Walk Report

Tunnel Vision, writers and the army - Haslemere Circular, Saturday 28th August 2021
7 walkers, 22 miles - leader Jerome Ripp
A perfect late summer day as we headed up the Greensand Way towards Hindhead. The slopes of Polecat Valley had an abundance of heather which were so glorious that it merited a special type of loop, the first of many that were a feature of the day. There were some people at the Punchbowl car park but for the rest of the day we walked in almost splendid isolation as we avoided the main well-trodden paths. A deeply wooded silent valley and climb to Beacon Hill followed by a golf course crossing. This is usually a rather unpleasant event, but the Hindhead golf course was resplendent with colourful heather and rowan trees. Lunch stop looking across Whitmoor Vale is an unexpected beauty spot, there is a clear path along the ridge but no evidence of it on any map. This profusion of paths created an artistic loop and some nimble footwork in a forest wilderness before the boring legality of paths across Ludshott Common returned. Waggoners Wells and Grayshott now explained the 3 features in the title of the walk. We passed beside the army training camp on Kent Hill, then the wishing well where Lord Tennyson (Victorian Poet Laureate) composed a short poem. The post office in Grayshott where Flora Thompson (writer of the classic Lark Rise to Candleford) worked and delivered letters to locals such as Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes creator) who lived down the hill in a large house now occupied by a school. Crossing the A3 we could see the southern entrance to the Hindhead tunnel and even a glimpse of the house where George Bernard Shaw lived briefly. Having passed the trade descriptions act we headed back to Haslemere with just a mini final loop for our 22 miles with 3,000 feet of ascent according to Keith's App. Definitely a hilly walk!
Photographs by Jerome Ripp

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