Walk 1st September 2016 St Mary's Church (Horsley) - Lovelace bridges - NDW - Sheepleas

Start point:- TQ088526

Distance:- 13.7 km; 8.51 miles

Time taken:- 2 hours 48 minutes

Route:-

St Mary's Church CP - Sheepleas - Green Dene CP Mountain Wood - Sheepwalk Lane - Oaken Grove - Drove Road - Gravelhill Gate - Netley Heath - Combe Lane - Woodcote Farm - Fullers Farm - Angel Clump - Viewpoint - CP

I intend to lead this walk for Mole Valley Ramblers in December 2016, and will be refining the distance downwards to nearer 7 miles. I suspect this will mean either cutting out Sheepleas viewpoint or taking a shorter path back to the car park.

St Mary's church - Grade I listed church, originally an 8th century wooden Saxon church. Rebuilt in 1030 with chalk and flint on the same site. Impressive 13th century lancet (def: a slender pointed arched window) windows, and wall paintings of St Christopher, Sir Walter Raleigh’s head is buried with his three grandchildren in the Nicholas vault. Church tower dated 1140 and south aisle is early 16th century. The church was spared when the rest of the village was burned in 1066. Its tower was added in 1120, and the church extended to its current size in 1210

Lovelace bridges - there is a walk that will start from Green dene car park following a route to cover most of the bridges that still survive. http://fancyfreewalks.org/Surrey/HorsleyBridges.pdf
My walk goes past Troy bridge and Hermitage bridge. Sheepwalk lane is a B.O.A.T (Byway open to all traffic) and the route near Hermitage bridge showed signs of deep rutting, this section in winter may well be very muddy. There will be walk arounds to keep boots cleaner (?).

The route turns right into Oaken grove the first section of the walk may be muddy in winter but will be passable via slight detours. Onto the North Downs Way, leading eventually to Fullers farm and a permissive route where on a good clear day you will get a view of London and Woking

Finally into Sheepleas after walking a quiet section of road to the viewpoint from which tree growth is starting to obscure parts of the views of London