Spring in the Surrey Hills - Dorking to Guildford
10 people attending
10 places left
Starting from the historic market town of Dorking, this 15 miles linear walk to Guildford encompasses some of the finest views in the Surrey Hills. A designated AONB this area offers a comprehensive variety of landscapes that includes rare Chalk Grasslands, Woodlands and River Wetlands. With Spring well under way, Fauna & Flora bursting into life this walk should be a true delight.
Itinerary:
From Dorking station, we'll head west towards Gomshall and stop for lunch. Depending on pace we may have time for refreshments at the a pub. Further west, Newlands Corner & St Martha's Hill await. From these vantage points the views are splendid. Keeping our bearing west, we'll join the river Wey and head north to Guildford station where the walk ends. From Guildford there are direct train connections to Waterloo, Portsmouth & Gatwick airport.
A reasonable level of fitness is required as this walk is lenghty and has a few hills to contend with.
What to bring
Water: bring at least two litres
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, trainers are OK if the ground is dry and there’s little chance of rain
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch, and sufficient water.