Happy New Year!
Although a lot of our freedoms might have been cut off from the lockdown, at least we can walk! Most of us can probably say that we didn’t walk anywhere near as much as we do now, and it’s become a lot more precious and appreciated. My family and I walk nearly every day around the area, and we all agree that we never knew it so well! There are so many unexplored places to see and paths to walk if you need a change of scenery, so I’ve made a small list of a couple walks you might like to try if you want to go somewhere new. There’s also a children’s scavenger hunt activity at the bottom that you can print if someone needs entertaining along the way!
Route 1: Dorking Rd to The Coffee House (approx. 30 minutes)
Starting on Dorking Road, walk down Deans Lane towards the Blue Ball, and turn right down Mere Road (B220). Around a 1/3 of the way down, there should be a path turning left, with a cycle sign next to it. Take this path and carry it through until you come to the end at a residential road, The Avenue. Turn right and go straight down to the end of the road where you’ll join Station Approach Road (B290), the one on a hill with a parade of shops. Go around the right bend in the road and you should come to another set of shops (the travel agents, one stop etc) and a small, modern coffee shop called The Coffee House, opposite Tadworth Station.
p.s. I’d recommend the chocolate milkshake!
Route 2: Walton on the Hill to Epsom Downs (approx. 3 ½ hours)
My family and I walked this route the other day – if you’re bored and looking for a good distraction, then this is the walk for you! We took some snacks, got our hiking boots on, and were walking for a long time. We were absolutely knackered afterwards but there were some lovely views, and it was an interesting route that we had never taken before. There’s aren’t any difficult hills, though it is pretty muddy in sections and quite high up a lot of the way, so I’d recommend you wrap up warm and wear hiking boots or sturdy waterproof shoes. The link to the route instructions and map are below – there are some good ones on this site if you’re interested in trying them out!
https://fancyfreewalks.org/Surrey/EpsomDowns.pdf?version=nov20
Route 3: Walton on the Hill to Headley (approx. 4 ½ hours)
This one is another route from ‘Fancy Free Walks’, a site my mum found. I haven’t walked this specific one, however we have completed some lengthy walks to Headley, especially once to the tea rooms and sweet village shop which sells local produce! Headley common is beautiful, especially if it’s good weather. When there’s snow, it’s a perfect spot for sledging as it has loads of sloping hills, and when it’s summer, it’s filled with plants, trees, and grassy spots.
https://fancyfreewalks.org/Surrey/WaltonOnTheHill-Headley.pdf?version=feb18
Children’s Activity: Scavenger hunt!
Feel free to print this portion of the page off and take with you on your next walk. Try to see how many of these things you can spot and tick them off as you go!
