Explore and Enjoy the

Special wildlifeInspiring viewsRich in history

A long-distance path from Banstead Downs to Horley, created by

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Welcome to the Millennium Trail, a long-distancepath (18 miles, or 28km) from Banstead Downs toHorley, created by Reigate and Banstead BoroughCouncil to mark the new century.

The Trail is full of surprises - even for those who are familiar withthe area. Its twists and turns will guide you through historic townsand villages and you can exploresome beautiful countrysideon the way. There areplenty of places topause and reflect onthe relationshipbetween Town andCountry, Past andPresent - whilstyou enjoy somewell-earned restand refreshment.

Six circular walks link with The Millennium Trail and where theyconnect with the main Trail is shown on the map inside. Althoughshorter than the main Trail, they are just as interesting and scenicand are well worth exploring. They vary in length from three toseven miles and can be used as an alternative, or additional routeto the main Millennium Trail. There is a free leaflet for each ofthese – see the back cover for more details.

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St. John The Evangelist,Redhill - one of the manyfine buildings you willdiscover on this walk...

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The MillenniumTrail is rich inhistory and will takeyou through some ofSurrey’s finestcountryside. There is

so much to see that you will want tolinger – so why not split the Trail intoshorter sections to suit your taste andtake your time to complete it? Or ifyou like to stride out at a moredetermined pace, you will find thatthe Trail is long enough to provide achallenge - so go for it!

This guide is best used with OS map:1:25000 Explorer 146 (Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate)

SuitabilityThe Millennium Trail is suitable forwalkers of all ages and abilities, butthere are some steep slopes, patchesof uneven ground and some stiles.Parts of the Trail are thereforeunsuitable for wheelchairs andbuggies.

FootwearThe Millennium Trail is thoroughlywaymarked and can be walked in allweathers. Some areas may beslippery or muddy underfoot, so stoutwalking boots or trainers with goodtreads are recommended.

Transport LinksThe Millennium Trail has publictransport connections at the start andfinish, and there are numeroustransport links on the way. For moredetails, see the map inside.

For further up-to-date public transportinformation, contact Surrey Travelineon 0871 200 2233 orwww.traveline.info

Rest and Refreshment

There are lots of pubs, picnic placesand resting areas on the route. More details inside...

Key to symbols used

Busy Road

Car Park

View

Toilet

Cafe/Tea Shop

Picnic Area

Public House/Bar

Cycleway

Bus Stop

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Your journey starts at CommonsideClose, right next to Belmont Railwaystation. Grid Ref: TQ 256 620

Transport Link: Buses from Mitcham,Sutton and Banstead also go to the startof the walk.

From Commonside Close, walk ontothe common and follow the path to theright of the notice board. At the crosspath, walk straight on into thewoodland. Go through thetrees and out the other sideand carry straight on.

This common is knownas Banstead Downs.It is a Site of SpecialScientific Interest; anationally importantarea of chalk grasslandthat supports a wide rangeof wildlife, including plants andinsects now rare in Surrey. Sheep havegrazed here for centuries and were stillgrazed commercially up to the outbreakof the Second World War. Today,Banstead Downs is managed as commonland, with a general right of publicaccess, by the Banstead CommonsConservators.

Follow the path down then up the hilland go straight on at the cross path.Where the path forks, go right and thenright again. Carry straight on, until youreach a railway fence. Go left and followthe path with the railway fence on yourright. At the corner of the fence, beside abridge, take the third path on the left.

Walk Link: You can alsoconnect with the Town andDown Circular Walk and theLondon LOOP from here.

Transport Link: To get to the MillenniumTrail from Banstead Station, follow theorange Town and Down Circular Walkdisks. As you leave the station, cross theroad and follow the bridleway to theright of the railway track. At the end ofthe bridleway, turn right and then crossthe A217 at the lights. Go left and walkalong the pavement beside the A217until you pass over the railway then turnright and follow the bridleway onto thegolf course (this is also part of theLondon LOOP). Follow the signs acrossthe golf course, (Beware of flying golfballs!) until you reach a bridge over therailway. Take the second path on theright.

Sheep are now used to control the growth of scrub andrough vegetation on Banstead Downs.

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At the first crossways, go straight onuntil you reach Winkworth Road. Crosswith care and follow the path straight on.At the next main road (Sutton Lane) turnright and follow the road until you reacha roundabout. (The old village well canbe seen nearby, at the junction of SuttonLane and Woodmansterne Lane. It is300ft deep and was still in

use at the end of the 19th century. The18th century wellhead covers thewinding gear and is a listed building.)Bear right, then cross the road and enterthe Woolpack Pub car park.

There has been an inn here for hundredsof years and its name (first recorded in1716) bears witness to the importance ofthe wool trade that once flourished inBanstead. The inn was also used as avenue for parish business, a mail house

and a wigmakersworkshop. The presentbuilding replaces the oldinn, which wasdestroyed by a flyingbomb in 1944.

Walk between the white lines andfollow the path out into Lady NevilleRecreation Ground. Follow the pathround to the right and walk through therecreation ground and then turn left intoDe Burgh Park. Take the first footpath onthe right that eventually leads throughallotments and carry on until you reachHolly Lane. Cross Holly Lane with careand follow the footpath on the other side.Where the path forks go left andcontinue down hill until you reach a track(Chipstead Road).

The Woolpack Inn –a modern sign for an

ancient trade.

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Go straight on into the field and followthe path as it descends and then rises. Atthe corner of the field, follow the pathround to the right at the edge of thewoodland. Bear left and follow the pathstraight on out along the field edge,through the kissing gate and then backthrough another small area of woodland(Pages Acre – an ancient woodlandcovered with bluebells in Spring) toanother kissing gate.

Walk Link:You can connectwith the Town andDown Circular Walk and theBanstead Countryside Walk from here.

Take the path diagonally left acrossthe field. At the other side of the fieldturn left and walk along the field edgewith the hedge to your right. At thecorner of the field, carry straight on overthe stile until you reach Reads Rest Lane.(The lane is named after the cottageswhere Captain James Read, who servedas an officer for forty years underCharles I, Charles II and James II, diedin 1691.)

Old walnut tree, near Canon’s Farm, at the start of Reads Rest Lane.

Walk Link: You can connect with theBanstead Countryside Walk, which goesleft from here.

Continue straight on over the stileand along the track between two fields.At the T-junction turn right and carry onalong the track. Go round the gate andas you reach the first house on the right,take the footpath to the left, through thebarrier. Keep going straight on, keepingthe Legal and General building onyour right and the sports field onyour left. By the side of thepavilion, follow the footpathstraight on into the

woodland. Go straight on atthe crossway of paths and

carry on down the hill until youreach the railway line. (This is one of

the oldest branch lines in the country,dating from 1847 - look both ways andcross the railway line with extremecaution.)

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On the other side, follow the pathround to the left and then round to theright, until you meet a road (Forest Drive).

Transport Link:You can leave the

Millennium Trail atForest Drive. Turn right

and then right again intoWaterhouse Lane, and

right after the railway bridgeto find Kingswood Station.

Go straight on and followthe path, crossing two roads.At the third road, (The Chase)cross and go straight on, then

follow Lilley Drive straight on.Bear right and follow the path betweenthe houses down to the main road(Waterhouse Lane).

Walk Link: The Shabden and UpperGatton Parks Circular Walk goes leftfrom here.

Cross with care and carry straight alongthe path through the woodland and thenout onto the golf course. Follow thewaymarked posts straight on across thegolf course (beware of flying golf balls!)until you reach another woodland(Smugglers Pit Plantation). Go straighton, cross the stile then follow the paththrough the field down the hill to anotherstile. Cross over the stile and then crossthe road with care.

This walk will take you past the WellHouse Inn – so called because thegarden contains a well, known as StMargeret’s Well or Mag’s Well, whichhas given its name to the nearby village

of Mugswell. The well is mentioned in theDomesday Book; it is 100ft deep and isused by the Sutton and East SurreyWater Company to monitor levels in theunderground aquifer, which provides85% of its supplies.

Follow the footpath to the right ofthe pub, going uphill and then through akissing gate. Carry straight on along thepath beside the hedgerow and throughtwo more kissing gates. Cross MonkswellLane and go straight on.

Cross Green Lane and go straight onand cross two stiles.

Well House Inn.

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Follow the path straight on beside thehedgerow and at the end of the field, crossover the stile and go straight on.

Walk Link: Shabden and Upper GattonParks Circular Walk goes left from here.

Follow the track as it forks left and thensharp left and continue following the trackstraight on as it leads uphill besideGatwick Wood. Bear left besideHome Field Farm and followthe track alongside thewoodland and past fields.Continue following the trackas it bends round to the

right. At the end of the track turn left,then right along High Road (watch out

for traffic here) until you reach the crossroads. Turn left along Crossways Lane and

follow the track. Where the track bendsround to the left, continue straight on andcarry on downhill and through a tunnel,which goes under the M25. Follow the pathas it bears round to the left and then to theright, and continue downhill to the road(Gatton Bottom). Take care crossing the roadand carry straight on between the houses.Turn sharp right in front of the National Trustsign and follow the path steeply uphill.

Walk Link: The North Downs Ridge CircularWalk goes straight on from here.

Gatton and Upper Gatton Parks are twoformer Country Estates that used to lie withinthe borough of Gatton, one of the oldestparishes in Surrey.

Where the path forks, follow the righthand path and continue uphill until youreach the top.Carry straight ontowards the carpark and cross aminor road andthen Wray Lane.

Enter the car park andfollow the path to the left of therefreshment kiosk and carry on overthe bridge across the A217. Carry straighton until the path meets Fort Lane. Carrystraight on, following the road, and onto atrack, passing Reigate Fort on your left.

Reigate Fort was one of 13 mobilisationcentres built between 1890 and 1903 in adefensive line that stretched along the NorthDowns for 72 miles.

Keep going straight on through thewoodland until you reach a gate onto anopen area. Go through the gate andstraight on, past the Inglis Memorial on yourleft. Carry straight on along the top of thehill.

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Walk Link: The North Downs RidgeCircular Walk goes straight on from here.

Take the first bridleway on your leftleading downhill, almost doubling backon yourself. Follow the path downhill, gothrough the gate and continue steeplydownhill, past the memorial stone.

(Dedicated to Captain GeorgeSimpson, of the 5th Battalion,Queen s Royal West SurreyRegiment, who died in 1909.)

Take care, as this path can beslippery. Continue downhill

until you reach UnderhillPark Road.

Walk Link: TheNorth DownsRidge CircularWalk crossesthe trail here.

Turn right and walk along the metalledtrack, then turn left through the barriers intoPilgrims Way. Walk down Pilgrims Way,cross Manor Road and carry straight onalong Nutley Lane. Go under the railway

bridge and past the Admiral Inn. Carrystraight on past Phillips Church and crossover Beaufort Road. Pass the Nutley Hallpublic house and carry straight on alongSlipshoe Street until you reach London Road(A217).

Transport Link: For trains; follow LondonRoad until you reach a zebra crossing. Crossit, turn left and cross another one, then carryon to the left and follow the road until youreach Reigate Station. Buses from the centreof Reigate go to Redhill,

Earlswood, Merstham, East Surrey Hospital,Tadworth, Banstead and Sutton (every day),and Dorking and Guildford (not Sunday).

A view of Colley Hill from the Inglis Memorial.

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To continue walking on theMillennium Trail, bear right onLondon Road until you reach apedestrian crossing.

Walk Link: You can connect withthe Tatton Winter Circular Walkfrom here.

Cross over and walk alongPark Lane. Where the roadforks, take the left hand forkand shortly bear right intoPriory Park. Walk across thegrass, following a fence roundto the right, and straight ontowards Priory Pond.

Reigate Priory is a grade 1Listed Building, set in 65 acres ofparkland that was extensivelyrenovated and restored byReigate and Banstead BoroughCouncil in 2008 and formallyopened by HRH Prince Edward,The Earl of Wessex KG KCVO.

At Priory Pond, bearleft along the edge, and then

go left into the woodland.

Walk Link: You can connectwith the Tatton Winter CircularWalk from here.

Follow the path uphill and thenshortly turn left onto a path

through the woodland. Follow thispath straight on, ignoring any cross

paths until you reach a road. Turn rightand cross the road with care, using the

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Take the first small path to the right,going steeply downhill to a road. Crossthe road and follow the path straight on,with the boundary wall of St John TheEvangelist’s Church on your right. (Thisfine church was rebuilt by the greatVictorian architect Pearson between1889 and 1895)

Walk Link: You can connect with theEarlswood Commons Circular Walk,which goes right from here.

Cross another road and carrystraight on across the common until youreach a road (Brighton Road). Cross thisbusy road with care at the traffic island.

Transport Link: Bus stops in this areahave services to Reigate, Merstham,Horley and Gatwick (every day), andLingfield, Caterham and East SurreyHospital (weekdays only).

Turn right and then bear left intoCommon Road. At the cross roads, goright and then turn left and follow thefootpath across Earlswood Common andgolf course. Follow the waymarks besidethe trees on the left until you reach atrack.

Turn left and go under the railway,then turn right along a metalled track,and shortly bear right onto the cycleway.

Reigate Priory

King George V memorial, Redhill Common.

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traffic island, then turn right and carryon along the road, ignoring any sideroads. Just past Lymden Gardens, bearleft up Isbells Drive. At the end of thedrive by the Lodge, bear left onto a path.At the end, turn left and walk along theroad (Smoke Lane). When you reachHilltop Road, bear right onto a pathbetween two fences. At the end of thehouses, take the left fork and follow thepath through the woodland and thenstraight on between two fences. At theroad, turn left and then right into HighTrees Road. Ignore Ringley Avenue onthe left and carry straight on along HighTrees Road until the end, where you willreach Redhill Common.

Go through the gate and take thecentre path. Follow it out onto EarlswoodCommon (spectacular views of the Wealdand the South Downs National Park canbe seen from here), and then downhillinto woodland.

The memorial on Redhill commoncommemorates the Silver Jubilee of KingGeorge V’s reign (1910 – 1935). It wasoriginally a sighting pillar, used to plotthe route of the railway line when it firstcame through Redhill.

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Where the cycleway meets a road, bearright and carry straight on to theroundabout.

Walk Link:You can connect

with the EarlswoodCommons Circular Walk,

which goes right from here.

Transport Link: Bus stops in this areahave services to Reigate, Merstham,Horley and Gatwick (every day), andLingfield, Caterham and Dormansland(weekdays only).

Bear right and cross the road at thepedestrian crossing. Turn left and followthe road for a short distance, then takethe path to the left of the cycleway. CrossWhitebushes Common, and then carrystraight on along the road. Ignore minorroads to the left and right, and follow theroad as it bends round to the left, then

shortly turn right into an alleyway, thenturn right and then left. At the road turnright, past the shop and then left downGreen Lane. Carry straight on where theroad turns into a path and go intowoodland. The path eventually bends tothe left and crosses Salfords Stream.

Pause a while on the bridge at Salfords Stream and youmay see a kingfisher…

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At the T-junction turn right andfollow the track to a road.

Transport Link: You can leave theMillennium Trail here; turn right and walkunder the railway bridge, then turn leftinto Southern Avenue and continuestraight on until you reach SalfordsStation, which has services towardsLondon and Gatwick/Horsham.

Cross the road and gostraight on, ignore a footpath on the

right and carry straight on throughmetal gates and along a wooded path.Follow this path for about 1 mile. At theroad (Cross Oak Lane), turn left andfollow the cycleway and then the road.Take care and walk facing the oncomingtraffic as there is no pavement here. Justpast Lake Cottage, go right and followthe wide track.

Walk Link: You can join the East HorleyCircular Walk from here.

Lake Lane was one of the north-southdrove roads in the Horley area, used inAnglo-Saxon times to bring animals fromthe downland in the north of Surrey tothe woodland in the south. Anglo-SaxonSwineherds used it to drive their pigs towoods in Horley, where their beastscould forage for roots, shoots andacorns.

Lake Lane was a drove road, usedby Anglo-Saxon swineherds

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Carry straight on past fields and afew houses, until you meet a road.(Those in need of rest and refreshmentcan find the Farmhouse pub near here;turn right and walk a short way downLadbroke Road.) At the road, cross overand continue straight on, following thepath/cycleway. Crossanother two roadsand continue

straight on as the path becomes a road.Shortly afterwards, turn left into RaymerWalk. At the end of the road, bear rightonto a narrow path between hedges. Atthe road, cross and turn left, then turnright down a path. At the fork go leftand follow the path around the playingfield, with a green metal fence to yourright. Carry straight on along the pathbetween houses and past the end of

three roads. Follow the path as it bendsround to the left. Go over a footbridgeand through a kissing gate and followthe path with houses on the right andwoodland on the left. Go throughanother kissing gate, then cross a roadand go straight on through anotherkissing gate. Follow the narrow path untilyou reach a path to the right. Go rightand follow this path between two fences,towards the motorway.

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Walk Link: You can connect with the EastHorley Circular Walk, which goes leftfrom here.

Cross the footbridge and turn right,go through a kissing gate and follow thepath with the M23 Gatwick Spur to yourleft. When you reach a road, cross withcare and turn right. Go past theCoppingham Arms pub and then turn leftalong a footpath. Follow the paththrough the woodland and over a stile.Cross a field and go over another stile,then follow the path round to the right.Cross another two stiles and continuefollowing the path round the field. Walkacross the bridge over the railway andgo straight on until you reach a road.Turn left and follow the road. At the endof the road, turn right and followCrescent Way until you reach a road onthe left called Riverside. Go left andfollow this road, then go straight on intoRiverside Garden Park and over thebridge crossing the Gatwick Stream.(Grid Ref: TQ281 420.)

Congratulations, you havereached the end of the

Millennium Trail!

Transport Link: From the car park, followthe cycle track to the left, with GatwickStream on the left and you will eventuallypass a pond on your right. Follow thecycleway as it bends round to the left,and then under two underpasses andinto Gatwick Airport, where you can findbus services to Horley, Crawley andRedhill and the railway station.

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The Millennium Trail is a long-distance path (18 miles, or 28km)from Banstead Downs to Horley, created by Reigate andBanstead Borough Council to mark the new century.

Six circular walks have also been created to link with TheMillennium Trail:

Circular Walk Name Distance (nearest half mile/km)

1. Town and Down 5 miles (8 km)

2. Shabden & Upper Gatton Parks 7 miles (11 km)

3. North Downs Ridge 7 miles (11 km)

4. Tatton Winter 3 miles (5 km)

5. Earlswood Commons 4.5 miles (7.5km)

6. East Horley 6 miles (9.4 km)

Free leaflets for these walks, and the other walks mentioned inthis booklet, are available from Reigate and Banstead BoroughCouncil on 01737 276000, or from The Downlands Project on01737 737700.

Downlands Project

This leaflet was produced for Reigate and Banstead Borough Council by the OldSurrey Downs Project.

We restore our beautiful chalk grassland through practical management.

We raise awareness of the importance of chalk grassland as part of ournatural heritage.

We encourage others to take part in discovering its past and securing its future.

For information telephone: 01737 733933email: Info.oldsurreydowns@surreycc.gov.uk or visitwww.oldsurreydowns.org.uk

Waymarks for these walks have been installed by Downlands Project staff andvolunteers. If you would like more information, or would like to help restore ourcountryside, contact us at: The Downlands Project, The Omnibus Building,Lesbourne Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 7JA. Tel: 01737 737700 or visitwww.downlandsproject.org.uk

Restoring our beautifulchalk grassland

Illustrations by John Davis 01243 512351. Leaflet produced by JBD Media Limited 01787 223725. (24/06/09 - 20K).

BANSTEAD

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