12 started the walk from Effingham Junction and were joined at Polesden Lacey by 2 who started from Box Hill station making a total of 14 on a w= mild-dry autumn day. Walking conditions were good- just a bit squelchy in fields and a a few puddles on paths but all easily avoided. Lots of autumn colour in the woods. All picnicked in the courtyard at Polesden Lacey. We split into 10+4 in the afternoon, taking two different routes to Ranmore Common where we reunited and carried on to Denbies. 13 managed to squeeze around a large table with teas/coffees and large slices of cake. Two went to take buses home, 11 caught the 15.33 Waterloo train and one waited for the 15.46 Victoria train. A very enjoyable day.

mild dry

What about we plan a Walk from somewhere in like Islington to Archway. By walking along the Canal in Camden or something like that?

Thanks for the suggestion, Marc. I plan to post a country walk south of London a little nearer to the time, once the weather report is available.

There were about #25 at the start with two joining later making about #27 in all. It stayed # dry and quite mild for most of the day with rain once we were back near the station. The new year celebrations were more extensive than in previous years with an outdoor party atmosphere and walkers consuming large quantities of fizz, cake and nibbles. Eventually we moved on to Polsden Lacy for lunch under the tent in the courtyard where high tech dongles help the staff bring your hot food to the right table. It was mostly firm under foot with a few muddy stretches in the woods up to Ranmore. Denbies tearoom was closed but we got a warm welcome at the Stepping Stones for further refreshment before catching the 17.14 back to London. An enjoyable start to the walking year!

Did anyone leave a lime green keep-cup lid at the fizz consumption point on this New Years Day walk ? We took it with us.

7 met on the platform at Effingham with 2 more joining the group at Polesden Lacey, so9 in total.

The morning was showery, but shortly after Polesden Lacey the skies cleared for a sunny afternoon.

The group became splintered after lunch, but at least 4 had tea and cake at Denbys before hoping on the 15.33 from Boxhill bound for Waterloo.

A nice autumn stroll!

I was a bit behind the others getting to Denbies as I had got separated at a confusing junction in the woods. Fortified by an enormous slice of cake, I dallied in the cafe waiting for the bus back to Kingston, and was joined by the two who had started from Westhumble: they had stopped to look in the orchard by Yew Tree Farm. There were a few apples left I hear.

Meanwhile, the walk author had been with us at the start, but left to investigate the route to and from the pub in Effingham. Maybe he was lured inside . . .

Some heavy showers and sunny intervals

The walk poster had a very successful day, despite some showers making his walk-checking task difficult. The pub in Effingham has re-opened and is very smart. A somewhat cafe-ish menu of burgers, pizzas and so forth, but worth leaving in as a walk option, I think. The walk to and from the village is very pleasant.

I didn’t eat there, though. I got to Polesden Lacey at 1.30pm, just after the sun came out, and had lunch there. This meant I spent most of the sunshine inside, or in the Ranmore woods, as by the time I got to the escarpment the clouds were building again. I had one heavy shower just before Denbies. I met two other SWCers there, just leaving. I just scraped in to get a takeaway tea before the cafe closed.

Autumn colour is starting to shape up nicely. Good colours on lime, hazel, the exposed faces of beech, and some glorious golds and red on Norway Maple. Oh and the vines at Denbies are now all yellow.

18 assembled on the platform at Effingham Junction undeterred by chilly foggy conditions that prevailed throughout the walk though the sun tried hard at times to break through. The first stretch of the walk through Effingham Common would have been soggy if ice on the many large puddles had melted but the ground was still firm as we walked. Paths from there to Polesden Lacey were also very manageable and we made good progress,arriving there at 12.30. The main restaurant was closed but the cafe was open for coffee, soup and snacks. Most of the group had sandwiches at the picnic tables outside the cafe but didn't linger for long as the damp coldness quickly seeped into us. Luckily there was a little hill to get the circulation going as we resumed the walk. The group fractured a bit in the afternoon with some heading straight for the station. 10 -12 went for tea at Denbies. Some of these carried on to Dorking station, one caught a bus from the main road and five caught the 16.35 train from Westhumble.

I counted 19 but someone more numerically proficient made it 21. Another hiding outside and a late joiner makes 23 A warm and sunny day Trees autumnal. The group split into fast and not-so-fast and, over lunch, fragmented further. The group I was in, 5 in number, reached the station at 3:10. No sign of the others.

I hope this walk is still going ahead despite the showers in London. Hope to see you at Boxhill station

Anonymous,

We're a self led group so walks go ahead if anyonee turns up if you're new to the group please see the guide for new members.

Whether the weather is cold

Or whether the weather is hot

We weather the weather whatever the weather

Whether we like it or not

12 on this enjoyable short walk. We lost one before lunch to a shortcut to Denbies for the beer.

Many thanks to Marcus for today, you're really doing a great job with all the walk posts,appreciated👍few drinks should come your way at Christmas!

It must be the way Ian writes them up, for today his walk attracted a near-record attendance for a mid-week SWC walk. 25 assembled on Boxhill & Westhumble railway station, having travelled on services from Waterloo and Victoria. 2 other later starters caught us up during the morning, so that makes 27 . Not bad for the first day of meteorological winter.

As for the weather today, we had sunny spells clouding over later . It was not cold, although in open areas the wind was a bit chilly and most of us wrapped up well. Late finishers enjoyed a fabulous light show as we descended to Denbies, with the complex lit up by the late afternoon sun - and an impressive double rainbow as rain started to fall. We were comfortably inside the tea room when rain fell heavily, but Lady Luck was with us today as the rain had stopped by the time we left snd headed for Boxhill station.

Earlier in the day the opening leg of the walk over grassy fields was lovely, with fine views of Boxhill along the way. There was still some good leaf colour in the woods as we approached Polesden Lacey, where half stopped for picnics in the complexes courtyard and half dined in the cafeteria. The hot food on offer was rather limited today but all of us managed to find something to our liking. Per usual these days, I find myself with the late post luncheon leavers, and so it was six of us set off to tackle the afternoon leg, in sunshine at first. We soon caught up some others who had opted for an (unintentional) scenic route and we stayed together until we reached Denbies.

Today's choice of walk by Ian was near perfect for the time of year - and so today's walkers extend a thank you to Ian. We enjoyed a fine day out.

Many thanks Anon, but today's walk was posted thanks to Mr M Tiger - I just bumbled along, per usual.

I'm doing the Westhumble start. Will look out for the group at Polesdon Lacey.

7 and a dog at the station and 2 catching up later makes 9 And a dog. The day was unexpectedly sunny

It was a bit boggy crossing Effingham Common but I don't think we lost anybody. The woods were full of colour but not yet in an autumnal way.

Eventually, Polesden Lacey was reached. The Granary was busy and I don't think any of ours bothered queuing. Most had brought their own, anyway.

After lunch, the group split into segments. I, of course, was in the fast group. I don't know if any visited Denbie's but I heard of one visiting the Stepping Stones. I arrived at Westhumble station at 4 and, with a train due at 4.05, was unable to deploy the 'waiting for train' excuse. The majority caught the same train.

Seven set off from Effingham Junction and were later joined by a later starter and the walker coming from Westhumble, making a total of 9 plus dog in mild sunny weather , a perfect autumn day. We walked through lots of lovely woodland strewn with fallen leaves, sun shining through the thinning canopy. All stopped at Polesden Lacey to eat packed lunches. The cafe was closed. The restaurant was open but nobody ate there. Four faster walkers set off ahead of the rest. One walker stayed to have a look around Polesden Lacey. The last four set off admiring the sunlit scenery and feeling the chill in lengthening shadows. A gap developed in the group with one dropping out of sight. Three stopped for tea from a serving hatch at Denbies. One then carried on to Dorking and two went for the 17.05 from Westhumble. I don't know whether others went to the Stepping Stones pub. No sign of anyone else at the station.

Lovely posting. Beautiful carpets of fallen leaves the sunshine coming through the not yet fallen making a sunny dappled walk. Gorgeous peeks through woodland of sun soaked wet meadows looking limey green in sunshine with flattering red/brown cattle grazing. The temperature was temperate bordering on warm and the evening chill arrived just as the walk was ending. Transport home for me in driving rain, no probs’

I am told the Polesden Lacey cafe will be shut today due to the high winds.

I am still considering this walk.

'Considering' is not commitment.

Anonymous will you stop bullying people please!

Storm Ciara

n+15 walkers, including two second timers. It was warm and sunny getting hotter as the day went on . The shady bits were welcome and there were just enough open stretches to enjoy the sun. The morning section offered lots of buttercups on Effingham Common, skylarks singing and an atmospheric walk through Great Ridings Wood. We all opted to head to Polesden Lacey for lunch and those who ate in the restaurant seemed happy with their fare (the fruit crumble is highly recommended). Afterwards, one peeled off to do an alternative afternoon route with tea at Pilgrim Cycles and the rest followed the usual route to Denbies, where some sipped bubbly and others tea. Thanks to Mike for posting and to everyone for the company.

15

Hi Chris,

Request for walk for Sunday 24th Feb

Could a Sussex/Berks/Hants walk be put on for the 24th that is a few miles longer than the current Effingham offering for that day, please? Thank you.

It's not my turn to post walks for the 24th, but you'll see that another walk poster has promised a longer walk for that day, though not in the area you requested. It's fairly normal on Sundays to balance the walks on offer by having one to the south of London and one to the north.

I can't see any train ticket details in this walk's instructions. What's the best ticket to get please?

Buy a day return to Effingham Junction. Technically you also need a single from Box Hill to Leatherhead (one stop) on the way back, but it would be a hard-hearted ticket inspector who made an issue of this.

I suspect you havent clicked on the post's heading to expand the text. There's quite a lot about trains & tickets there.

But in case you've got some sort of viewing problem, Ive re-pasted it here.

"9:57 Hampton Court train from Waterloo. Change at Surbiton for the 10:32 Clandon train (platform 4) arriving Effingham Junction at 10:50. The first train stops at plenty of intermediate stations, inc. Vauxhall 10:01, Clapham Jct. 10:06, Wimbledon 10:13,

From "Box Hill & Westhumble" station, return to Waterloo at xx:10 or to Victoria at xx:19 and xx:49

Trains leave Dorking three minutes earlier, should you wish to finish there.

The walk's start and finish are on divergent train lines. Your best bet is a return to Effingham Junction plus a single for the short hop from Westhumble (or Dorking) to Leatherhead where the lines re-join."

15 off the train but we picked up another 2 at Polesden Lacey so 17 in all. Perfect warm and sunny weather throughout. The off-route pub comes a little early in this walk so we all ambled to the NT teas-rooms at Polesden Lacey where a significant proportion of SE England had decided to make this their Sunday outing. A group of managed to commandeer an outside table on which the sun was just about to shine where we enjoyed our sandwich lunches whilst marvelling at children and families in summer t-shirts in February!

After lunch a group of about 8 of us set off with a number lingering to visit the hall and its grounds. We enjoyed the glorious viewing point just after lunch and then continued on the familiar route to Denbies where most of us opted to continue on the N Downs way to reach the Pilgrims Cycles shop for excellent tea and cakes and then the 15.10 train home.

This is a pleasant amble through some attractive woodland but with a fair bit of tarmac. Despite my dodgy knees this walk is over-rated at 5/10; 4 is more appropriate. A superb day out with the usual anaarchic chat including one strongly held view that Denbies white wines are not up to snuff. Discuss.........

Seems like Sunday walkers headed south this week with at least 16 on this short but attractive walk through woodlands and valleys. Weather ideal for a winter amble, cloudy dry and still with little mud to fret about. The group fragmented at Polesden Lacey with some NT members staying to view the house and grounds whilst nine of us strolled back to Westhumble, bypassing Denbies Vineyard for refreshments with some of us having tea and cake at Pilgrim cycles by the station and then an early train home. Many familiar faces and long-standing SWCers made for a chatty day out and I got home in time to see the 2nd half of the Liverpool v Man City classic.

Another refreshment stop would be The Stepping Stones pub, about 50 metres from Boxhill station or the small cafe in the old station house at Boxhill station. Or, if you're feeling energetic towards the end, you could follow the example of a few walkers on this walk's last outing and nip up Boxhill to have tea at the NT cafe at the top.

Polesden Lacey self service restaurant was serving good sized helpings of hoe cooked food recently. The small farm shop there and the one later on at Denbies are handy for last minute "foodie" Christmas presents.

Regarding Walker's note about the loo, you pass toilets on the right just after you leave Effingham Junction station platform.

18 on this walk, including at least one late starter. The weather was mild and grey . Seven of us did the pub diversion (in my case to check the directions, so thanks to the others for coming too): we arrived at the pub at 11.45 and clearly looked in such desperate need of a drink that the pub opened early for us. Nice food, perhaps a little slow in coming but then we did catch the kitchen on the hop.

The rest presumably lunched at Polesden Lacey, which I hear was busy but now does good-sized portions. We ran into two of them at tea in Denbies.

Nothing much else to say (unless the PL crowd want to make a separate report): this is always a pleasant little walk and it filled the hours of daylight very well. Then we all got trains home to do other things (one even set off to do food shopping in Dorking....)

Just to add, there were in fact 2 late starters both of whom met up with the group at Polesden Lacey.

Surrey Hills Brewery has opened at Denbies. There's a point of sale at the back of the main building, where you can buy beer from the cask or to take home https://www.denbies.co.uk/visit-us/surrey-hills-brewery/

A week ago Denbies Vineyard looked beautiful, the vines all yellow: an unexpected source of autumn colour. Pretty good colour on the external faces of the beeches on Ranmore Common too, though still fairly green at path level.

I did not have lunch at Polesden Lacey but it looked to have upped its food service, with a proper hot food counter, serving to 3pm. Traditionally National Trust lunches are not huge portions, which is why the pub diversion was included on this walk. The pub diversion is also perfectly pleasant scenically.

Approximately 15 walkers on this really nice walk today. It was a perfect autumn day sunny_and_dry. Woods were dappled with autumn sunshine and carpeted with bronze leaves and the ground conditions dry. Everyone (as far as I know) had lunch at Polesden Lacey. A few made the most of the day, capping it off with an extension up Box Hill at the end.

Pilgrim's Cycle Shop cafe on Boxhill station is open until 4pm on 31st December. Stepping Stones pub (01306 889932) claims to be open from 11am -11.00pm Monday to Saturday all year round.

25 and weather grey with a smidgen of sunshine

A good day with nothing untoward happening

4 enjoyed a much better day, weatherwise, than forecast. In fact no rain at all. Lovely leaf colours, not much mud, lunch fine at Polesden Lacey as was tea at Denbies, though both establishments were almost drowning in tinsel and Christmas "goodies".

4 dry

8. Fractionally cold but no rain .

I contrived to miss the appointed train and so followed on on the next one, encountering about five regulars leaving Polesden Lacey just as I arrived.

4 out of 5 for roast potatoes at the restaurant there. I chanced to sit facing the serving hatch, and was able to witness the production line involved in plating the food to order, from which my education was broadened about the trade-off between throughput (the place was busy) and the fussier attitudes to food hygiene. I can report that the gravy was untouched by human hand.

On leaving, I found two more plus a dog who had chosen to take their lunch in the cafe and seemed slightly wounded by the news that the rest of the group had departed some time before without finding them.

Tea at Denbies which was satisfactory as usual. Back on 1648 train; presumably the majority were earlier as there was no further sight of them.

Some of the GPS is off by a few tens of metres in places.

Can people stop saying that it is "slightly cold"?!? It is FREEZING. It is February temperatures in late April (look up the London climate averages if you don't believe me)

If anyone would care to tackle Westhumble on a Saturday then please say the word. A walk to Box Hill maybe via Juniper Hall then back down the staircase to the Stepping Stones, then over to Denbies for refreshment; perhaps even a beer at Surrey Hills brewery?

Pilgrim Cycles say "We are happy to open evenings by request at no obligation. Call or email to arrange" tel: 01306 886958 email:hello@pilgrim-cycles.co.uk

About 12 of us. Weather dry bright cold still . Very pleasant conditions for this varied walk. In the woods, the autumn leaves are now mostly on the ground. Later in the morning we had hazy views of London in the distance - the Wembley arch was visible and the Shard could just be picked out. Most lunched at Polesden Lacey, which, although busy, had ample capacity. By this time the party had fragmented and 2 finished (as they had pre-arranged) at this stage, while the rest completed the afternoon in several groups. After pausing to look back at the Polesden Lacey House from the hill opposite, walking across Ransmore Common and admiring the view from Denbies Hillside, my sub-group of 3 took tea at Denbies Vineyard, where we encountered one walker who had started an hour later than the rest of us but, by a combination of speed, short cuts and a short lunch break, had got there before us. Others had finished the afternoon with tea at Pilgrim Cycles at Box Hill and Westhumble station where the whole party apart from the lunchtime dropouts reassembled. 15.50 train home.