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Riv
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Wey
Ri
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Wey
16 www.woking.gov.uk
Out andaboutAs the days lengthen and the summer holidays
approach, its an ideal
time to leave the car at home and combine a pleasant walk with
avisit to one of the countys many visitor attractions. En route,
you can
also take in part of the historic towpaths, the North Downs Way
and
Pilgrims Way.
This issues circular route can be walked or cycled. There are
no
stiles to negotiate but there are some steep inclines. The
towpath
and tracks are narrow and mostly unmade, so wear suitable
footwear, particularly during or after wet weather.
Key RoadsFootpaths
Route
Parking
Summer | 2008
Key facts
Start/finish: Guildford Railway
Station*, Walnut Tree Close (northside)
Distance: 10 kilometres (or 6 miles)
Time:Allow three hours, plus time
to visit the Watts Gallery site.
Type of walk:A mix of terrain
sand, gravel and dirt tracks with
some steep sections.
* Trains from Woking to Guildford
take up to 10 minutes, and there
are at least three services an hour.
Alternatively, buses go from Woking
station to Guildford bus station,
approximately every half hour.
The route
1. From the car park, with the
stations main entrance behind you,turn right to go under the
subway
by the pedestrian crossing. Exit the
subway to the right.
2. Follow the path in front of youas it curves to the left, and
stay
left going downhill, to join the
River Wey towpath.
3. Turn right and follow the
towpath straight on, passing The
White House and The Britanniapublic houses.
4. Cross the river footbridge atMillmead and continue on the
path
to the right, to cross the weir.
5. Turn right at the fork (with
Guildford boat house on your left)
and right again at the river. It gets
quite narrow here, so you mayneed to dismount if cycling.
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6.After 500m (and 50m before
the footbridge), exit the towpath
by the grotto, to go up Ferry Lane
at Artington. At the top of the hill,
to the left, lie the ruins of
St Catherines Chapel, builtaround 1308.
7. Turn right and cross the
Portsmouth Road with care,
joining Sandy Lane opposite.
8.After 200m, take the marked
footpath to the right, to join the
North Downs Way.
9. Follow this path for 1km, and
stay on the road as it bears left.
After 50m, take the next right,
which is the Pilgrims Way.
Follow this for approximately
1.5km, bearing left at the first fork
and keeping to the main path.
10.At the end of the sandy track,
you will reach Watts Gallery at
Compton.As well as the gallery
itself, there is a fine art and gift
shop, and a tea room here.
11.Leave the gallery site behindyou and turn left along Down
Lane
for a short distance. If you wish to
visit Watts Cemetery Chapel
(highly recommended), continue
past the public footpath sign to
find it on your left.
12. Returning to the footpath sign
(now on your right, if you visited
the chapel), join the path through
the farm. Turn right after the gate
and then left at the next junction
of paths. Keep to this narrow
path for 800m.
13.At the bottom of the steps,
take the path to the left for another
800m, which will gradually climb
as you go. Go straight on at the
pathways crossroads.
14.At the top of the woodland
path, join Down Lane to the right
with care. Pass the Compton
Heights development on your
right and immediately join the
Hogs Back pathway after it, on
the same side.
15. Follow the pathway for 1.5km,
through woods and past Henly
Fort. After 50m, take the path to
the left to join The Mount.
16. Enjoy the views across
Guildford towards London. (On a
clear day, London can be seen in
the distance). Continue along the
top of the field to your right.
17.As you approach the end of the
path, with the start of the houses in
front of you, go through the gate
and turn left to go down a very
steep pathway. Take care here.
18.At the end, go straight on up
Annandale Road to reach
Farnham Road (A31).
19. Turn right and cross with
care. Go downhill and, at the
roundabout, turn left intoGuildford Park Road to return to
Guildford Railway Station
(south side).
Thanks very much to keen walker,
David Collins, for his comments
about the Out and About pages.
In response, we have placed the
map on to a single page.
Do you know about a good walk
or cycle ride you think others
would enjoy? If you have a route
in mind that you think would suit
the readers of this magazine,
please contact the Editor on
01483 743824 or email
[email protected]
The Wey Navigations is under
the control of the National
Trust, and was one of the first
navigable waterways in the
country. Today, boat trips can
be enjoyed during the summermonths from Guildford and
Farncombe boat houses. Visit
www.nationaltrust.org.uk to
find out more.
For hundreds of years, this
historic route was used by
those making pilgrimages to
pray at holy shrines. Originally,
pilgrims would have travelled
from Canterbury to Winchester
to pray for St Swithun, who
was buried at the cathedral.
The route was then used in
reverse, as pilgrims journeyed
from Winchester to Canterbury
Cathedral to pray at the shrine
of Thomas Becket. For more
information about this route,
visit www.nationaltrail.co.uk/
northdowns
The Cemetery Chapel is an
extraordinary Art Nouveau
Grade I listed building,
designed by G F Watts wife,
Mary Seton Watts. Together
with the pottery buildings and
the gallery, the chapel creates
an unparalleled insight into the
late Victorian era. The chapelhas the same opening times
as the gallery, excepting any
special services.
Watts Gallery first opened to
the public in 1904 and is
devoted to the art of G F
Watts. The collection consists
of paintings, drawings, prints
and sculptures, and the gallery
itself is unique in being the
only purpose-built art gallery to
show a single professional
artists collection. It is an early
example of an arts and crafts
building and is listed Grade II.For opening times, and more
information, visit
www.wattsgallery.org.uk
