So back to exploring an area of north Sussex that I feel I’m beginning to know quite well. No route suggestions to follow this time so the planning is mine and I have a few criteria in mind. I need to visit Furnace Pond as the refurbishment has been completed, I want to include the area of woodland to the East of the Haslemere/ Midhurst road and I want to follow some more of the Serpents Trail and New Lipskin Way. I also decided that I was better starting in Fernhurst as walking from Haslemere would add unnecessary mileage to my route.
The free car park behind the shops is remarkably busy, I don’t stop to buy a sandwich as I had a cooked breakfast, I might regret this later!
My route takes me across the road and passed the church to the village green. I’ve driven through here so many times but it wasn’t until my last walk that I came through this way! Today I’m walking beside the green and then along the road a short way, looking for a turning off to the right. There’s a r track next to the road to begin with but I do find the path that leads down next to and between properties and passed some ponds.
The track runs through a field and then there is a turn left to take me back to the road. Obviously not concentrating as I turn the wrong way. I was suspicious when I didn’t recognise any features as I was expecting to do along this route – whoops time to pay a bit more attention. So double back and I’m on the correct road and looking out for a right turn. Bit concerned to see a road closed sign and hoped that wouldn’t apply to me !
Several workman on this metalled road which is not a main thoroughfare and then some digging up of the road but plenty of room to get through. This is becoming even more rural and at last I leave behind any housing and cross over a stream area. At last some woods and that familiar feeling of being comfortable in my surroundings. I love the way that borders are marked with trees in this area.
I’m looking out for a turning right where my path will join the Serpent Way. So through the wood along the side of the hill – good to explore on this side of the road. I eventually come out opposite the pub in Henley. Last time I was here was in September 2019 having Sunday lunch as part of a Midhurst Grammar School reunion. One of the most expensive lunches I’ve ever had but very good. Who’d have known as I looked out from the terrace that I’d begin to know this area more by walking it.
I have to turn left up the road a little and then the path leads through somebodies garden and steeply up some steps and onto the main road. The undergrowth has been cut back and then straight on the road, luckily not too busy. The exit is almost exactly opposite and my path is up above the road at the top of a bank but out of sight and runs parallel to it for a short distance until the road curves away and then takes a straighter route. I come out on a track which is just a short distance up from the main road and one that I used back in November during my first walk in this area. This time I’m more accurate in my navigation and manage to follow the Serpent trail up through an area which has been cut back but is more overgrown than on my first walk. An abundance of fox gloves as I work my way up hill.
Nearly at the top of this section and I turn back to look out towards Blackdown, the highest point around here.
I quite like the familiarity of recognising I’ve been here before and soon I’m on to more open land and a track passed Scotland Farmhouse and a gate into a more wooded area again. Last time I had turned right at this point but this time more of a left direction even though this is going to take me in a big loop and down hill, in order to come back up again! Another one of these wonderful ‘hollow ways’, I really wish we could wind back time and see who has walked this way before and for what purpose.
The path runs down to the road which I turn on to and although it is a road it’s a quiet peaceful, flat stretch before I turn back up to my right and climb the hill again. This area is Woolbeding Common and my third walk at the very start of this series was by the river in this area. How much more I know now about the way that the landscape fits together! A great climb back up and not quite as steep as I had anticipated, either that or I’m fitter? So from the top views over the common and towards the South Downs. The South Downs Way is still on my challenge list.
I emerge out where I think I met some people last time at a bench with good views. Last time I went on to Older Hill. This time I’m going straight across next to Telegraph Hill and I’ve swapped to the ‘New Lipchis Way’. I soon recognise this section as I remember a particularly muddy downward steep section where I got out my poles. Today it certainly wasn’t very muddy and didn’t seem as steep!
This is a wide track in places and very narrow in others as it descends down into the valley on the Fernhurst side. At one part a huge tree has fallen across the path, somebody has very cleverly cut through it to make a passage way so that everybody can pass.
This track leaves the wooded area and comes into open fields – no horses today! The farmers have been busy though. The black plastic covered bales don’t have the same feel as the smaller more traditional ones. I cast my mind back to pre college after sixth form and working on a farm that summer. Stacking whole fields of bales into rows standing up against each other. I remember the hay being very heavy – the straw bales were much easier. Later in the season my job was to stand on the trailer and load them onto the elevator so they could be stacked in the barn. Dusty, tiring work but very satisfying in a way.
At the end of these fields I’m back into woods again and I notice dog roses.
I’m nearly at my final must see on this route. So having seen Fernhurst Furnace before any restoration and having come this way and my path having been blocked, I was excited to see what had happened. I was a little shocked when I saw the area as I approached as the shrubbery and vegetation had been cleared but then after the first renovated southern sluice I was able to see the restored area of the furnace. https://www.fernhurstsociety.org.uk/furnace.html. Great to see such an important piece of local heritage being preserved.
Now back out of the woods and across fields towards the road at Lower Farm where a candle factory is now housed. I was shocked at the perfumed smell being omitted and had absolutely no desire to visit their showrooms! My route takes me up towards Shulbrede Priory where I met geese on my last walk, but this time I’m turning off into the woods and walk on a path which is vaguely parallel to the road back into the village. The path then dips down to almost meet the road and here I turn back up hill, I’ve walked this path and the next section before. After Greenhill House I make the decision to carry straight on and not take the path up hill as I did the first time I ventured this way. For much of this way I can still smell the perfume- certainly somewhere I would not want to work!
As. I set off across fields I wonder if this is going to take me to the beautiful ‘Sussex cottage’ I’ve walked passed before. I’d noticed last time when I was photographing ‘Duckingham Palace’ that there was a footpath sign at the edge of their garden. I suspected correctly and came through a gate at the edge of a garden with beautiful roses. Unfortunately nobody in the garden to say hello to and not much happening with the ducks. Just one sitting waiting to be filmed!
I take the path to the left after this house which will lead me out onto Vann Road and back down to the car park. Another great day in this area and about 19.5 km covered, with good weather once again.
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