Looking for nice Walks in Surrey or a more detailed route description from Dorking to Gomshall (Walk the Chalk)?

Recently I did the 7 mile walk from Dorking into Gomshall which is called “Walk the Chalk“. I found this route on SurreyHills.org. At this website you can also find the leaflet with the full route description.

In this blog that explores various Walks in Surrey you find my personal experience and route guidance of this walk. I did this walk while I was making my video blog which was about dealing with anxiety. You can watch the video below or just click here. During this video I also show highlights of the route so might be worth checking out…

Point nr 1; Leaving from Dorking Train Station.

This is the info provided in the leaflet;

This walk starts at the Pay & Display Car Park at Dorking railway station (located at the edge of the car park, opposite the Lincoln Arms). Walk down the subway and up the right hand steps at the end, then turn left and walk towards the traffic lights. At the traffic lights, turn left and walk up Ashcombe Road (A2003), keeping Ashcombe School on your left.

Here are my images to make it a bit more easier;

The subway.

Heading towards the traffic lights.

Turn into Ashcombe Road

Continue straight over the roundabout.

The Map;

Point number 2;

The info provided in the leaflet;

Continue along Ashcombe Road (crossing over Chalkpit Lane) until you reach a T-junction. (Dorking West railway station is to your left, just past St Martin’s C of E Primary School. Note: there is no parking at Dorking West – street parking may be possible.) At the T-junction, cross over the road and turn right. (This is Ranmore Road, although it is not signed here.) Continue up the road, passing St Martin’s School on your left, and then turn left by a speed limit sign onto a public footpath that skirts the school grounds. (You will pass by a bank with yew and box trees growing on it – sure signs that there is chalk below your feet.)

When you reach the T-Junction keep right.

This is what you will see at your left. (Now turn right).

Here is your traffic sign, now turn left into the public footpath.

 

Point number 3;

The info provided in the leaflet;

Turn left by the National Trust sign onto another path, leading to Denbies Hillside. Follow the path until you reach a track and turn left. (This is an old carriage road built in the 1890s by William Joseph Denison, who owned Denbies House and Estate.) Ignore any paths to the left and right and carry on along the track for the next two miles.

Here is where you turn left.

Keep following this path until reach some higher ground. (This is where I started my video blog).

Keep following the trail, enjoy the views you can expect as in below pictures (click on the image to enlarge).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Point number 4;

The info provided in the leaflet;

The track ends at a T-junction. Turn right onto the path, which runs along the foot of the North Downs. (On your left this path leads downhill to Landbarn Farm where the National Trust Surrey Hills North Downs West Team is based.) Continue straight on for a mile, ignoring all paths to the left and right. Where the switchback path joins from the right, go right and follow this up the hill, with a bank of yew trees on your left. Near the top of the hill is ‘God’s seat’. Stop here for a break and admire the stunning view.

Eventually you will come across this junction.

I made the mistake to turn left and continued the trail. At one point I realized I walked to far and decided to climb up the hill. In my video at min 09:35 I actually share the point where I decided to climb up the hill and what happened.

Turn right here and move up the hill.

Once you are up hill you will end up this junction.

Point number 5;

Turn left onto the North Downs Way (NDW) and follow this until you meet a road (White Down Lane). Turn right onto the road, and then almost immediately turn left off the road to rejoin the NDW. Continue following the NDW (you will soon see another National Trust sign; you are now on Blatchford Down). Continue past the Second World War pillbox on your right. At the National Trust information panel cross over the public bridleway and continue following the NDW.

Sometimes these descriptions are a bit confusing but I went straight on into North Downs Way. Even when you make a mistake you can still enjoy the breathtaking views of the Surrey Hills. From this point I started to use my Google Maps and of course my own sense of direction to continue my path. (Please note don’t follow exactly the Google Maps direction as below because you might miss out on some stunning views, this is just to give you a sense of direction).

 

 

 

Turn right here…

Turn immediately left into the public footpath. Eventually you will see some WWII bunkers which you also could see in my video.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Point number 6;

The info provided in the leaflet;

When you meet an ancient byway, known as Beggars Lane, cross over and continue straight on. At the first kissing gate on your left, turn left, through the woodland and follow the public footpath signs diagonally across the hillside. (You are now leaving the NDW and entering Hackhurst Downs. You will pass juniper trees that have been enclosed with tree guards to protect them from grazing animals.) Go through a gate and onto National Trust land, and carry on following the public footpath diagonally down the hill.

Sorry I forgot the take a picture of the ancient byway but that is pretty straight forward.

This is the first kissing gate.

 

Now turn left.

Walk down through the woodlands until you hit this point. Now turn right.

 

Point number 7;

The info provided in the leaflet;

Go through another gate and you will see the picturesque Colekitchen Farm to your right. Follow the path downhill, bearing right where it splits in two (ignore the gate on your right). (You will pass a huge ancient ash tree on your left and some tall redwoods.) Open pasture appears, and a substantial ditch and bank now runs along the left-hand side of the path

I just followed this path and where you see the light coming in from the right I was able to take a picture that looked over the fields with the sunset.

Continue the path and head straight on.

Point number 8;

The info provided in the leaflet;

Go through two kissing gates, crossing over a track that leads to Churchfield Farm, part of the Wotton Estate. The path sinks between steep banks and meets a road called Colekitchen Lane. Turn left and walk along this ancient sunken land until you meet another road, which is the A25. (Note the badger setts along the bank as you pass, but also look out for traffic.)

Cross the tracks.

Farm on your left.

 

Point number 9;

The info provided in the leaflet;

When you meet the A25, turn left and walk along this main road through Gomshall, where you will find a number of pubs, restaurants and shops. Carry on until you reach Station Approach on your left (there is a bus stop here where you can catch a bus back to Dorking). This will take you to Gomshall railway station and the end of the walk. (Note: there is some car parking here.)

This is what I personally did; because my walk took me around 6 hours for the time I took with filming and photographing the area I decided to go straight to Gomshall train station and head back to London. But I felt a very nice atmosphere in Gomshall with her local pubs which I think you can have some proper lunch/diner.

I hope you this gave you some clarity and I wish for you that you enjoy this walk as much as I did. Please let me know how you experienced the walk by leaving your comments below.

Enjoy and have fun!