Walk Report

Surrey Summits Revisited, Saturday 14th September 2013
10 walkers, 25 miles - leader Jerome Ripp
The prospect of heavy rain and a 25-mile walk across the Surrey Hills was sufficient to deter all but the hardy 10 who showed up at Milford station. A short walk took us to Chichester Hall at Witley which was where I had started the 100 km challenge walk in 1989. At the time, I thought it was a superb route and decided that it would be nice to walk it again 25 years later.
Well 25 years suddenly passes and here I was again for the first of three walks of the route.
Much of the day was spent on the Greensand Way in woodlands with low cloud, muddy paths and damp conditions but fortunately only light drizzle. The morning section to Shamley Green was rather slow going but we speeded up once we had some fuel inside us for the afternoon section going over a range of summits from Winterfold to Leith Hill. The tea hut was closed but even this did not dampen our spirits and the long descent into Dorking was accompanied by the vague suggestion of blue sky. With a few optional extras, where the leader decided to go down a path and then return, we reckoned it was close to a marathon distance but a fine walk enjoyed by all. On now to part 2 in March and part 3 in June.

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