Section 7 of the North Downs Way, and turning off onto the Thames Down Link...

Today finds us on the last part of the North Downs way before I head up north to the Thames Path via the Thames Down Link. Obviously I would like to complete the NDW (and get a nice little certificate from National Trails, but I digress...) but this is an End2End walk and I need to be heading northwards and this is the easiest place to connect to the Thames Path. 

The day started cloudy and the trains misconnecting at various parts of the journey meant I didn't start til gone 11am. Bloody Beeching and his reformation of the railways. Can't get anywhere easily on the trains down here! 

We come out of Merstham and head up towards Reigate Hill, passing Gatton Park and a big school on the way.

One of many golf courses

Obligatory woods photo! 

Gatehouse for The Royal Alexandra and Albert School

The Millenium Standing Stones

Views from Gatton Park

Distinctive waymarkers! 

Come out of Gatton Park and walk through some woods/fields til we come to a really nice outlook at Reigate Hill.

Views from Reigate Hill

Footbridge for the NDW at Reigate Hill

A short walk from there takes us to Reigate Fort, built during the late 1800s as part of a 72-mile long defence line to protect London against any invasion from France. Which never came! (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/reigate-hill-and-gatton-park/history/reigate-fort/) Had a quick look around then went merrily on my way! 

It doesn't look much! 

From Reigate fort, we carry on with lovely views over the Surrey Hills and various towns. The sun is starting to beat down now, so I rest a while at the Inglis Folly on Colley Hill, where I can put some suncream on and take a drink. The folly is delightful with a great topograph and views.

The Inglis Folly

The roof with the zodiac signs

View from the folly

From the folly, I return to my own, and head up towards Box Hill, passing the Betchworth and Brockham Lime Works as I go. Brockham is certainly a place in my family history as my grandfather (on Dad's side) lived there when he was young. The lime works at Betchworth look awesome in the sun from the hills! 

Betchworth Lime Works

And now it's a hard slog up and down Box Hill! The view from the viewpoint is awesome, with Leith Hill in the distance! To the side, you can see most of Denbies Vineyard, a place that has given me many mornings of sore heads! Heading down the 273 steps was an exhilarating walk, as they're not the best of steps, especially after the last year of rainy weather and snow! At the bottom is a tranquil scene where you go over the river Mole on some stepping stones.

Leith Hill in the distance

View from Box Hill

Denbies Vineyards

The Stepping Stones

And now we say goodbye to the North Downs Way. It's been a pleasurable trail so far, and I will return to finish it in the future. Now we must head northwards towards my birthplace where I will meet the Thames Path trail. 

However, the Thames Down Link trail was a horrific experience. Badly waymarked, incomplete in some sections, and the notes I received from Surrey County Council are at least 5-6 years out of date. I spent most of the rest of the walk slapping my weary feet on tarmac, desperately trying to find the route! 

Micklesham was nice though... Before the A24 to Leatherhead! 

Church at Micklesham

Unusual looking pub! 

Given the lack of waymarking and the extremely rough description on the notes, I ended up on the other side of where I wanted to be. Seeing a road through back to Stane Street from the A24, I ended up on a private road where I was told in no uncertain terms to "get the hell off my land!" I played the deaf card, pretended not to understand him but he blocked me and pointed in the direction I had come. Ugh. So, I had to walk on the central reservation of the A24 (don't worry, there's a path there...) all the way to Leatherhead, amidst rush hour traffic. Not recommended! 

Eventually I pass through Leatherhead and take the Epsom Road to Ashtead where I know I can get onto the Thames Down "Link" at Ashtead Common. This works a treat, although my feet by now were taking a fearsome battering! 

Ashtead Common with great trail paths!

Epsom Well. (Apparently!)

More roads! 

The waymarking again disappears halfway across Epsom Common and I come out in completely the wrong direction to where I should be going (I know, you're all going to say use my phone map, but when it's on the last 20% and it's also recording your route, hmmm?) Eventually I find Horton Country Park and this is where you just know it's not your day! Most of the route transcribed on the notes for this section doesn't exist any more. Why? Because there's a stonking load of new houses and estates being built ON it! 

See the fence?! 

Ugh! By the end of the day, it was approaching 7pm by the time I got to my Mum and Dad's in West Ewell, but I know I'll be getting a well deserved few beers and a nice evening with some wine with my sister. 

The next stage of my end2end will have to be planned carefully, especially as I get further and further from home. I am hoping to go from Kingston to Oxford in around 5 days then spend the weekend there with my family. Obviously this means the walk will be on hold until the kids break up from school. So don't worry if I haven't updated in a while! 

Ta ta for now and keep walking! 

Oh, and please, please donate to a worthy cause, the whole point of this walk in the first place. Many thanks! http://www.justgiving.com/Mark-Franks1#

Merstham to West Ewell: 24.05 miles