Unaccustomed as I am to public walk reporting, I find myself drafted in at short notice to compose this account... All unready! No observations honed! No witticisms rehearsed….

So, 32 on this walk. Yes, really!! 31 at the station, one joining later. A good mix of familiar and (to me) new faces. Brings a tear to your eye. Quite like the old days.

Six places for lunch had been booked for 12.30pm at the Red Lion. Several, hopeful of meeting this ambitious schedule, set off at a steady jog. The rest of us decided to enjoy the scenery a bit. Excellent leaf colour but probably past its best in places: I noticed a large sweet chestnut wood was nearly bare. Things may be a bit thin by next weekend.

What a difference sun would have made to this autumnscape! But alas we are locked in perma grey , never to escape this side of doomsday. On the plus side, paths were not over-muddy. Not bone dry, but they could have been a lot worse.

At the pub the elect were already eating. Four of us thought we had got the agreement of the barman to be served food outside, but when we tried to order were told drinks only. So we fled to the cafe. About a dozen of the group ended up here and enjoyed cheerful food, swiftly served. One or two even turned up for drinks.

After lunch I think a few did the main walk route, but most soared up onto Black Down with barely a thought for the exertion. There was a better view from the Temple of the Winds than expected.

The race was then on (apparently) to get to Hemingway’s by 4.30pm. Except there was no need to race because even slow-coaches like me got there by 4pm. Except there was, because by that time there were no free tables (ten of our number being inside, I am told). So six of us overflowed to Darnley’s.

A dozen of us later ended up in the Swan where we swapped travellers’ tales while a warm Mediterranean breeze wafted from a nearby wall heater. We got the 6pm train which was full of burly men from Preston who told one of our number that they had been for “a walk on the South Coast”. More burly men got on at Guildford: walking is obviously popular. It is nice to see the railways so well used, eh?

Loved this walk report !👏

You are very kind. For the second time this weekend, tears well up in my eyes...

Sandwiches may be required as the pub is fully booked until 2pm...

Let's hope for some unbookable bar tables, then. Backup sandwiches might be a good preparation, though.

I counted 16 Someone else counted 19. Lets say 17 A dry sunny chilly day Plenty of autumn colour, plenty of big trees, views, horses, and even some geese. The group sped ahead leaving two amblers in their wake.

Im told the Red Lion was mot particularly welcoming so all went to the Fern cafe, where the two amblers caught them up.

In the afternoon most took a circuitous route visiting the Temple of the Winds on the way. But not Mr Tiger, no sirree. He followed the prescribed SWC route. In Haslemere, some went to the Swan, some went to Hemingways.

Another grand day out.

13 met at the station to walk in glorious sunshine over mostly frozen ground through lovely woodlands to the Red Lion where 10 had lunch. The 3 picnicers left before 7 lunchers set off, leaving 3 for a longer break. 1 chose the standard walk while the other 6 walked up to the Temple of the Winds and from there through the heather on top of the Black Downs past beautiful Galloway cows back to Haslemere. 5 had tea and cakes before taking the train back.

Visited Red Lion in Fernhurst last Wednesday. New management, and they asked us to book as short of staff. So worth noting, praps.

Thanks Gavin

I have made a booking for six at 1 pm. This walk usually attracts a decent turnout (weather excepted) so no bad thing for someone else to make a reservation if they are planning to have lunch at the pub.

I'm on train,needing food at Fernhurst, and an HSB or two.

Btw, 9.45 train from Waterloo stops at CJ, and accepts cheap day return.

13 of us alighted from the train at Liphook. No car drivers today. It was raining in London as we made our way to Waterloo or Clapham Junction but by the time we reached western Surrey, the rain had passed through, leaving us with a lovely sunny late autumn day turning to sunshine and showers after lunch , in temperatures around 12 degrees C - ideal for country walking.

The autumn leaf colours did not disappoint: rich colours on the ground to soften our tread or in the trees, with leaves soon to fall. The going under foot today could be described as "soft and wet", with some mud. The bridleways after lunch, notorious for being a wet mud-fest in winter, were very manageable today - but soon they will be their usual 'orrible muddy selves.

On reaching Fernhurst 5 of us stoped at the Red Lion for lunch, whilst our 8 colleagues stopped at the recreation ground down the road from the pub to have their picnics. The pub lunchers did not see the picnickers again - we hope they enjoyed their afternoon. The pub served us promptly and we all enjoyed our meals.

During our lunch break it began to rain for a short while. As the lunchers set out along and up those notorious bridleways we had a fifteen minute shower which was just heavy enough to warrant the donning of. waterproofs. When the rain stoped the sun came out and we enjoyed sunny conditions all the way to Haslemere.

On reaching our destination town at 4 pm, 3 of our group headed straight for the railway station, whilst 2 of us went to Hemingways for tea and an indulgent slab of delicious cake.

On arriving at Haslemere railway station the information boards all showed trains to Waterloo as being delayed - problems between Petersfield and Liss - but luckily for us a train arrived within five minutes of our intended departure time and we were whisked back to London in comfort.

I believe the thirteen of us all enjoyed today's late autumn outing in better than the forecasted weather. Very nice SWC company, too.

4 stalwarts emerged from the delayed train at Liphook, two of us after long waits at Clapham/Woking. We were soon joined by one driver who had jogged down the road to catch us up, making5 on a muggy day.

I'm sorry to report that those attempting to eat at the Red Lion were brusquely told they were too busy and not taking any orders till 2. Three had a drink anyway while the others watched the start of a women's cricket match as we ate our sandwiches. So we proceeded to Haslemere where we failed to find an open tearoom. In contrast to the morning, most got the very swift 1617 train home. Despite the catering mishaps a very enjoyable gentle and shady walk, and we all had a good chinwag.

11 walkers met at liphook. The morning took us through lovely woodlands with just a tinge of colours enhanced by the change of the weather from initially overcast then clearing to sunshine with the rays of the sun dancing through the branches and leafs. Arriving at the Red Lion with a historic car in front decorated with white ribbons we were initially worried that a wedding party might have taken over the pub but the slightly stressed bar staff assured us that we could sit in the garden where 3 of us had a delicious lunch while the rest picnicked on the common. In the afternoon 8 decided to climb up to the Temple of the Winds from where 6 walked gently down over the heathland to Haslemere while 2 others followed the escarpment. 5 highlanders joined 2 lowlanders at Hemmingways for the deserved tea and cake. A lovely day out in great company.

Decided against the expensive fare to Ely and attempted to join this walk. Sorry to have missed everyone but engineering work closed the train line from Brentford and by the time I’d caught the bus to Richmond I’d missed the train at CJ for Woking and no train to Liphook for another hour. Enquired about a cab to discover Liphook was 25 miles away from Woking and a £50 fare so like DAC aborted the trip to arrive in Twickenham with the 267 bus on diversion via Kew Gardens as the roads were in chaos around Isleworth and Brentford due to the Chelsea fixture at Brentford’s new stadium. What a waste of a precious Saturday!

15 on this walk, splitting into three or four smaller groups. On the train down, as the sun shone, I was silently speculating how far south we would get before it clouded over. The answer was near Haslemere. Hugely disappointingly, it then went on to rain (which had not been mentioned in the previous night’s forecast) and we had frequent showers all day: ie we definitely drew the short straw weather-wise, judging by the other walk reports.

That apart, this made a great winter walk. I remember it from the early days of the SWC as a winter mudfest. But it just goes to show memories are unreliable, because lots of the paths were firm and gravelly. I might have found the endless woods a bit depressing at other times of the year, but with the branches all bare it was rather attractive.

Five (at two widely separated tables) ate in the pub, which seemed grateful for the business. Three of us in the afternoon went up onto Black Down, ie doing the Haslemere Circular afternoon route. A lovely invigorating climb. From the top there was a good view of blue skies to the north...

By the time we got to Haslemere, the others were long gone, but two of us had tea and cakes in Hemingway’s before our quixotic engineering works journey home via Chertsey and Egham. Arriving back at Waterloo I found the station busier than I have seen it since mid March. Whether this is a good or bad thing, I do not know.

Four more, I hear from one of the other subgroups, so 19

Wetherspoons sold the Swan in 2015. Very well refurbished by the present owners and can be thoroughly recommended in summer or winter.

The Red Lion, Fernhurst tell me they are fully booked for this Wednesday lunchtime (folks taking advantage of Eat Out to Help Out). They might be able to accommodate some of us outdoors, weather permitting, but cannot guarantee to have space for us. So best play safe and bring a picnic today, and have a drink in the pub.

13 off the posted train and 2 arrived by car, making a good mid-week turnout of 15, including one first timer, who I believe enjoyed her day.

We were lucky with the weather today, given the recent rain and storm Francis. It was mostly sunny and warm with a pleasant breeze , near perfect summer walking weather.

In the morning after we had left the woods of Stanley Common we spotted patches of purple heather to the side of the New Lipchis Way. Onwards then to pass the barking dog, who came out on cue to serenade us, then the lovely long woodland path along the contours of Greenhill Wood before we arrived in the village of Fernhurst. The Red Lion pub was doing a roaring trade. The tables at the front were "free" - whilst the tables in the pub's pretty and colourful back garden were packed. A few stopped for a drink, but most of us retired to the cricket ground nearby to enjoy our picnics whilst sunning ourselves.

Bar a few we left as one cohort to tackle the afternoon bridleways, for once dry and not calf-deep in mud. When back out in the open, such as Valewood Park, we took advantage of the blackberry bushes, laden with ripe fruit. By the time we had finished the bushes were bare !

Up the final steep bridleway and down into Haslemere, where most of us stopped for tea at Hemingways or Costa, which both were participating in the (last day of) the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. My slab of lemon and elderflower cake was delicious.

Travel by train felt safe today, having coaches mostly to ourselves in both directions. It helped having ten or twelve car formations.

I believe most enjoyed their day out on this lovely woodland walk in pleasant conditions, in company which wasn't too shabby either !

The 10.00 Haslemere train is showing as cancelled so if you are going you'd need to take the 9.45 to Liphook.

9 Windy but not wet , This is one of the best Book 1 walks and really good at this time of year with autumn colour. The weather was much less dramatic than forecast, there was a bit of wind early on but it stayed dry. One or two big trees had come down, possibly over night. The Red Lion was busy at 13:30 but they squeezed us in on two tables, soup of the day was substantial an the sea bass looked good. Hemingway's had a good selection of cakes left when the first four of us arrived. We dis not see the others I think they must have done the longer Temple of the Winds route PM.

Yes three of us who left the pub a bit later decided to go up to the Temple of the Winds and took the Serpent's Trail/Sussex border path back down to Haslemere, arriving just after 5pm so we missed you at Hemingway's. It is really a most beautiful walk, the woods in the morning are particularly stunning and the colours were in full glory. We also stopped off to look at a bookshop in a shed in the morning, just by the priory, run by a very sweet lady who I think must be happy to see rare visitors. The dog problem mentioned in the comments wasn't an issue, only one springer spaniel who stayed within the garden and did some mild barking. Lovely day out.

Dirk,

Do you advocate "defiance" of a trade union or a profiting rail franchise? If it's the former, you might want to consider sharing your views elsewhere, such as in the tory party!!!! I thank you for posting the walk, but not your views!

Happy walking! Rolf

All together now......”Oh Jeremy, Jeremy..........Oh Jeremy, Jeremy”

This was a most enjoyable walk with no mud, yes, NO mud on Haslemere walk. 15, one came on a later train after missed the scheduled one due to local rail strike then walked and hitch hiked to the lunch pub. sunny all day . Red Lion served very good lunch, more vegatarian options than most pubs. At the lunch, one suggested an alternative 'backstop' route via Temple of the Winds for the afternoon. Heated discussions followed on which route offered the best deal until the deciding moment when one walker authoritively confirmed the 'backstop' offered fantastic views and would be particularly beautiful in the sunshine. The group was immediately divided 50:50, 7 went for the 'backstop' option, and 7 followed the original plan, perhaps a less rewarding 'deal' as the purity of the original plan was paramount. One decided to carry on with his photography, probably went over the 'cliff edge', not been seen again. Two groups met at Hemingways for tea and cake, each claiming victory... We put our differences aside, happily caught 5:13pm train together back to London. A grand day out, thanks Dirk for posting this.

At Liphook 6 alighted from the train and 2 caught up at lunch having done a sort of Haslemere circular, so =8 in total. The day was =sunny, bright and breezy, the fresh cool autumn wind rustling the trees. The colour was impressive with mainly yellows and green and the paths were like thick cushions with all the leaf fall. We got lost in the woods a few times, splitting up and rejoining again. A good lunch was enjoyed in the Red Lion, the service was incredibly quick and the stew was hearty. One decided to press on without lunch as he said he was in training for a trip to Mt Kilimanjaro (!). We had some rain as we decended into Haslemere but not much. The group split between Darnleys and the White Heart and we all got the 17:17 train back to town - a lovely day out.

8 sunny bright and breezy

I am doing the walk Tomorrow. So I will see you there.

9 on this walk. Was it cloudy or sunny or rainy ? All three at times. Having done this walk previously in its old book one slot of February, it was a revelation to see it "with its clothes on", so to speak - lush foliage and DRY paths (in winter it is a mudbath). I barely recognised it.

One advantage of midweek walks is that lunch pubs that are busy at the weekend are only half full. Someone forgot to tell the Red Lion this, but they kindly shoehorned four of us into an inside table, while three of us took advantage of a nice period of sunny weather to eat outside. Food was a while coming - we were warned - but with portions enough to sink a battleship.

A pleasant afternoon walk to Haslemere and tea at Darnleys with its mouth-watering cakes. It now seems to be run by Eastern Europeans - not that there is anything wrong with that: they are very welcome - but otherwise is unchanged. In keeping with midweek walk tradition we then got a train (the 4.37?) timed to get us back to Waterloo just at the peak of the rush hour.