Walk Report

14 walkers, 20.5 miles - leader Gavin Fuller
Having only put on the walk several days earlier in fill to a gap in the schedule leader Gavin was gratified to see 13 people join him at a sun-drenched Coulsdon South station for a meander over the Surrey downlands inside the M25. Starting off with Farthing Down, the walk then headed over to the village of Netherne-on-the-Hill, where an early-morning cricket match was in progress. Heading past the chocolate-box Tollsworth Manor, which dates back to 1360, it was on to the North Downs and across to White Hill, with its far-reaching views over London.
The descent off the hill was in a much poorer state of repair than the last time the leader had used the path, but all negotiated its challenges successfully. The route back up to Gravelly Hill passed a field white with daisies, and at the top an early lunch was taken, enlivened by meeting another member of London Group walking part of the North Downs Way that day with her husband.
The NDW was followed by the group after lunch as far as Gangers Hill, where the route turned off into Marden Wood before passing past the decidedly expensive properties of Woldingham. Onwards to Chelsham Common, where there hot, sunny weather, although mitigated throughout by a number of wooded parts, made the Bull a desired port of call for most of the group. Suitably refreshed, it was on through Kings Wood to the plant-swathed grasslands of Sanderstead Open, before a traverse of the length of Riddlesdown and a descent into Purley passing Peter Cushing's former residence as a final point of interest.
Photographs by Gavin Fuller

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