please empty your brain below
Well, I enjoyed that. Thank you, DG, I love your outings.

Jan Jones | Homepage | 26.10.10 - 8:28 a.m. | #

Ranworth ? Surely its Ranmore.

Nick | 26.10.10 - 9:26 a.m. | #

When you do decide to go to Leith Hill springtime is the time I would recommend as there are some nice Bluebell woods to walk through on the way up the hill.

John | 26.10.10 - 9:58 a.m. | #

Glad you seem to have enjoyed your day.

And, hey, it looks like you've just found some of my favourite 'green lanes' (which is to say byways which can be legally ridden by trail bikes) in the south east.

RogerW | 26.10.10 - 10:04 a.m. | #

Yes, definitely Ranmore. Next time go to Gomshall and have a look at the mill, supposedly 11th century.

Debster | Homepage | 26.10.10 - 10:13 a.m. | #

And like the other commentators I find this all very familiar (OK sometimes on a bike but never in lycra) and interesting to read your thoughts on this.

Also in this area is Tanners Hatch Youth Hostel which has to be one of the most remote, basic and charming of hostels yet incredibly not far at all from London.

Pedantic of Purley | 26.10.10 - 10:26 a.m. | #

Nice write-up [I'm sat here in just my boxer shorts over breakfast, at my computer reading this] and remind me of the time back in 2002 [Oh how I wish I was eight years younger again] that I hired bikes at Boxhill & Westhumble and did turn left out of the station and head west! I was with my girlfriend at the time [It lasted less than ten months, and was the worst relationship I've ever been in, in my life] and we saw Polseden Lacey from after, and she asked me if I knew what the building was. [I didn't, and I felt like I should have done]. And now i've had a nice virtual tour, thanks. [And i'm in a much better relationship too now, ta].

Right. more tea anyone? [stands up, to go put the kettle back on]

geofftech | Homepage | 26.10.10 - 11:50 a.m. | #

Beautiful descriptions as ever
Sunday was a lovely day wasn't it?
I've lived in Surrey for years and never been to Polesdon Lacey

gilly | 26.10.10 - 12:49 p.m. | #

well done DG, superb style as always.

I've been to Kingston Lacey, another NT property you might like for next Sunday.

Jon Allen | Homepage | 26.10.10 - 2:09 p.m. | #

Great choice for a walk. Your description brought back a lot of happy memories thanks. Used to do a lot of walking in the area. (Including from the aforementioned youth hostel, which I think still doesn't even have electricity!).

logistical | Homepage | 26.10.10 - 3:14 p.m. | #

Thanks, DG! I can't believe what gorgeous weather you're getting. Not so here in the pacific northwest... where it snowed in portland and we had a typhoon in seattle yesterday.


John Nez | Homepage | 26.10.10 - 4:33 p.m. | #

'Twas wet & windy in the Rockies too. Your Sunday was much better than mine.

CornishCockney | 26.10.10 - 4:56 p.m. | #

I really like going on virtual day trips with you.

kabinga | 26.10.10 - 7:34 p.m. | #

An excellent post, it captures the time and location with brilliant economy and wonderfully witty asides. Yes, I and many others, do want to read things like this. Thank you DG.

Waterhouse | 26.10.10 - 8:27 p.m. | #

V. evocative and I think Ranworth was the deliberate mistake to find out if any body was reading. How about a week of posts with one deliberate error and a prize for the reader who spots all seven...I used to think of putting deliberate mistakes into essays at uni to check if they were actually being read. Thank you.

wandsworthboy | 26.10.10 - 8:42 p.m. | #

Yes, it's Ranmore, sorry. Next time, if one of you could spot the non-deliberate mistake before I go off to work, that would be great :)

diamond geezer | Homepage | 26.10.10 - 9:37 p.m. | #

I often spot little mistakes - I've done years of proof-reading :)

Great Aunt Annie | 26.10.10 - 9:57 p.m. | #

I, especially enjoyed this write up as rather randomly I purchased from a charity shop the OS Landranger for Dorking and Reigate so I was able to follow your route in detail on the map.

Mark | Homepage | 27.10.10 - 2:00 p.m. | #

Being based in Sydney at the moment, & missing my first UK autumn, I found this piece particularly poignant as well as great fun as always.

Yet another excellent read DG, thank you :)

Richard | 27.10.10 - 2:37 p.m. | #

Polesden Lacey also has a rather magnificent slope of lawn that my son used to love rolling down when he was little ... along with his more grown up cousins. I'm not sure the guides there were as taken by all that youthful frivolity, but it did give me a couple of moments peace to enjoy the gardens. Which are lovely.

Thank you DG. Of course it's interesting, right down to the ice- cream.

Rose | 29.10.10 - 10:24 a.m. | #

I did this walk, by myself, once a year for 4 years in a row. I started out getting there from London by train, but later, when I lived in East Molesey (near Hampton Court Palace), I'd just take a direct bus from the palace (for just a pound - great value) which followed the Mole River pretty much southwards and took an hour to get to the main road in front of the train station nearest Polesden Lacey. I then would walk to the house the same way you did, past a cow pasture and through a pretty foresty bit, visit the house, cafe, and shop (often buying a plant, which is really impractical in the middle of a hike, but they had nice plants), and then would walk into the forest on the other side of the house until I got to the next train station... unless my memory is shot, I think this is the same walk that goes through Denbies' vineyards in the Surrey Hills AONB? That's a lovely day. (Yes, I'd be the only person on the bus after it passed Chessington World of Adventures, and the driver would be amazed that anyone would want to get out where I would get off.)

cm | 03.11.10 - 12:23 p.m. | #











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