Epsom Downs - The Beefeater

Mincing round the Downs

Wednesday 2 February - Groundhog Day, U.S.A.

Walkers: Farty, Lil and Clat. No-one else could make it, so we moved the venue, to something closer to home.
Find of the Walk: a high visibility vest (no piccie but we did find one!)
Distance: 10 1/2 miles - honest.
Last week's distance has been queried by 'Anonymous' - who are you?!! Our mileage could not be accurately assessed due to pedometers being u/s.
Weather: grey, drab, dull - yuk.

We met on time, soon booted, and Farty looked resplendent in her new gaiters , made from the sleeves of the found fleece, a few walks back. You will see them in the road sign picture - with any luck.

Across the Downs we went, and boy, was it windy. Nothing like the cyclone expected for the poor folk of Oz, but it was a good try. Ears had to be wrapped up and lips too, for the time being.

A pleasant surprise to discover the walking signs have been updated and replaced, so we followed our clearly marked route downhill, and up again. More pleasant surprises as the horrid, narrow little path has been widened, levelled and gravelled. The mincing, however, was caused by an implement, attached to a tractor, which ravages the hedges, and spits them out - all over the footpaths. The cuprit was in sight, and in action, but we needed to trek elsewhere, and Clat spied a gorgeous little caravan, all on its lonesome, so that diverted her attention.

A little further on, and we were under the M25, through the chestnut woods ,where we saw three deer. Headley church looked as if it was on fire, due to an over-zealous pyromaniac and his bonfire, but we pressed on and out, and emerged at Headley post office. The tea shoppe is closed during the winter months , so ideas of a hot coffee went out the window. We had a quick break here, and commented on the perils of sitting on cold seats, and acquiring piles - don't go there.

This is big horse country, and we saw some magnificent specimens, and passed studs and things to keep them looking splendiferous. We emerged onto a narrow road, with very fast cars whipping along, so, instead of doing a short trek uphill, we took a different road, which was level, and wound round corners. First we found a discarded road sign , then we found a skin - couldn't really identify which animal, but it hadn't long ago been removed from its poor unfortunate owner. We got down to goat or badger -and moved it to the kerb side.

Our turning right took us up such a steep hill (Windy you would have loved this - not), that we had to proceed slowly and steadily, until we reached the summit, and our direction for home.

Quite a bit of roadage, and we were back in Headley, following a track which Farty recognised. She fell over here a year or so back, whilst performing a manoeuvre, and hurt her shoulder for months. Luckily she didn't repeat the experience, and we did some more roadage before the final path came into view. She did, however, manage to find the odd chicken coop or two, and identified each and every breed she saw.

By this time the drizzle had arrived, and, mixed with the heavy winds, meant we got quite wet. We were laden down with hazel sticks, for Clat's allotment, and this will be an ongoing exercise, as she has a lot of staking to do.

So, sticks loaded, limbs stretched and rubbed, we headed into the Beefeater, which has undergone a complete re-furb, and the results are good. Friendly staff, nice and quiet after the pensioners' lunch-time rush, and just the sort of things on the menu to satisfy our tums. Full marks.

The maps were out, and next TUESDAY 8th we shall be walking as usual. The venue is The Plough at Dormansland .
See you, or some of you? next week then .