NEXT WALK Thursday 21 October

Thursday 16 September – The Thames & Broadwater

We passed D’Oyly Carte island with its substantial mansion well known to Gilbert & Sullivan and once owned by the impresario who was central to their success.

And very quickly it became clear that the river’s wild life were also taking full advantage of the wonderful sunshine. By the cafe at Cowey Sale we were greeted by a large number of swans, geese and ducks obviously disappointed  that we had little to offer them by way of treats.

Leaving the main river here we turned south heading for Broadwater and its desirable waterside residences Here we were delighted to come across a family of ducks perfectly happy to share the sunshine with us – and with a very patient heron.

Thursday 19 August – Langley Vale Wood

Established on land that was once the Tadworth Training Camp from which young men and women a century ago prepared to join the war across The Channel, David took us first to the Jutland Wood where more than 6,000 saplings commemorate the members of the Royal Navy and their 14 warships that were lost in the battle that helped to turn the fortunes of the war.

In years to come the elegant wooden plinths here, each one dedicated to a warship destroyed in the conflict, may be dwarfed somewhat by the trees as they grow around them – but for now they stand out, clear reminders of the price that so many of our countrymen paid to safeguard our future.

Around the corner we discovered the Regiment of Trees. Elegant ranks of sandstone soldiers standing amongst what will soon be a mass of native British trees providing shelter when the sun shines on them as it did, much to our pleasant surprise, on us thanks to one of our very few  truly glorious days in August 2021.

And standing proud there we found a commemorative sculpture in oak. Called Witness it is an amazing piece of art and a real landmark which includes carved texts, extracts from the work of the poets who recorded their recognition of those who fought and triumphed in The Great War.

Our lunch together at The Cock meant we had to leave much more to be investigated here on another day but we’re all grateful to David for introducing us to this special place in these its earliest days – and to Peter Wall for his fine photos.

Click here for more on Langley Vale Wood.

Thursday 17 June 2021 – Deepdene, Dorking

In the hands of Paul Tiller, ably assisted by his wife Britt, many of the 15 of us on today’s walk found ourselves not only in part of our locality that was totally new to us but also in the midst of of an estate described in 1718 as “an epitome of paradise, and the Garden of Eden seems well imitated here”.

Even after the passing of 300 years, which included at least one catastrophic family bankruptcy, one can appreciate the efforts of the volunteers of The Friends of Deepdene, Mole Valley Council and Surrey Wildlife Trust, as they help walkers like us to imagine the magnificence of this land that was once the home of Thomas Hope.

The magnificent Dorking residence of this 19th Century version of someone, who today might be described as an influencer, had to be demolished in 1969 but the site of its adjacent Italianate Gardens still provides plenty of clues to the determination of Hope and his family to create a very special place enclosed by the steep sides of the Deepdene valley.

Lush and exotic vegetation alongside ornamental architecture made those of us who saw Cobham’s Painshill in the 1970s remember how it had looked before its extensive and very successful rediscovery. The work here at Deepdene has already achieved much but the possibilities here still wait to be more fully revealed.

From the terraces above the garden we got a very cloudy glimpse of extensive views to the south. It’s claimed on a good day visitors here can see the sea. Those of us with grandchildren made a mental note to return soon – with a picnic – and enjoy checking whether the claim is true.

Thanks Paul & Britt -a real discovery.

Thursday 20 May – The Splendour of the Isabella
Steve Mustoe led a colourful wander around the Richmond Park taking in first of all The  Isabella Plantation with its impressive display of Azalea and Rhododendron blossom and a few late bluebells.

THURSDAY 15 April 2021 – Our first walk in 2021. Based in the Denbies area – and operated under the Rule of Six – this proved a successful pilot heralding the restart of Moleside’s much missed monthly walking programme after a 3 month break to comply with new Covid-19 regulations.  

Thursday 17 December 2020 – Bushey Park & Hampton Court
Though even in a year free of Covid regulations we don’t have a monthly full club meeting in December, we most certainly do usually have our final walk of the year during  the month. So working under strict Rule of 6 & Risk Assessment regulations 18 of us were blessed with one of December 2020’s sunniest days as we took to Bushey Park on the hour of 10. The Royal Park is a space certainly large enough to accommodate the several 100 other walkers and cyclists who also took advantage of the gloriously unseasonal conditions. Your photographer was part of the group of 6 led by Stephen Rouse  and we quickly lost the masses as we headed east towards Hampton Wick. Our route is well known and much appreciated by Moleside walkers – not a single incline, absolutely no stiles and water alongside us almost the entire way. It only took a couple of minutes for Stephen and Kay’s dog Roma – definitely a Moleside walking regular – to take full advantage. The temperature rose and no one felt the need to rush.  Our group of 6 – being the middle one – was not intended to catch up with our first group and, with no danger of that happening,  we made the halfway mark beside Kingston Bridge in under an hour.  Here we encountered larger numbers of fellow walkers – and plenty of cyclists who, in the main behaved more deferentially towards us then we believe they might have done had we met them in the road whilst driving our cars.

We were at Hampton Court in time to hear the Palace clock striking midday and, sadly with no traditional post walk lunch possible in these challenging times, we were all agreed that we are most certainly missing all the opportunities to get together that our Walking programme offered us before we had to start locking down and social distancing at the end of March.  Thanks to Alan Willis who navigated Group 1 today and to Steve Mustoe who led Group 3.  It is great to know that Steve is already drawing up our 2021 walking programme.  We’re certainly looking forward to it.

Thursday 15 October 2020 – Norbury Park

Rule of 6 & Risk Assessments = totally compliant Walking
Following the revisions to the Covid restrictions which had caused us to cancel our September date Steve Mustoe, ably supported by Peter Wall & David Owen, redesigned the club’s approach to our monthly walks and 18 of us were blessed with sunshine as we explored Norbury Park in October.  Subdivided into pre determined groups of 6, each one navigated by one of our group leaders, we maintained 5 minute intervals as we followed a carefully prepared route, risk assessed following the guidance of the Ramblers Association. A very big thank you to Steve for wrestling with all needed for us to be compliant.  Two of us took advantage of the highly efficient woodland coffee bar that has popped up by the Norbury Sawmill whilst we all, in turn, took in the amazing view of Canary Wharf and Dockland London and admired the fine houses on the east side of the Mole Valley.

Through the woods, close by Druids Grove, and across the fields we progressed to the Crabtree Lane car park from where we turned north for the more open walk back to our starting point by Bocketts Farm.  As we made our return we got the news that the government had now further tightened the Covid regulations which may mean that this could be our last walk for a little while. But we cannot discount the determination of the Moleside Walkers – and our group coordinator – to think yet again about how we might continue walking whilst taking strict note of the responsible behaviour we must all support and demonstrate.  It’s very sad that we may not be able to emulate soon the record breaking turnout we enjoyed back in August – but all of us will be watching our emails closely for news from our leader about any plans for November.

Thursday 20 August 2020 – Through the Water Meadows to Downside

A record breaking Walker Turnout

towards Pointers Lane and the corner of Surrey that was sliced through by the M25 in 1986.  Apart from the short section of our walk where its route has to follow noisily close by the motorway everyone enjoyed the peace of the fields around Pondtail Farm to the north of the village of Downside. We returned past the tiny Chapel and onto the lane that skirts Cobham Park. And, almost like old times, a dozen of us retired to The Plough, the pub adjacent to where we had started our walk, for a thoroughly enjoyable outdoor lunch under the trees.

Thank you Paul & Andrea.

admire the confidence that Brian transmits here and this walk was one of his very best. As we knew he would he got us safely to the viewpoint which has featured in many previous Moleside visits here.   But it was the open spaces that stole the show this July, resplendent in wild flowers of many colours – almost as if the contents of an enormous sack of typical English meadow seeds had been carefully distributed across the many acres.

As Brian had promised there were a few gentle inclines but positively no stiles. Easy walking it may have been and any challenges would have come from the many finger posts we encountered, each one telling us no more than the routes in these directions were all Public Bridleways.  Not much of an aid to navigation but we had no need of such assistance  and we covered a little over 3 miles together in just 2 hours. The 6 of us in the group who, carefully following recommended procedure, retired to The Queen’s Head in East Clandon for refreshment afterwards, all felt we had earned a drink – and the pub lunch that followed.  Hopefully more of us will be able to do the same when we get together again in August.

Wednesday 24 June – Back to Puttenham

The Walking Group in action again – for the first time since February.
Our first walk for 4 months saw 9 of us revisiting Puttenham Common and the Hogs Back. We followed the North Downs Way for part of the route and enjoyed glorious sunshine throughout.  We walked this route last winter but this time we had leafy trees, fresh ferns and even an abundance of tiny froglets hopping across our path.

Steve Mustoe led the way and looked a daunting figure carrying a length of 4X2 wood over his shoulder because one of the stiles we had to take was broken.

Regrettably we still can’t retire to a pub afterwards but a few folk had brought a packed lunch to enjoy. Social distancing was observed and a great time was had by all.

Thanks Steve for getting things going again on two legs and thanks too to Peter Wall for his photographs.  He’s particularly proud of the one we feature below but wants it to be made clear that he is not checking whether it could be time to leave for home.  Rather than having to be behind the camera he managed to feature in his own group shot by successfully activating an impressive gizmo in his Apple watch.  An achievement of which he can be very proud.