Guildford Ramblings: Have A Ball The Greensands Way

Published on: 17 Nov, 2014
Updated on: 17 Nov, 2014

Report and photos by Kay Hiatt

It was a greyish day, but optimistic that it would soon improve, 20 ramblers turned up at the car park at the meeting of Salt Lane and Clock Barn, south of Godalming.

I had never heard of the Greensands Way, or Hydon’s Ball, which both sounded intriguing!

A lovely view.

This was classed as a ‘medium’ walk, and hilly. We were tested immediately by walking up a steep incline through a tawny coloured autumnal wood towards Hydon’s Ball, one of the highest viewing points in Surrey, with splendid views of the Surrey Hills. We passed many oak and chestnut trees, one festooned with fungi and another with an intriguing twisted bark.

Oak tree with fungi attached.

The stone bench at Hydon’s Ball.

When we reached the top we found a large stone bench, with an inscription dedicated to Octavia Hill, one of the co-founders of the National Trust. Also a memorial to W.A.Robertson who had purchased the land in memory of the death of his two brothers killed in the First World War.

Starry moss.

We then proceeded downhill passing several towering pine trees and walked through a carpet of autumn leaves! A flash of green colour was provided by lovely starry mosses and then a misty morning view over a large field with the sun just coming through!

Walking through the woods.

Continuing through heathland and down several challenging slopes we walked along part of the Greensand Way, the ridge of greensand rock across Surrey and Kent. This emerges at Haslemere and then runs between the North and South Downs and comes very close to Guildford, travelling over Leith Hill, Holmbury Hill, Pitch Hill, Hydon’s Ball and Hambledon.