Exiting Farnham Rail Station promptly at 8:00 am and a left turn followed by a short walk down the station road to the A31. Crossing over the station road brings you easily to the start of the North Downs Way. Here you pick up the signage and the acorn symbol that guides you along the 153 miles of the route that takes from the Hampshire/Surrey border though Surrey and Kent to Dover.
 |
A rusty steel installation marks the start
|
It doesn't take long to get away from the main road and you are greeted by a second starting sculpture.
 |
| Bench with an orchid backrest |
This stretch soon moves you into open countryside with views of the Hogg's Back, part of the ridge of chalk that mirrors the South Downs Way and stretches from Farnham down to Dover.
 |
| Finger post marking the route through woodland |
 |
| Being autumn there is hedgerow produce to eat |
 |
| The route cuts through farmland, woods and country parks |
Though the route manages to stay in the countryside it does pass though, or nearby, small villages so a pub or small shop is seldom too far away.
 |
| Puttenham has a convenient pub |
The next stopping point is the Watts Gallery which has a cafe and approaching that you go under the A3, then under a minor road that has two crosses to signify the Pilgrims Way.
 |
| The Pilgrims Way |
 |
Dappled shade
|
The North Downs Way follows the ridge of chalk and includes a mix of the old path that followed the ridge and a lower level route that is the Pilgrims Way. In tracking the best (or what is accessible) of these routes the path markers take you up and down the ridge so over a day you do get some ascents and descents though not the scale you would encounter in the hillier regions of Britain.
 |
| The street name that follows you the length of the route |
Chantry Wood has a free car park and is popular with dog walkers and runners. It would become a feature of the walk that I would see pairs of women walking and single men running or cycling. This takes you up to Martha's Hill (or Martyrs Hill?) where there is a church, and where the Saxon pagans would sacrifice Christians.
 |
| St Martha's church in the Surrey sunshine |
The Downs is formed from a ridge of chalk with sandstone underneath and in this area the sandstone appears and is ground down to a deep sand so it feels like you are walking along sand dunes.
 |
Newland's Corner showing the height of the ridge
|
It was at Newland's corner that I chatted with a pair of retired men who, seeing my guidebook and rucksack, were interested in where I was going. It is a feature of the North Down Way that many people do it in one day sections so you don't see that many walking it as a thru' hiker.
