: Single dragon on a pedestal.
Distance into walk: 9.7 km
Address: Middle of carriageway at southern end of A2021 Blackfriars Bridge (road), SE1 9UD.
Nearest Station: Blackfriars (Circle, District, Thameslink, National Rail)
Coordinates: 51°30'30.7"N 0°06'15.8"W
Directions from previous point: Cross back over London Bridge to north side of the Thames, continue along Thames Path in a westerly direction to Blackfriars Bridge. Cross bridge to south side.
Links: Blackfriars Bridge

Tri-Point: City of London / Southwark / Lambeth

Distance into walk: 10.5 km
Address: In River Thames between Inner Temple Gardens (north-side) and west end of the Oxo Building (south-side).
Nearest Stations: Temple (Circle, District) or Blackfriars (Circle, District, Thameslink, National Rail)
Coordinates: 51°30'35.2"N 0°06'41.3"W
Directions from previous point: Cross back over Blackfriars Bridge to north side of the Thames, continue along Thames Path in a westerly direction.
Links: Southwark, Lambeth

Tri-Point: City of London / Lambeth / Westminster

Distance into walk: 10.6 km
Address: In River Thames between east end of HQS Wellington (north-side) and The London Studios (south-side).
Nearest Station: Temple (Circle, District)
Coordinates: 51°30'35.5"N 0°06'33.1"W
Directions from previous point: Continue along Thames Path in a westerly direction.
Links: Lambeth, City of Westminster

A Load of Bollards

If collecting the dragons, the tri-points and the high point isn’t geeky enough for you, there’s also the bollards. We noticed that most of the bollards have a date at the bottom and decided to see if we could get the full set. We completed 1991 through to 2000 plus 1988 and 2007.

More London posts

Richard gowerTrek, Thames, Middlesex, London, EnglandComment
Walking The Greensand Way Part 9 - Pitch Hill and Holmbury Hill

Pitch Hill Viewpoint

Start & Finish: Hurtwood Car Park 3, Pitch Hill, Cranleigh, GU6 7NL
Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 239m
Greensand Way section covered: Pitch Hill Car Park to Holmbury St Mary: 5.25 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): Various mountain bike trails in The Hurtwood
OS Trig Pillar: TP2379 - Coneyhurst Hill
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Royal Oak at Holmbury St Mary (5.8 km in)
Map: Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate Map | Leatherhead & Caterham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 146
Links: The Hurtwood, Pitch Hill (Peakbagger), Holmbury Hill (Peakbagger), Holmbury Camp, Holmbury St Mary

This is the ninth of a series of short circular walks featuring the Greensand Way. The full trail is a long distance path stretching from Haslemere in Surrey to Ham Street in Kent. Our walks take in short sections of the Greensand Way and loop back to the start on other paths. The Greensand Way is well sign posted however you’ll need a map or GPX route to keep on track for the return sections of the loops. The guidance below will help but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.

For this section we parked at Pitch Hill Car Park at the far western end of this section of the route. This is the same parking spot as we used for section 8. You can follow the Greensand Way directly out of the south-eastern corner of the car-park, ascending to Pitch Hill summit. For the first half of the walk you’ll be following the Greensand Way signs mostly along the ridgeline through the Hurtwood. Pitch Hill and Holmbury Hill are the 2 literal high points of the walk with great views to the south. At Holmbury Hill you get a clear view over to Leith Hill, Surrey’s County Top and your destination for section 10. After the Holmbury Hill viewpoint you’ll descend through the site of Holmbury Camp, an Iron Age hillfort.

When you reach Horsham Road at 5.25km you’ll leave the Greensand Way and take a left, heading north to the village of Holmbury St Mary. The Royal Oak pub in the village centre is a good place to stop for a mid-walk rest. After the Royal Oak take a left onto Felday Glade and follow it for 200m taking a footpath on the right. The path ascends steeply and takes you back into the Hurtwood. Continue in a westerly direction along trails in the Hurtwood to Ewhurst Road, crossing over, then continuing in a south-westerly direction back to the car-park. There’s a lot of different trails in the second half so a GPX route and/or good map skills is essential.

Richard gowerTrek, Surrey, England, Trig Pillar, Surrey HillsComment
Walking the Akrotiri Monastery Katholiko Trail, Crete

Descending to the monastery

Start & Finish: Gouverneto Monastery, Chania 731 00, Greece
Distance: 2.8 km (1.7 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 164m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Katholiko-Stavros
Links: Akrotiri, Agia Triada Monastery, Gouverneto Monastery, Arkoudiotissa Cave

The Akrotiri Peninsular, not to be confused with the one in Cyprus, sticks out of the north coast of Crete to the east of Chania. We took a day trip at the end of our holiday to drive round the edge and visit the beaches. The monasteries in the mountains to the north are worth a visit as is the short but steep walk to the Katholiko ruins. The Katholiko was opened in the 11th century and abandoned in the 16th century due to pirate raids.

To get to the walk, drive to the Holy Trinity (Agia Triada) Tzagaroli Monastery. This is an interesting place to stop and visit the church and museum. From here follow the road for 4.2 km to the car park next to the Gouverneto Monastery. This monastery was closed when we got there so we did the walk to the Katholiko first.

There’s a very obvious path from the monastery down to the ruins. After 1km you’ll reach the Arkoudospilio Cave, also known as the Bear Cave. The name comes from the large bear-shaped stalagmite that is ready to drink water. The legend is that the Virgin Mary turned the bear that was stealing the water of the monks living nearby into stone.

After another 400m you’ll reach the ruins of the Katholiko Monastery. There’s another trail that we considered walking that joins from town of Stavros to the west. Another option is to descend further along the trail to the beach. Both options were tempting but it was a very hot day so an out-and-back from the Monastery to the Katholiko was enough for us.

The Gouverneto Monastery was just opening by the time we got back there at 17:00. We were just in time to observe the service in the church. If you visit note that you can’t enter wearing shorts but you can borrow a skirt at the entrance to cover your legs.

Richard gowerTrek, Mountain, Coast, Crete, GreeceComment
Walking the Samaria Gorge, Crete

Near the Trailhead.

Start: Samaria Gorge Trailhead, Μονοπ. Φαράγγι Σαμαριάς, 730 11, Greece
Finish: Ferry dock, Agia Roumeli, Hora Sfakion 730 11, Greece
Distance: 16 km (10 miles)
Elevation change: +442m / -1,657m. Net -1,215m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Papoures Trail
Links: Samaria Gorge, Lefka Ori (White Mountains), Agia Roumeli, Sougia

If you’re a fan of hiking and the outdoors in general then Samaria Gorge is a must-do for a trip to Crete. Wife and I had planned to do it together but she was sick for the first half of our holiday. We decided that I should do it alone while she recovered. This turned out to be the right plan as you really need to be on top form to do the trip.

The trailhead is an hour from Chania, the nearest large town. Unless you stay near the start overnight you’ve got at least 2 hours of driving time to get there and back. The gorge walk is a point-to-point from the entrance at 1,230m elevation down to Agia Roumeli on the coast. There’s no road access to the town so you need to get a ferry to Sougia and a bus back to the start. From leaving my hotel (90 mins from the trailhead), I was back 13 hours later.

It’s definitely worth it though. The whole of the gorge walk was stunning with photo opportunities at every turn. The first section, a steep descent through pine forest, reminded me of parts of the Inca Trail. The path is narrow and can be difficult to overtake other hikers at times so it’s good to go when it’s quiet. I was there in early October, just out of peak season. My first hour, starting at 10:00, only had a handful of other hikers on it. It got busier when I caught up with a bus party who had spread out a little formed a convoy along the path.

There’s several water and toilet spots along the route. You’ll need to take enough food and your own toilet paper if you don’t want to risk the supplies on the route. At around 7 km in you’ll reach the old village of Samaria which is a great place to stop for a while and have lunch before the final sections.

I found the path to be quieter after the old village. This was probably as I was on a brisker pace than most and only took a short stop for lunch. This second half is less steep and has a different, more barren environment. There were also more people coming in the opposite direction, presumably doing an out-and-back between the coast and the village.

The final few kilometres are a highlight as the route criss crosses the flowing river across rickety wooden bridges. The walls of the gorge close in funnelling you through some tighter, more dramatic sections.

At the end of the walk you’ll find another booth where you give them half of your entry ticket. This is so that they can tally the numbers to check that no one is left in the gorge at the end of the day. There’s a couple of cafes immediately outside the National Park boundary but, unless you’re starving, it’s better to get to the town for food.

From the end of the trail it’s an extra 2.5 km to the coast. There’s a private shuttle bus operating the last 2 km for 2 euros each. As ready for a rest as I was I wasn’t tempted by the bus. I’d completed a 15km gorge walk so I wasn’t going to take a bus for a flat 2 km.

The main option to return to the start is to get a ferry to a Sougia then the bus to the trailhead. Ferries were fairly infrequent when I was there so I had to wait 3 hours for the 17:30 boat. Although the town is small and seems to exist only for the ferries, I was glad of the time for a long, slow lunch and a rest at the end of the walk.

You’ll need to buy your ticket ahead of getting on board but there’s a few options to do so. You can book online, as I did, and get an email confirmation. Alternatively you can buy them at the trailhead cafe or at the ticket office on town’s main street. Don’t expect to buy them on the boat though, as one couple found out when they were left behind by the last ferry of the day.

You can buy your bus tickets either at the trailhead or Agia Roumeli ticket offices or at a small booth in Sougia. Personally I wouldn’t risk leaving it until Sougia so I bought mine at the trailhead. The bus operation is very efficient with several of them waiting near the ferry terminal, departing shortly after the boats arrived.

The ferry takes 50 mins for the larger car and passenger ferry or 25 minutes for the smaller passenger only ferry. The bus takes 50 minutes to return to the trailhead and drops off next to the main car park. Although you can park for free at the side of the road leading up to the trailhead, the car park is safer and saves you another walk at the end of the day back to your car.

If you don’t have a car there’s several options to go with an organised tour. The options were around 40 euro per person as a part of a large bus tour or in in the hundreds per group for a private tour. If you do have a car then getting to the trailhead yourself is by far the cheapest and most convenient option.

My costs for the trip, excluding hire car costs and petrol were:

  • Parking: 5 euro

  • Gorge entrance fee: 5 euro

  • Ferry ticket: 13 euro

  • Bus ticket: 4.80 euro

  • Total 27:80 euro

Red = The Samaria Gorge Walk, Blue = ferry route to Sougia, Green = Bus route back to the Trailhead

Richard gowerTrek, Mountain, Coast, Crete, GreeceComment
Walking In The Surrey Hills

The Surrey Hills is a National Landscape (formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), covering parts of the North Downs and Greensand Ridge in Surrey, England. The area shown in the map below also shows land covered by the Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV). It is very close to London with the M25 running near or through the northern boundary.

It’s a beautiful part of the countryside with many options for walking, running and cycling. This page is an index of the circular and point-to-point walks that I’ve done in the Surrey Hills.

Circular Walks In The Surrey Hills

Walks shown in alphabetical order of the 2-letter abbreviation on the map above. The letter and number in brackets refers to the grid reference. For more details on each, click on the link on the name of each walk.

Point to Point Walks In The Surrey Hills

Walks shown in alphabetical order of the 2-letter abbreviation on the map above. Map shows the start point. The letter and number in brackets refers to the grid reference. For more details on each, click on the link on the name of each walk.

Other Circular Walks Near The Surrey Hills

Walks shown in alphabetical order of the 2-letter abbreviation on the map above. The letter and number in brackets refers to the grid reference. For more details on each, click on the link on the name of each walk.

Walking The North Downs Way

The full trail is a long distance path stretching from Farnham in Surrey to Dover in Kent. Our walks took in short sections of 10 km to 13 km which we did with a friend over the course of a couple of years when our schedules coincided. White numbers in the orange circles on the map above show the start point for each section.

Walking The Greensand Way

The full trail is a long distance path stretching from Haslemere in Surrey to Ham Street in Kent. Our walks take in short sections of the Greensand Way and loop back to the start on other paths. White numbers in the green circles on the map above show the start point for each section.

Richard gowerTrek, Surrey, Surrey Hills, EnglandComment