Guildford Castle, St Martha's Hill & the River Wey – Country Hike

In conjunction with Chiltern Explorers. (https://www.meetup.com/Chiltern-Explorers/)

Walk length 10 miles/16km approx. Circular.

A chance to explore the Surrey Hills and the fantastic views from Pewley Down and St Martha's Hill.

The walk passes the grounds of historic Guildford castle built shortly after the 1066 invasion of England when Guildford was sacked by William the Conqueror along with other towns along the Pilgrims Way.

We will stop at the Newlands Corner Visitor Centre for a short snack lunch stop and another short stop to admire the views from the top of St Martha's Hill on the Greensand Ridge next to St Martha's Church.

St Martha's Church is on the Pilgrims' Way an historic footpath supposed to have been used by pilgrims walking to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury.

The walk follows a short part of the River Wey just south of Guildford. We will take a short climb to the top of St Catherine's Hill to see the views and remains of a ruined chapel before a short walk to get optional drinks close to Guildford Railway station and the end of the walk.

The walk includes three hill climbs but also level ridge sections and river paths.

Lunch and Finish

Please bring a packed lunch and water for the walk. The walk should finish at about 4.00pm and include a short snack lunch stop, however the time may be earlier or later than this depending on the weather and pace.

Transport and meeting

There are two meeting options for this walk, see below!

Meeting:

Train from London: Meet outside the main WHSmith next to the rail information point and Pret A Manager on the main concourse at Waterloo Station at 9.45am to get the 10.30am train that gets to Guildford for 11.03am for the walk to start at 11.15am. We need time to get tickets/group saves so please be prompt (3-9 people with a group save).

Cost

Train about £16.90 return from London to Guildford but with a group save (3 or more and must travel together) or individual network railcard should be approx £12.

Walk guide cost £5.

Car: Meet outside Guildford Station for walk to start at 11.15am, after the train arrives from London at 11.03am. The organizer is coming by train.

Parking: Guildford, main car parks may charge but side streets may be free (please check for restrictions and leave enough time to park).

We will use a pub in Guildford after the walk, there are regular trains back to London Waterloo.

Please make a note of the organizers numbers - Colin 07709305681.

RSVP: The organizers monitor non-attendance; please update your RSVP beforehand. Please see our RSVP policy (https://www.meetup.com/London-Explorers/pages/RSVP_for_Walks/)

Weather: See BBC Weather (http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/) Please see our weather policy (https://www.meetup.com/London-Explorers/pages/Weather/)

Dog Policy: As a group we allow and enjoy dogs on our walks, however we do ask dog owners to read our dog policy (https://www.meetup.com/London-Explorers/pages/Dog_Policy/)

Walking Safety: Walking is a great way to keep fit and generally very safe; however it does contain an element of risk. Before going on any of these walks you need to be reasonably fit and be prepared to be responsible for your own safety. You should wear appropriate clothing such as proper walking shoes, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. Please see our Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/London-Explorers/pages/Terms_and_Conditions/)

COULD EVERYONE PLEASE AVOID COMMENTS BELOW THAT ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO THE EVENT AS THIS GENERATES SPAM, JUST CHANGE YOUR RSVP IF YOU CAN'T GO. YOU CAN MESSAGE ME. MANY THANKS.