7 off the train in Wanborough were met by a car driver who planned to do a circular from there.. We set off in clear sunny weather. The ground was dry and we decided to risk the potentially muddy path mentioned in para 2 of the directions. This was firm enough to be manageable though it caused one of our number to slip and fall sideways into a bush allowing his phone to fall out of an open pocket. He soon missed the phone and went back to to find it concealed in a tangle of undergrowth and only discovered by ringing it. We carried on and made good in progress over fields, vineyards and golf course. The A31 was very busy and we had to be very patient waiting for gaps to appear between speeding cars whose drivers ignored us apart from venting hostility when we managed to run across. 7 stopped at Watts gallery - five eating in the cafe, two picnicking at an outside table. The cafe was crowded and the picnickers decided to move on to the Withies Inn for a drink. On our way there we met walker number 9 who had walked from Godalming and on reaching the Withies Inn we found another walker sitting outside. He had missed the posted train and walked from Guildford making for a total of 10 . We had hoped to reconvene with the cafe group at the Withies but on looking in we felt it was too busy and four carried on to Godalming. One walker did manage to get food in the Withies after two of their bookings failed to turn up.

Five visited the Star, two found a very good cafe in the arcade where cafe Mila used to be. Six caught the 15.59 train back to London.

A very pleasant relaxed walk in perfect autumn weather .

Against my better judgement I set out for Waterloo but was foiled by the Northern line and won't get there in time for the train. If anyone does the walk please leave a comment.

Set out thinking people were ahead, but footprints petered out, so realised I was alone. Now at Withies, 12:45pm.

Just 3 met at Wanborough station. We thought there might be another walker ahead of us as we saw footprints in the snow on the route. Sure enough, we encountered a walker at the lunch pub so4 in total. There was a fair bit of snowfall at the start which turned into rain later . The Withies Inn was a welcome sight and surprisingly busy for a snowy Wednesday. After a warming lunch we set off for Godalming and, fortunately, the rain had eased off. Although we were cold and damp at the end, we all enjoyed this pleasant walk.

Have any places been booked at the Withies?

Maybe no one is doing this walk . Most are going to the Kiln Pot!

Kiln Pot good, however went there two months ago

Hi Gavin, I suspect you are wrong. Best I know only a select number of Foodies have booked the Pot Kiln. I believe most mid-week walkers who want to go on a walk this coming Wednesday will opt for the Wanborough walk.

Covid update: The Withies Inn has just cancelled my lunch table booking due to an outbreak of the virus amongst its staff. The pub will be closed until the 28th December. So lunch today on this walk will be at the Watts Gallery caff - if open - or its a picnic job for all - or do this short(ish) walk in one go without stopping, and have a late lunch or early tea in Guildford.

For Guildford read Godalming

Pot Kiln still planning to open, currently has some vacancies.

Phone 01635 201366.

Yes, bring a snack and eat at Godalming. I know Godalming for pubs but not eating.

The Star is the pub i go to for beer. Stops serving food at 2.15.

However they have about 7 ales and similar live ciders.

There is a delightful coffee shop close to The Withies called The Farmm Shop, at Mellersh Farm, Losely Park, New Pond Road GU3 1HZ

15 off the posted train (which was bang on time - well done, South Western): then add the later starters and car drivers, and we mustered 19 today: back to the giddy numbers of two weeks ago ! We were privileged - and it was a great pleasure - to have amongst us our SWC Webmaster, making a rare mid-week outing. We hope to see more of him in 2022.

We enjoyed a day which was intermittently sunny and chilly without being cold : in fact, the conditions were pleasant - and enjoyable - for an early winter's walk. The start was muddy, as expected, the afternoon not so bad. With the Withies Inn being closed, most of us stopped at Watts Gallery, with about 9 of us taking lunch in the Gallery's cafeteria, and the rest enjoying their picnics outside. The caff was busy but we all managed to find tables and although ordering for some of us was a bit haphazard, our meals arrived promptly: the soup looked good and the Welsh rabbit was excellent - nice and spicy !

The group - which had kept together as far as Watts Gallery - then became dispersed and fragmented as the picnickers left well before the lunchers had finished. The sun disappeared as most of us headed for Godalming - but reappeared briefly as late arrivals reached the town. I was alone and book checking latterly (my choice !) and after enjoying tea at Cafe Mila, I popped into Star Inn on Church Street, to find a number of our walkers in good spirits. They looked set in for the duration - they may well still be there as I write this twaddle ! So here's wishing them - and all our SWC walkers - a very Merry Christmas.

There were eight or so in the Star. A kind of family run pub under the guise of Greene King.

The burgers were as best as they can be, from 5pm serving very good food. There were about ten ales, and about four ciders and a perry, and a 12pc mead ale. Seriously, difficult to find mead ales anywhere since Henry V111.

The soup at the Watts Cafe was very good.

18 in all. The day was dry and milder than yesterday (Hardly warm, mind you). Muddy in places.

3 dined at the Withies, which I’m told was good. Most picnicked near Watts Gallery.

We made it to Godalming fairly early. Say 2.30, with some slowcoaches crawling in as late as 3.

N+2 joining later, 4 extended muddy walk on to Guildford, arriving about 4pm

The 18 already includes sone late starters but, as it’s Xmas and as the SWC hsurveillance helicopter wasn’t flying on Wednesday, we’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. 20

12, warm and sunny , This was the first Saturday of the year when we were able to sit outside the pub at lunch time. As usual the Withies Inn at Compton provided good food and excellent service. We arrived quite early and most customers seemed to be outside in the sun. We also got to Mila cafe in Godalming quite early in the afternoon and again warm enough outside for afternoon tea. On the way back to the station we noticed an carpet of crocuses in the Church yard. An enjoyable day out.

There were 2 more on the 10:15 train. That must make it 14 We explored the Gallery, done the Chapel,bumped into A.N. Other and finally managed to catch part of the group up at Godalming Station.

Planning to go on this walk irrespective of the weather conditions.

Just 6 braved the continuous rain for this nice little walk, stretched out to five hours, at least for me, by one culture stop and several refreshment stops. There were 5 on the appointed train and another who caught up on us having lunch under an awning in the garden of Withies pub. Most of us had already stopped for a most welcome morning tea or coffee and some respite from the rain at Watts Gallery. Two of us visited the gallery and 3? the chapel. The afternoon stretch down to Godalming was very enjoyable despite further opportunities to get wet in the overgrown bits. Two of us had another good tea and cake stop at Mila's before making a dash for the 1527 train.

Weather forecast looks good. I’m coming

9 off the scheduled train, and 2 who took an earlier one, so for the second Wednesday running, we had 11 for today's adventure.

Once again we were fortunate with the weather: sunny and cold but dry all day , with medium mud levels as to be expected. The early arrivals visited Watts Gallery, to be joined by others for a visit to Watts Chapel. On then to Withies Inn where 7 of us enjoyed a good luncheon, with usual excellent service despite this pub being full, as always (booking ahead, which we did, is now essential, both mid-week and at weekends). Our 4 sandwichers had a drink at the bar, some sitting by a cosy fire.

Forcing ourselves back out into the open for the afternoon leg, we enjoyed some nice views along the route, then some sloppy mud on the undulating path above the River Wey, before the pleasant, dry leg beside the River into Godalming, where 5 headed direct to the railway station for an early train and an early return to London. 4 (I believe) went to Cafe Mila for tea, whilst 2 of us set out along the tow path beside the River for the four and a half mile walk extension to Guildford. We arrived there just before 5 pm in fading light (but still not dark) for a quick drink at the Britannia pub, then on to the station for a fast train home.

Another most enjoyable SWC mid-week outing in the best of company.

14, 13 at the start, 1 joined at Watts Gallery. Rain stooped as soon as we arrived at the station, grey and overcast in_the_morning_ brighten_up_in_the_afternoon. We even saw blue sky for a few moments. A lovely walk in good company. Ten had lunch at the Withies Inn followed by tea at Cafe Mila. Most caught 4:39pm train back to London. Felt a quite early finish but it was nice to get back home early and look forward to the next Saturday rather than being late home and feeling knockered. BTW: The Watts Gallery Cafe has gone a bit upmarket (not price but quality). The amond and fruit scone was divine - so I am told.

12 walkers for this very short walk on a cold but sunny day, through near-perfect wintry scenery: frozen ground (apart from some stretches exposed to the sun), hoar frost on bushes and fields, clear far views.

We visited all the sites en route (Wanborough Church, Watts Gallery [2 even paid to see the exhibition], Church and Cemetery, looked (unsuccessfully) for a wine tasting hut at the new-ish Greyfriars Vineyard and had a (very long) delightful lunch at the Withies Inn (we even took a bottle of their self-branded wine home for the return journey). This very traditional pub, with veeeery low ceilings, proved that even a reassuringly retro menu can be expensive, although in this case everyone agreed that it was well worth every penny.

1 walker went off to take a bus from somewhere nearby, the others got to Godalming for 1/4 to 4, so a couple of us continued on to Shalford or even Guildford (2 others would've wanted to, but had early evening appointments back in The Smoke).

5 others were up for tea and cake at Cafe Mila; 16.38 train for those.

Not a walk many had done before (it being so short...), but thoroughly enjoyable all the same. [pp TG]

Just thought that I'd let people know that there was a problem with the compass pub on this saturday's walk.the owner rang me to say that sat walkers were not welcome, as some walkers upset the staff! Not sure who.