Liphook to Haslemere walk

Lovely walks through wooded Surrey Hills

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Option Post # Weather
Sat, 25-Nov-23 Liphook to Haslemere 17 dry sunny chilly
Sat, 21-Jan-23 Liphook to Haslemere 13 glorious sunshine
Wed, 23-Nov-22 Wednesday Walk Liphook to Haslemere - through woods to Shulbrede Priory, Fernhurst and Valewood Park 13 lovely sunny late autumn day turning to sunshine and showers after lunch
Sun, 31-Jul-22 Sunday walk - Liphook to Haslemere 5 muggy
Sat, 16-Oct-21 Saturday Walk: Liphook to Haslemere 11 initially overcast then clearing to sunshine
Sat, 05-Dec-20 Saturday walk - Liphook to Haslemere - Shulbrede Priory & its woods 19 frequent showers
Wed, 26-Aug-20 Wednesday walk Liphook to Haslemere - Sussex Border path, Shulbrede Priory and its woods 15 sunny and warm with a pleasant breeze
Sat, 02-Nov-19 Saturday Walk - Liphook to Haslemere 9 Windy but not wet
Sat, 03-Nov-18 Liphook to Haslemere 15 sunny all day
Sun, 22-Oct-17 Sunday Walk - Liphook to Haslemere 8 sunny bright and breezy
Wed, 12-Oct-16 Wednesday Walk - Liphook to Haslemere 9 cloudy or sunny or rainy
Sat, 18-Apr-15 Liphook to Haslemere 24
Wed, 24-Sep-14 Liphook to Haslemere
Sat, 14-Sep-13 Liphook to Haslemere 0
Wed, 10-Jul-13 Liphook to Haslemere
Sun, 01-Jul-12 Liphook to Haslemere
Sat, 05-Feb-11 Liphook to Haslemere
Sat, 23-Oct-10 Liphook to Haslemere
Sat, 06-Feb-10 Liphook to Haslemere
Sun, 16-Aug-09 Liphook to Haslemere
Sat, 07-Feb-09 Liphook to Haslemere
Sat, 31-May-08 Liphook to Haslemere
Sat, 10-Nov-07 Liphook to Haslemere
Sun, 15-Apr-07 Liphook to Haslemere
Sat, 10-Feb-07 Liphook to Haslemere
Sat, 25-Nov-23 : Liphook to Haslemere 17
Dirk
Dirk
t=1.6

Length: 15km (9m)
Toughness: 5 / 10
Transport: Take the 9:00 from London Waterloo, change at Haslemere to arrive at Liphook at 10:02. Return trains from Haslemere at xx:01, xx:10, xx:30.

A lovely autumn (or what's left of it) walk through woodlands. After lunch at the Red Lion in Fernhurst you have the highly recommended option to climb up to the Temple of the Winds and descend through the heathland of the Black Downs back to Haslemere. Tea is at the always popular Hemmingways in Haslemere.

  • 24-Nov-23

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

  • 24-Nov-23

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

  • 25-Nov-23

    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.

Sat, 21-Jan-23 : Liphook to Haslemere 13
Dirk
Dirk
t=1.6

Length: 15km
Toughness: 5 / 10
Transport: Take the 10:00 from London Waterloo to Liphook arriving 10:59. Return trains from Haslemere xx:02, xx:11, xx:30

An enjoyable woodland walk with the option to climb up to the temple of the wind.

  • 23-Jan-23

    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.

Book 1, Walk 6 - Liphook to Haslemere
Length: 15 km (9.3 miles)
Toughness: 5 out of 10 Some ups and downs but nothing too steep
Either
London Waterloo: 09-45 hrs Southwestern service to Portsmouth & Southsea CJ 09-52; Woking 10-13; Haslemere : 10-49 hrs
Arrive Liphook: 11-01 hrs
Or
London Waterloo: 10-00 hrs Southwestern service to Haslemere does NOT stop at CJ
Arrive Haslemere: 10-52 hrs Change trains
Leave Haslemere: 10-56 hrs South-western service to Portsmouth & Southsea (as above)
Arrive Liphook: 11-01 hrs
Return

Haslemere to Waterloo: 4 fast trains an hour at approx 00, 15, 25 & 37 mins past the hour
Rail ticket: buy a day return to Liphook
If you like woods, this is the walk for you. Apart from Valewood Park in the afternoon, today's walk is almost entirely through mixed woodland of oak, beech and chestnut trees. We might be lucky and catch some autumn leaf colour before leaves finally fall.
Lunch is taken in the village of Fernhurst at the popular - and usually good - Red Lion pub. It is under new management so let's hope the previous managers high standards are maintained. The picnic spot for our sandwichers is just down the road in the recreation ground.
After lunch we have to negotiate some uphill bridleways which can be notoriously muddy if it has rained persistently during earlier weeks. Once through them we have a pleasant leg through Valewood Park in the open before one final uphill section on a sunken, woodland bridleway takes us into Haslemere. Tea is usually taken at Darnleys or Hemingways, opposite one another in the High Street.
T=1.6
Walk directions are here : L=1.6
  • 12-Nov-22

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

  • 15-Nov-22

    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.

  • 23-Nov-22

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

  • 23-Nov-22

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

  • 23-Nov-22

    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.

Wanderer
Wanderer

t=1.6 Liphook to Haslemere

Length: 15km (9.3 miles)

Toughness 5 out of 10

This walk has plenty of relatively mild uphill and downhill sections. It is almost entirely through full-grown mixed woods - mainly oak, beech and chestnut trees - offering plenty of shade on a hot summer's day. After passing Shulbrede Priory in the middle of the woods, you come to the pub and church by the village green in Fernhurst. In the afternoon, you cross streams in the forest before passing through Valewood Park and up into Haslemere, a town surrounded by beautiful countryside.

Trains: Take the 10:00 from Waterloo station (Clapham Junction 10.09; Woking 10.33). Arrives Liphook 11.12.

Return trains from Haslemere are at xx.17 and xx.42

Buy a day return to Liphook.

Lunch: The suggested lunchtime stop is the Red Lion pub (tel 01428 643 112), some 8.3 km into the walk, by the village green at Fernhurst. Just down the road from the pub is Fernhurst recreation ground and cricket club, a perfect spot for picnickers.

Tea: Haslemere has several options including Hemingway's, Darnley's, Heidi's, Costa etc. There's a pub in the High Street also.

For walk directions, map and GPS, click here


  • 31-Jul-22

    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, making 5 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.

HollieB
HollieB
9.3 miles / 15 km

An autumn walk through the woods, passing by Shulbrede Priory to reach Fernhurst village green for lunch. The afternoon route heads through Valewood Park to Haslemere.
Trains: 10:00 London Waterloo, 10:59 Liphook. Return trains from Haslemere at xx:14, xx:30, xx:52. Buy a day return to Liphook.
Lunch: Red Lion, Fernhurst (01428 643112).
T=1.6
  • 17-Oct-21

    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.

  • 18-Oct-21

    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!

This walk was proposed by Branchline, who provided all the details below, so thanks, Branchline.
Length: 15km (9.3 miles)
Take the 9.30 from Waterloo station (CLJ 9.39; Wok 9.59). Arrives Liphook 10.40
Buy a day return to Liphook

** Covid rules will be respected on this walk, ie splitting into groups of six and sharing contact details within them **

For walk directions click here, for a GPX file click here, for a map of the route click here
This walk has plenty of relatively mild uphill and downhill sections. It is almost entirely through full-grown mixed woods - mainly oak, beech and chestnut trees. After passing Shulbrede Priory in the middle of the woods, you come to the pub and church by the village green in Fernhurst. In the afternoon, you cross streams in the forest before passing through Valewood Park and up into Haslemere, a town surrounded by beautiful countryside.
The bridleways immediately after lunch are usually muddy at all times of the year, and very muddy in winter, so decent walking boots are recommended. T=1.6 (I am not sure it is only after lunch that this walk is muddy: don't wear your party shoes - Ed)
You could shorten the walk by using the hourly Monday to Saturday bus service from Fernhurst, the halfway mark lunchtime village, back to Haslemere; the bus goes from the top of Hogs Hill Road in Fernhurst, along the A286.
Shulbrede Priory is the remains of a priory for Augustinian regular canons dating from about 1200 The prior's chamber, above a vaulted undercroft, contains sixteenth-century wall paintings. The priory is open to visitors by appointment (tel 01428 653 049) (admission is about £2.50).
The lunchtime pub is the Red Lion (tel 01428 643 112), by the village green at Fernhurst, offering quality home cooking. It serves food until 2.30pm daily. Space inside is limited but there is a good sized back garden with lots of tables under parasols. Booking recommended and please follow the COVID rules, which are 1) No eating inside with anyone not in your household or support bubble 2) No consumption of alcohol without a meal, though takeaways are permitted (or are they...?)
Just down the road from the pub is Fernhurst recreation ground and cricket club, a perfect spot for picnickers.
Tea: Darnleys was closed when I last looked (stripped out, so it was either being refurbished or had closed for good), but Hemingways (tel 01428 656904) across the road has been the reliable walker's friend throughout the Covid crisis, so do support this lovely friendly business. It serves teas and meals until 5pm on Saturday. Its cakes are delicious, and it does do takeaways. Same rules apply about eating inside as for pubs see above.
The pubs in Haslemere - eg the Swan Inn (a Wetherspoons), or the White Horse Hotel - are also governed by the rules above. Whether a tea with a pudding counts as a "substantial meal", I do not know, but it arguably takes longer to eat than a scotch egg...
The station is a ten minute walk from the town centre.
Return trains from Haslemere 15 and 32 past the hour. There are engineering works today on lines out of Waterloo, and journey times are 20 minutes or so longer than usual - ie 1hr 26 mins for the 15 past and 1hr 18 mins for the 32 past. There is also a 40 past requiring a change at Woking, which takes 1hr 45 minutes: only really recommended if you want somewhere warm and dry to read the paper.
  • Anonymous
    05-Dec-20

    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.

  • 05-Dec-20

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

  • Anonymous
    06-Dec-20

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

Book 1, Walk 6 - Liphook to Haslemere

Length: 15 km (9.3 miles)
Toughness: 5 out of 10

For those comfortable using public transport in these Covid times, your recommended train is:

London Waterloo: 09-45 hrs. Portsmouth Harbour service; Clapham Junction 09-52; Woking 10-13 hrs
Arrive Liphook: 11-00 hrs

Return: Haslemere to Waterloo: 4 an hour at approx 02, 15, 32 and 37 mins past the hour

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Liphook, Hants

Car drivers: Liphook is one stop down the line from Haslemere, so park up in either.


Today's walk starts in woods in Hampshire and stays in woods or along woodland trails for much of the morning as you head along undulating paths and tracks towards the village of Fernhurst, for lunch at the (usually) excellent and popular Red Lion pub, with pleasant outdoor seating if the weather permits.
After lunch you encounter bridleways which can be horribly muddy in winter, but - hopefully - firm and dry today as, now back in Surrey - you continue on your way to Haslemere, with its two tea shops (both good) and several pubs.
T=1.6
Walk Directions are here: L=1.6

  • 24-Aug-20

    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.

  • 27-Aug-20

    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 !

Dirk
Dirk
t=1.6
Length: 15km (9m)
Toughness: 5 /10
Transport: Take the 9:45 from London Waterloo, arriving in Liphook at 11:01. Or take the 10:00 from London Waterloo and change at Haslemere onto the prior train. There are frequent trains back from Haslemere.
This is a lovely autumn walk with a cozy lunch pub. After lunch there is the option to climb up to Temple of the Winds and walk back down to Haslemere via the Black Downs which should add only about 1km to the walk.
  • Anonymous
    01-Nov-19

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

  • 03-Nov-19

    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.

  • 03-Nov-19

    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.

Sat, 03-Nov-18 : Liphook to Haslemere 15
Dirk
Dirk
t=1.6

Length: 15km (9m)
Toughness: 5 / 10
Transport: Take the 9:45 from London Waterloo to arrive at Liphook at 10:55.

This walk is posted in total defiance of the RMT union strike this Saturday. SWR gave me the suggested train connection. The 9:00 train is not running. There is only an hourly slow service and I figure that 8:45 will be too early for most.

The area around Haslemere is blessed with beautiful woodlands and maybe we will just about catch the final stages of autumn colours. There is an option to extend the afternoon section by switching to the more vigorous Haslemere Circular walk going via Black Down and optionally Temple of the Winds.

  • 02-Nov-18

    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

  • Anonymous
    03-Nov-18

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

  • Anonymous
    04-Nov-18

    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.

Mr M Tiger
Mr M Tiger
Liphook to Haslemere Book 1 walk 6
15km (9.3 miles),
5/10
Gently uphill, gently downhill, almost entirely through mixed oak, beech and chestnut woods. After Shulbrede Priory in the middle of the woods, you reach the lunch pub by Fernhurst village green. Then, it's across forest streams, through Valewood Park and up into Haslemere. The afternoon path can get muddy.
Trains:
Get the 10:00 to Portsmouth Harbour from Waterloo (Clapham Jct 10:09) arriving Liphook 11:25
Return from Haslemere at xx:17 and xx:42
Get a return to Liphook.
Lunch: The Red Lion, Fernhurst (tel 01428 643 112). Large groups should phone.
Tea: Two suggested places on Haslemere High Street, Darnleys (tel 01428 643 048) open till 5.00 pm. Hemingways (tel 01428 656904) open till 4.00 pm.
The Swan Inn and the White Horse Hotel are also in the High Street. The station is ten minutes walk from there.
Walk Directions: here
T=1.6
  • 22-Oct-17

    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.

  • 24-Oct-17

    8 sunny bright and breezy

Thomas G
Thomas G
Book 1 Walk 6 – Liphook to Haslemere
Length: 15.0 km (9.3 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 378 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 4 hours
Toughness: 4 out of 10
Take the 10.00 Portsmouth Harbour train from Waterloo, (not stopping CJ), change at Haslemere onto the 09.45 stopping service (09.52 CJ) to Portsmouth & Southsea, arriving Liphook at 11.00.
Return trains from Haslemere are on xx.02 (last at 21.02), xx.15, xx.32 (last at 21.32) and xx.39 (last at 19.39), journey time from 49 to 66 mins.
This walk has plenty of relatively mild uphill and downhill sections and routes almost entirely through full-grown mixed woods - mainly oak, beech and chestnut trees. After passing Shulbrede Priory in the middle of the woods, you come to the pub and church by the village green in Fernhurst. In the afternoon, you cross streams in the forest before passing through Valewood Park and up into Haslemere, a town surrounded by beautiful countryside.
Lunch is in Fernhurst (8.5 km/5.3 mi) at The Red Lion (food to 15.00).
For tea there’s lots of choice in Haslemere.
For walk directions, map, height profile, and gpx/kml files click here.
Next Week: Book 2 Walk 1 - Wendover Circular; 20.2 km; 7/10 rating.
T=1.6
  • 11-Oct-16

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

  • 12-Oct-16

    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.