Dragon Slayers, “Put That Light Out” and Peter Rabbit

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Lowland and Hill Walks
Dec 08
2019

10 people attending

10 places left

Your price
£12.50
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A moderate walk with some climbing.

Views, villages and VIPs (sort of) with a fascinating history near and on the North Downs Way east of Guildford. Combining chalk downland and ancient woodland (the haunt of wild boar), with prosperous and pretty villages, this event will be a new leader's assessment walk, so please enlist and support Richard on it.

The sights:

West Clandon: Plagued by a dragon in the 17th century, this is the kind of place where nothing ever happens between the two pubs and the British Legion Hall.

The North Downs Way: We'll be following part of the North Downs Way, in these parts it follows an ancient track-way and a drover's road.

Daws Dene: A site of outstanding natural beauty; the path follows a natural cut in the hillside.

West Horsley: Burned to the ground by the Normans in 1066 and almost wiped out by the Black Death, this was the home of Beatrix Potter's aunt and uncle with whom she often stayed and did many animal paintings. Bill Pertwee (the air raid warden in Dad's Army) lived in the village.

August Hill: Another site of outstanding natural beauty with a treadwheel crane and bowl barrow nearby.

Dogs:

Most of the route is off-road and seems suitable for dogs. Please keep dogs on lead on grazing land.

The route:

The walk starts at West Clandon and heads South through the village, if you want to visit the C12th church we'll stay on the main road, otherwise we'll take the footpath down to Old Scotland farm. This should take us to the North Downs Way where we'll head East then North East through a number of farms to West Horsley. After crossing the railway we'll pass more farms on our way to August Hill, before heading South again to finish at West Clandon.

Title and text by Richard. Photographs of highwayman sign, dragon carving, rosehips, viburnum berries and fungi are by Richard; other photos are from geograph.org and are labelled 'free to share and use'.

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