Covid-19 Guided Walk for One. Number 3: The Bluebell Walk
Number 3: The Bluebell Walk
Bertie: “Cor, I dunno! First of all he tells us he hated Holmwood Common. Then out of the blue (literally), he discovers he loves it. Writes a whole blog on it, that lots of people liked. Then he comes home and declares “That’s bleedin it. I‘m not going over there again for a while!”
It seems that the fine weather, the closeness of the common to local villages and the outskirts of Dorking had made it very popular during the Covid-19 crisis. The peace and beauty of the circular trail featured in Part 2 by the story had been ruined by too many cyclists and runners oblivious to the rules on social distancing or indeed common decency. Dogs seemed to be everywhere. But you know him. Here was an opportunity to walk a bit further in the opposite direction. Back to his favourite countryside in the Surrey Hills. This time to the hill country leading to Leith Hill and its famous tower. And the bluebell walk. Walking to the Landslip Car Park featured in Frank’s Walk.
Not to go on that walk this time, which starts with a drive to the car park. But rather walk to it through glorious countryside and numerous bluebell woods.
Once again this is a virtual walk starting at Laurel Cottage.If you choose to actually walk it you will need a map. Or Bobby.
The start. Laurel Cottage (LC) with the wisteria in full flower and “Bertie’s Window”, dedicated to rainbows from grandchildren for the NHS.
There’s St Mary Magdalene Church and wild flowers meadows leading to it.
Betchetts Green Road and a cock-eyed tree.
Betchets Green. A 16th Century listed building with a dark secret. A murder took place there in 1992. The full details are on the internet if your macabre side has been awakened.
From tiny acorns great oaks grow.
This bluebell walk is quite different to the other walks in this series. as they were entirely on National Trust (NT) land. There are still lots of private estates in Surrey where public footpaths cross private land. The paths are maintained by Surrey County Council (SCC), whose priorities are different to the NT. In general, the NT has responsibilities to improve accessibility to their properties, including the open countryside. The same responsibilities are much more difficult to achieve with the local authority.
The most notable consequence of this is that the NT is actively replacing stiles with galvanised kissing gates and ordinary gates. This would be impractical in many parts of the public footpath network. Here, the responsibility to SCC is for the quality and safety of the existing locations of stiles. In practise, on our walk there was quite a lot of variation. Good quality stiles should always have a tall post for stability. Some have far too high a reach for little legs (or old ones) to negotiate. And some have barbed wire and electric fences a little too close for comfort. To be fair, there were no broken or dangerous stiles throughout this walk. But some needed a good leg up.
The first estate. Here is the lodge for the Anstie Estate. Anstie Grange is a stately home currently split into apartments. I see the entire estate is up for sale with a suggestion that the Grange could be taken back to being one large house with a lot of work involved. There is also a Farm up this access lane…
…with inquisitive cows.
Speedwell.
The first Bluebell wood – just ten minutes from LC.
Trolls live in here. The grandchildren told us.
Flowering Horse Chestnut.
Green Alkanet.
The second Bluebell Wood.
The next estate. Bearehurst Lodge leading to the big house. Currently on the market for £6.5 million. The lodge itself at £1.6 million. Could be out of date websites, but indicative. The footpath turns right just passed the garden of the lodge.
Bearehurst Lake…
…and its residents.
Fine. With a good size pole.
Starting the climb. Bluebell woods on the left.
Horse country. Good views to the North Downs towards Reigate.
Higher and higher. Here come the bluebells!
The target on this Bluebell walk. The bench close to the Landslip car park.
Remember Frank’s walk? This was Frank.
Time for lunch on Frank’s Bench.
And a little serenity in paradise. The Landslip woods.
He didn’t go round Frank’s Walk. You can read all about it from last year. Instead he had a choice of routes back to LC. Spoilt for that choice, and faced with the glorious weather forecast to last just three more days until heavy rain, he went back twice more. Each time a different route. Unforgettable and immortalised in this blog. What follows is some pictures from all of them. All of them centred on Coldharbour.
Coldharbour Village.
The Plough, Coldharbour. Nice pub in better times. The produce shop next door is open for two hours a day during the lockdown.
Leaving the village.
White Cottages, Coldharbour. 1640.
Opposite White Cottages, towards the North Downs.
Copper Beech, Coldharbour.
Looking east towards the North Downs towards Reigate. In front, Anstiebury Farm. Some of the building 17C. What a view they have east.
The sign to Kitlands, by the Plough. I wonder how old. 1950? Older?
Down towards Kitlands.
Further down!
Kitlands Estate.
Stiles or Gates.
A good stile. Two steps. A stabilising pole. A dog gate.
A bad stile. No post and even Daddy Long Legs struggled over this!
Not bad, but see what happens the other side of this field.
Into an NT owned woodland. Near LC. Betchetts Brook Field. A brand new galvanised kissing gate. Goodbye stile.
Nearly home.
And over another “Troll Bridge”.
Back to the bears. Stay safe. Thank you NHS. “Live for Today”.
Lighting a Candle for Diddley
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Love the pics… not sure about the one with a leg though
Love your pictures