Another England, Green and Eternal: North Downs Circuit

In Abinger Hammer, this route climbs Hackhurst Lane; hidden to the left is West Hackhurst (still a private house). This was the country home from 1924 to 1946 of the novelist E M Forster and his mother. The house was designed by his architect father, and he inherited the lease when his aunt died. He had frequently visited his aunt, and loved the Surrey Hills, probably basing a number of scenes from his novels there, and his aunt and mother would be buried in St Mary's churchyard at Holmbury St Mary. Although initially thought rather aloof by the locals, they warmed to him, and he took part in various village festivities, including an olde-England pageant (which to tell the truth sounds rather excruciating to modern tastes). In an essay, Abinger Pageant (1934) he wrote: "Houses and bungalows, hotels restaurants and flats, arterial roads, petrol pumps, by-passes and pylons, are these going to be England. Are these man's final triumph? Or is there another England, Green and eternal, which will outlast them?"

Lockdown has made me concentrate my rides close to home. This circuit is a composite of various rides I have done around the North Downs East of Guildford.  After our current dry spell, the tracks have been in good condition - fine on my hybrid - but after prolonged rain, the Eastern half from Shere and back along the North Downs Trackway, can be quite rough and muddy. And there are quite a few hills to climb. But the reward is some great traffic free sections, pretty scenery, and several places of interest and refreshment along the way.



Starting from the Town Bridge in Guildford, the route goes out along the Shalford cycle path and then the Downs Link and branches off through Shamley Green to follow the signs for National Cycle Network Route 22 (NCN22). (The Downs Link is designated as part of NCN223, but isn't signed as such except where the NCN22 branches off heading for Shere and Dorking.)

NCN22 heads through Shalford Park (no danger of ice today!)

Downs Link

Bramley old station

NCN22 leaves Downs Link/NCN223 near Shamley Green

Path to Shamley Green

Railway bridge near Little London

Shere (slightly off route) is a popular stop off for cyclists

After following pleasant country lanes to Shere, NCN22 follows pretty rough paths to Westcott, but passes through some very pretty scenery, including (having climbed the aforesaid Hackhurst Lane) the National Trust woodland at Abinger Roughs.

From the path behind Shere

Say 'hi'!

In Abinger Roughs

From Westcott, the route goes through a lesser known piece of NT real estate, namely Landbarn Farm, which includes Park Field Meadow, before climbing on a very good gravel estate road. There is a bit of a scramble up an earth bank to emerge on Ranmore Road, which is ascended (care needed, quite steep and busy.) Then head to the Denbies estate road (two gates with narrowed openings to pass through), which contours elegantly above the Mole Valley. Strictly this is a public footpath, but during lockdown there were plenty of people cycling it, and it gives great views over the vineyard and the Mole Valley to Box Hill: a mini Rhine.

Park Field Meadow

The old Denbies estate road

Denbies Vineyard

Denbies Vineyard estate road

Over the Mole Valley to Box Hill - could be the Rhine Valley, sort of

Then we enter the NT Polesden Lacey Estate via the back door at Bagden Lodge. The NT cafe at PL is a refreshment stop in normal times.

The 'back door' to Polesden Lacey on the Bagden track

The approach Road to Polesden Lacey

View towards London from near Polesden Lacey

We then cross the valley through the PL Estate to rejoin the Ranmore Road and onwards along the North Downs Trackway. I single out some relics of the extensive Canadian Army encampments here in the run up to D-Day.

Yew Tree path, Polesden Lacey

Short diversion to the old sentry box, Dunley Hill Farm, a relic of the WW2 Canadian Army camps around here.
(There is a business park, so you can sneak down to have a look.)

Foxgloves on the North Downs trackway. Many of the trackways across Netley Heath are of firm if rough stone construction, and were probably laid for the Canadian Army camp.

Water reservoir, another WW2 Canadian camp relic (probably fire reservoir)

Concrete saucer, probably another WW2 relic, precise use unknown.
You could try doing a wall-of-death ride around it.

Newlands Corner car park, eerily  quiet in lockdown

On Pewley Down in Spring

Having arrived at Pewley Down, it is mercifully a steep descent down Pewley Hill to the town centre.