Only four of us on the train at Waterloo, but 10 assembled on the platform at Farnham, so a nice sized group after all. There was a bit of sun, but it didn’t last, so basically cloudy and mild . Paths were VERY dry for the most part, making this a good choice of walk for the time of year.

Five expressed interest in a pub lunch: the others presumably had sandwiches and carried on to Godalming. The morning passed pleasantly. When we got to the Donkey, we found it moderately busy and nice and cosy. The food was delicious and in ample portions - very seasonal, with lots of “hygge”.

After lunch, two went on to Godalming and three looped back to Farnham using the Farnham Circular route of the Guildford to Farnham walk. We reached there at 3.30pm - perhaps a little early. One got the train straightaway to watch the footie. Two of us went to the town centre for tea and a look at the Christmas lights. I pen these lines on the 17.28 train, which is taking an odd route home due to a broken rail near Woking…

4 arrived at Farnham. It was a chilly cloudy start but got warmer . We made good progress through the verdant countryside until we got to the sheep. The sheep had fallen on its side in a heavily fortified field and was struggling to get up. Being sophisticated city folk, sheep wrangling was not really our thing. Not mine anyway. After some deliberation, we headed on and tried enquiring at local houses. Having been told it would die if left there, we headed back,with a few more walkers in tow, to sort the sheep out, but were overtaken by a local who had overheard us. She sprinted past, leapt over the locked gate and before any of us could catch up, had flipped the sheep over. It was fine. (As was I when I fell over earlier).

Only one ate at the Donkey but some drinks were consumed. One of the donkeys gave us a hee-haw. Windows rattled.

Here we parted company, 2 going to Godalming and 2 back to Farnham.

The Farnham 2 tried going over Crookham Hill to avoid the stretch of road with no verge. The detour was fine with good views but we then had to contend with a busier, longer road that also had no verge.

We got to Farnham OK and visited the Bush Hotel which has a pleasant garden and a couple of cheeky robins looking for scraps. Worth noting, perhaps, that some of the route retraces the morning's.

A short option is possible by combined this walk with walk 2-12 for the afternoon route from the Donkey pub, which gives a Farnham Circular of about 10 miles.

With later starters we mustered a very healthy 27 today. And we were lucky with the weather again for our Wednesday walk. Although the sun we had enjoyed on the train journey to Farnham had disappeared by the time we set out on our walk it was still very mild and the morning was overcast but turning sunny mid afternoon . So very acceptable walking conditions for an early February day. But the big bonus today was there was virtually no mud on the paths and bridleways, so walking was that much easier and more enjoyable than when plodding through mud.

On reaching Tilford eight of us decided to stop and take an early lunch at the Barley Mow pub, and although the landlady had an unfortunate knack of overcharging her customers (3 of us !) we nevertheless all had a nice lunch and the Harveys beer was top dollar.

In the meantime the others had continued on their walk to the Donkey pub in Charleshill, where I gather some seeking a drink and a snack had a less than friendly welcome. How dumb are some publicans in post lockdown times. At least 3 walkers switched from the walk directions to the Book 2 walk to double back to Farnham on a 10 mile walk. But the rest continued on today's posted walk to Godalming, as did us Barley Mow diners some forty minutes behind the others. In the sun the afternoon was quite lovely and easy going through Surrey's heathland and countryside. My group of six found the Church of St Nicolas in Peper Harrow open for once and it was so nice to visit this interesting church - the first time for me during the seven times I have been on this walk. A little later, after crossing the noisy A3 road, two in my group peeled off to visit the Stag on the River pub in Eashing, leaving the rest of us to continue on the walk to Godalming.

On reaching the town at walk-end, we found a dozen or so of today's picnickers comfortably encamped in the Star pub on Church Street. The Barley Mowers joined them. Some took an early dinner, taking advantage of "Wednesday burger evening" - and very good they looked, too. We left the pub in relays for the short walk to Godalming Railway station, where fast trains took us back to London.

For the second week running, on reaching home it was so nice to take off the walking boots and not be faced with a boot cleaning job.

A rewarding day's walking in lovely company.

I forgot to include today's nature notes in my walk report below. Some good clumps of snowdrops were spotted in the afternoon, and birdsong was good all day, particularly around Eashing. Maybe Spring is not too far off.

hi Marcus please correct me if i'm wrong but just looked up the bus 46 route and there appears to be a stop at Charleshill where the lunchtime pub, the Donkey, is situated?

runs every 2 hours

thanks

Hi Anonymous, Yes - the timetable shows there should be a Number 46 bus service to Goldalming stopping in Tilford, Charles Hill today at 12-52 hrs and 14-52 hrs. But I leave it to you to work out where the bus stop is !

I met ten off the posted train outside Farnham station, and we sort-of splintered into a number of small groups before setting off, rather haphazardly, on today's walk. Three others had taken an earlier train, and one had driven to Godalming to do part of the walk backwards, so totting up, methinks that makes 15.

We were blessed with another warm summers day , sunny most of the time, but not as hot as the previous week in Balcombe: near ideal walking conditions. Infact, given over 85 % of the walk is within shaded woodland, we could have tackled this walk on a hot day and not felt uncomfortable.

We opted to delay lunch until the second pub, The Donkey in Charleshill, where four of us dined - and met the early-train three who were finishing their meal. The pub's owner and staff managed the Covid-compliance very well and efficiently without being officious, and our food dishes, which arrived promptly, were delicious and enjoyed by all. So well done, and thank you to the Donkey.

Pip was in the paddock behind the pub, looking dozy, but no sign of Dusty today, having a snooze in her stable, perhaps.

After lunch, per usual, we separated into a number of sub-groups, making for all ports in west Surrey. I remained with my three diners for the afternoon leg, now in warm sunshine, through more woodland trails before reaching Peper Harrow - the only open bit of the walk. Onwards then to Godalming and the final leg beside the River Wey. Three of us stopped for a drink in the Star pub on the High Street (where our car driver was spotted loitering). Two or three from a different pod stopped for a pint in the sun at the Stag on the River in Eashing, and we met them at the railway station. The 18-25 was running a little late, but no matter: by then, we had enjoyed a long day in the sun and a snooze on the journey home was in order.

9 of us. Sunny to midday then cloudy . Glorious autumn colours. Beech, larch, sweet chestnut all at their golden best and many oaks looking good too. Kestrels, a kingfisher (seen by one), still some fungi, pink spindle berries.

Two of us had lunch at The Donkey. Some tried to feed the donkey carrots but it was not interested. Some sandwichistas left early but others drank with the diners. Most (all?) of us finished the walk in the daylight, to my surprise. Of my group, only I went for tea in Godalming, the others being keen to rush home and catch the height of the rush hour.

Mid afternoon a lady coming the other way announced cheerfully “You are lost!” She had deduced this from the fact we were on her land and not on a right of way. Otherwise direction finding was trouble free. Despite its length this walk was a perfect fit for a November day. Minimal mud.

I can recommend Changing Perceptions Community Cafe and Workshop in Godalming for tea. Cafe Mila is also good although last time I was there it was very busy with families.

13 on this walk. Despite rain being threatened for the afternoon, it largely held off, with only very minor precipitation after 3.30pm. It was even sunny at times around lunchtime and in the early afternoon. So mostly dry and occasionally sunny .

I had booked for eight at The Donkey, a wise precaution as it turned out. As it happened, eight was the exact number who wanted to eat, so that was handy. One also joined us as a drinks-only companion. Four picnickers presumably went on without us, as picnickers are wont to do. We eight had a very nice lunch in the conservatory with a good view of the eponymous donkeys, who some of the party communed with after eating.

The afternoon stretch was the bit of the walk I had not done for years. It is perfectly pleasant in winter, dry underfoot, with some nice wooded bits. We got to Godalming around 4.30, so filled the day nicely. Cafe Mila was just closing and there was some fragmentation of the group as we looked for alternatives. Four of us ended up in Costa Coffee and two of those joined two others later in a pub. The train home was full of football supporters on the way back from Portsmouth, but fortunately the BTP (British Transport Police) were out in force and there was no rowdiness.

Anyone interested in doing Farnham circular?

I probably will do the Farnham Circular but we do not need to choose until after The Donkey pub - the recommended lunch venue. Stephen

Yes,I'm keener on doing the circular one. Also at lunching at the Donkey, the other one sounds too soon into the walk.

See you on Saturday !

Gabriella

Sounds good, Stephen and Gabriella. I will join you.

30 got off of the train at Farnham

The guard on the train seemed to have loads of extra work to do as over the intercom he offered tickets for future travel to save people queuing at the station on Sunday or Monday morning and also offered to print out time tables - is this part of the idea to increase guards productivity ? As we left the train he announced 'To the majority of you leaving at this station I have one word for you " Walkies " ' - which raised a titter - nice to have happy guards - we were hoping to get him on the way back but no such luck - our return guard was a lot less sanguine.

I guess 20 of the walkers did the short version ( Farnham circular ) and so returned to that station in dribs and drabs for the return journey which means about 10 did the Godalming version

The weather was overcast all day but still quite mild so it was shirt sleeves for most of us throughout the walk

This walk is very pretty with lots of autumnal leaves and some violet toadstools - see pics - in the woods and occasional views out to the surrounding area. It is easy and flatish so the short version is no more than say a grade 2. We measured it as 17.4 km. The only downside is the amount of metaled paths which were a bit hard on my feet knees and hips

About 18 of us had lunch in The Donkey - excellent service and the food was wonderful according to the 5 others on my table and the staff were good natured. 2 of the walkers seemed determined to moan and whine loudly about the service whilst waiting at the counter - well done the staff for keeping a good attitude and looking after us - thank you to them

Five of us researched a new cafe the Krema in Farnham old town - about 500 meters form the station and the cafe was very good as was the tea ( loose leaf ) and the cakes - not too sweet. One of our group mentioned that service in this area seemed to be very good - on the train, in the Donkey and now at Krema - it works we all left feeling really good.

https://www.facebook.com/Kremacoffeefarnham-947903108614897/ and they do well on trip advisor

For those who are interested there is a good selection of charity shops in Farnham

Thank you to the people I walked with for a good day

General Malaise

About 10 ate in the earlier pub, the report was also excellent, one said it was the best pub he ate for a while, so thumb up for this pub.

9 on this walk including a family of 4 whose six year old son set a cracking pace at the start by running ahead. (Ah the reckless energy of a six year old).We all met up at the Donkey pub, which still has donkeys but all the tables were booked so the family group ate the at the bar whilst the rest of us who had brought sandwiches had a drink. The pub/restaurant is tiny and there's hardly any room for those who just want a drink but the staff are friendly enough.

After lunch we parted from the family and five of us ambled through the heathland which to be frank did not look at its best in late February and is in fact mainly woodland. Three of us had a tea at the hotel in Farnham before catching the 4.30pm train home.

A fine day out on a mud-free and stile free walk with the weather mild and dull with some wind .

I like the sound of this one but is there flooding in the Wey valley at the moment?

Not that I am aware of, no. If you know otherwise, post a link

No there isn't flooding in the Wey Valley

Cafe Mila in Angel Court on the High Street in Godalming, just before Boots is one of the better tea rooms in Surrey with a good selection of home made cakes. Often busy, but usually space upstairs. Closes at 17:00 on Saturdays.

7 sunny and warm a bit cloudy in the late afternoon

If you are looking for a walk that doesn't suffer from mud, this is a good one to do as the soil here seems on the whole to be sandy and dry. There were a few odd muddy patches but they were small and hardly worth mentioning and we arrived at Godalming with boots unscathed.

It was a delightful walk. The sun was out and the celandines on display in the woods and it was warm enough to have lunch in the garden at The Donkey. The donkeys are still there happily munching carrots and send their regards.

Cafe Mila was popular with families but we were ushered upstairs to the "adults only" area. The tea and cakes were very nice.

A 3rd pub option for this walk is The Stag on the River at Eashing. It could be a tea stop or an option for lunch if the walk is done in

http://www.stagontherivereashing.co.uk/meet-the-chef/