Working towards completing the North Downs Way

Tuesday saw me undertaking the second hike of my mini break yesterday, but unlike the first, which was an annual pre-arranged event involving friends from Maidstone CAMRA, this one was a continuation along the North Downs Way. I now have only 17 miles of this long-distance trail to complete, and whilst 12 years ago, when I walked the South Downs Way, that distance could have been covered in a day, my limit these days is 8-10 miles.

This is being sensible, as I see little point in pushing myself too hard, especially as these walks are undertaken for enjoyment, rather than for endurance purposes. This recent hike was the second one this month along the NDW and involved taking the train to Gomshall – a village on the busy A25, between Dorking and Guildford, and then walking along the crest of the downs, to Westhumble.

It was only seven miles, but the first of those miles involved a step climb up the escarpment, along a gravel track that seems to go on forever, just to join up with the NDW. I was knackered before I started but fortunately, once up on the ridge, the going was fairly level all the way to Ranmore Common, where the trail began a long descent as it skirts around a local vineyard. I even had time to stop off for a quick, and well-deserved pint at the Stepping Stones Inn, at Westhumble, prior to catching the train back to Dorking,

Although styling itself as “Country Pub and Dining,” this imposing pub, just a stone’s throw from Box Hill & Westhumble station, served a very acceptable pint of Wadworth 6X – a beer I haven't seen for ages, let alone drunk. You might say, any port in a storm, but I was relieved to find the Stepping Stones open, not only because I fancied a pint, but also because I needed a pee!

So, with Gomshall now representing my current most westerly point along the NDW, what about the hike I did on the first Sunday in April? That particular walk involved filling in a gap, between Betchworth and Merstham stations, a similar distance and another hike involving steep climb. In a previous post, I described the walk as one of the nicest stretches of the NDW I’d encountered to date, and I stand by that description, and whilst there were no pub stops involved, the bustling café, at the top of Reigate Hill, provided some welcoming picnic benches, where I could sit and enjoy my packed lunch, and also a welcome “comfort stop.”

There were also sweeping views out across to Reigate and beyond, and whilst there were similar vistas of Dorking, on yesterdays walk, these were limited to gaps in the quite extensive tree cover. I said there were no pub stops on the first walk, but that wasn’t strictly true, because had I wished to detour off the trail, I could have reached the Sportsman pub at Mogador – sounds like a place straight out of the Lord of the Rings.

The Sportsman was a pub which the previous Mrs Bailey and I would often cycle out to when we were living in the south-west London suburb of Norbury. It was a nice peaceful place back then, but now with the M25 close by, I imagine the roar of the traffic detracts somewhat. As an aside, taking a quick look on What Pub and Google maps, the whole area looks far more wooded and enclosed than how I remember it from 40 years ago. I rather wish I’d stopped by now!

So, where next, and how to finish those remaining 17 miles? My North Downs Way A-Z Adventure Guide, contains 69 x 1:25 000 scale Ordnance Survey maps, and this publication has been my faithful companion, ever since starting out on this long distance trail. There are just four OS map pages remaining, between Gomshall and the end of the trail at Farnham, so If I can find a suitable stopping off place halfway, I can complete the walk over two consecutive days.

The Withies Inn at the village of Compton looks promising, although I’m wincing somewhat at the £120 per night price tag. Basically, I don’t care how good the room is, how soft the sheets are and how delicious the breakfast is the following morning, as all I need is somewhere clean and comfortable, where I can lay my head, and the wake refreshed the following morning, ready for an early departure.

Bed & breakfast prices seem to have gone through the roof since the pandemic, which makes overnight stays along these long-distance trails, prohibitively expensive.  In July 2019, I paid £75 and £90, for overnight accommodation, as part of a three-day hike, taking in some of the sections of the East Kent sections of the NDW.  Ninety quid seems almost cheap in comparison, although I baulked at paying this amount at the time.

There is a far cheaper alternative at the opposite end of the price range, and that is the Puttenham Barn Bunkhouse (formerly Puttenham Eco Camping Barn), in the village of the same name. Housed in a sympathetically converted, old barn, and providing 11 spaces in a dorm-style room, divided into 3 sections, the cost for an overnight stay is just £20.  My family would freak out if they knew I was even contemplating such a stay, but for a mere score, and roof over my head for the night, I certainly don’t mind “roughing” it.

The only drawback is the requirement to bring a sleeping bag – an article I haven’t possessed since my camping days, four decades ago. I would need to factor in the cost of a new light-weight bag, plus the fact it would see very limited future use. There is also the weight of the bag itself, bearing in mind I like to travel light when walking, and I would need to carry it. Food for thought, though!

Since writing these final paragraphs, I have actually come up with a plan to finish those final stages of the NDW, without the need for an overnight stop. I shan't reveal details at the moment, but will wait instead until the whole plan is a fait accompli.