Rail to Ramble:
Haslemere Station to SDNPA Centre, Midhurst

This 15 mile walk follows roads, lanes, tracks and footpaths through some outstanding countryside to reach the South Downs National Park Centre at Midhurst. It crosses the London-Portsmouth railway line on an uncontrolled crossing, where great care must be taken.
There are some fairly short steep climbs on the route – much of which is heavily wooded, quiet and rural. The walk can be shortened by 1.5 miles  by avoiding the Duke of Cumberland Pub at Henley. The return to Haslemere is by Stagecoach 70 from Midhurst Bus Station, opposite the South Downs National Park Centre.
The walk passes the important Arts and Crafts Church of St Christopher in Haslemere and passes a memorial to three RAF men killed when their plane crashed in September, 1942. It also passes the hose where George Eliot wrote Middlemarch in 1871. It crosses Linchmere, Woolbeding and Henley commons and passes through new and ancient woodlands. It also passes Linchmere’s 12th century Church of St Peter and the former monastic house, Shulbred Priory.  There are extensive views west from Older Hill and, later, east towards Black Down – both are managed by the National Trust.
A deep, steep, sunken track, bordered by massive beech trees, is followed by a gentle descent into Easebourne with its 11th century Church of St Mary, the Cowdray Park polo lawns and the outstanding Tudor Cowdray ruins.

Useful information

OS Map: OL33 is recommended.
Distance: 15 miles
Toughness: 7/10
Estimated time to walk the route: 6.5 hours at an average walking speed of about 2.5 mph.
Path accessibility (wheelchair/pushchair friendly): No
Travel information: Train:South Western Railway - London Waterloo to Portsmouth services. (https://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search.
Car: There is parking at Haslemere Station (check for permitted times), in the Haslemere town centre and off Weydown Road.
Bus: The Stagecoach bus route 70 provides an hourly service from Midhurst to Haslemere Station. Travel information is available from www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk
Refreshment Stops: There are several coffee shops, pubs and restaurants in Haslemere. The Prince of Wales Pub is on the route in Hammer Vale, 2 miles from the start and the Duke of Cumberland is in Henley, 10.5 miles from the start. The Cowdray Farm Shop and Cafe is in Easebourne and there are several pubs and cafes in Midhurst.
Further information: The Hills to Downs on line. https:www.hillstodowns.online
The Hills to Downs Community Rail Partnership Hub https://www.haslemereinfohub.co.uk Haslemere Society Blue plaques - http://www.haslemeresociety.org/blue-plaques.html The South Downs National Park - https://www.southdowns.gov.uk

Crown Copyright.  All rights reserved. Surrey Hills AONB licence No 1000 19613 2007

Step by step

1

Leave Haslemere Station and turn right along the pavement.  Pass under the railway bridge and continue on the pavement past St Christopher’s Church and Green. Continue through Wey Hill Shops.  Pass the Esso Garage on the right and at the pedestrian controlled crossing, cross the Hindhead Road to the small green opposite. Note the RAF Memorial plaque under the tree.  Cross the green and turn right on the pavement along Liphook Road.  Soon pass St Stephens Church on the right and at the traffic lights keep straight ahead.

2

Walk past Eliot Drive. Soon on the right is ‘Middlemarch’ the house where George Eliot lived and wrote the novel of that name. Note the blue plaque.                                                                   
At the next junction turn right into Critchmere Lane.  Walk 330 yards to pass Border Road on the left and after a further 50 yards, at a fingerpost, turn left on to footpath (easy to miss). Where the path ends keep ahead into Oak Tree Lane. Bear left at the far end on to a footpath under the trees.  Cross the footbridge and immediately turn right to reach the road.  Turn right.  At the road junction bear left and follow the lane for 550 yards.

3

Just before the Prince of Wales pub on the right (2 miles from Haslemere Station) bear left on a wide track down the hill. Note the Bramshott Common sign.  Take great care here as the public footpath crosses the main London to Portsmouth Railway line and the crossing is uncontrolled.  After about 110 yards, turn right at the junction and follow the path through the trees.  At the junction of several tracks, don’t turn first left up the steep hill or go to the right through the wooden barriers, but bear to the left up the slope.  The path widens and begins to climb. Near the top of the hill, before reaching a wooden five-bar gate, turn left through wooden barriers up the steep bank and steps into the wood. Bear right at top to reach a five-bar gate. Turn right on to a lane and immediately turn left at the fingerpost on to a footpath. 

4

Cross straight over the busy Liphook road on to Linchmere Common opposite. (3 miles from Haslemere Station). Go through the gate and keep ahead on the Serpent Trail.  The path bears right to a gate and a tarmac road. A Linchmere Common notice board is on the  far side.
Turn left and walk along the road. At the junction keep straight ahead to reach Linchmere Church. On the wall of the churchyard is a plaque commemorating the broadcaster and journalist Richard Dimbleby CBE LLM.  (4 miles from Haslemere Station).

5

From Lynchmere Church continue on the road down the steep hill. Near the bottom, just before a house called ‘Upper Covers’ turn left on to a wide track.  At the junction at the bottom of the hill turn right. Walk past a large pond on the right and keeping close to the pond, walk straight ahead. Cross two foot bridges.  Rejoin the main road and turn left.

6

Pass Shulbred Priory on the left, and after 110 yards turn right at the fingerpost on a wide track that crosses a field. Continue on this wide track.  At the T-junction turn right and follow the marker posts through the plantation.  Go through a gate and bear right uphill to a track.  Turn left. Keep to the right of the cottage, and to the right of the garage, on the footpath which bears right at a marker post under the trees.  
Turn left at the next fingerpost and continue to follow the marker posts. At the next fingerpost keep ahead and follow the marker posts.  At the T-junction turn left on to a wide and boggy track. Where the wide track turns sharp left, keep ahead on the narrow footpath under the trees.  At T-junction turn left down hill to reach the road at Elmers Marsh.  (6.5miles from Haslemere Station).

7

Turn left along the grass verge at the side of the road and soon turn right at a fingerpost marked ‘New Lipchis Way’.  Follow the marker posts uphill.  At the junction with a fingerpost keep straight ahead uphill. Cross a wooden footbridge with a hand rail on the right hand side and at the next marker post, turn left on a path that climbs steeply and turns to the right. At the wooden railings at the top of the hill turn right on to a wide track and pass Older Hill Cottage.  At the T-junction turn left on to the sunken lane which climbs steeply.  
Continue along the lane to the top of Older Hill. The view point with extensive views to the west,  is on the right opposite the car park.

8

From the view point, cross the lane, walk through the car park and follow the signs New Lipchis Way and Serpent Trail.  The track climbs to a T-junction.  Turn right on to a wide track. At the next fingerpost turn a very sharp left (easy to miss) on to a wide track and follow the Serpent Trail’  At the 7-bar metal gate keep straight ahead across a huge field to the 7-bar metal gate opposite. Follow the wide track.  
At the next junction turn sharply left on the  Serpent Trail and go down the hill, looking east towards Black Down. Continue all the way down the hill on the Serpent Trail to reach Beeches Farm.  
To reach The Duke of Cumberland Arms continue to the next paragraph. To avoid the pub and go straight to Midhurst (reducing the total distance by 1.5 miles) go to paragraph 11.

9

From Beeches Farm bear left down the track to reach the busy A286 road. Cross the road to the grass verge opposite, turn left for 45 yards to the fingerpost and go down the steps into the trees. At foot of the steps bear right on an indistinct public footpath which weaves its way forward for about 80 yards. Turn left at the track junction to reach a fingerpost.  Turn right at the fingerpost, cross a wooden footbridge and follow another indistinct public footpath through the trees.  The path climbs.  At the T-junction with a marker post turn right and continue to climb.  At the top of the hill turn left on to a wide track and continue following the marker posts to reach the tarmac lane.  Turn right on to the lane. The Duke of Cumberland Arms is on the right (10.5 miles from Haslemere Station).

10

Leave the Duke of Cumberland Arms, turn right and continue up the hill for 55 yards and turn right on to a steep tarmac public lane that looks like a driveway (easy to miss). Walk uphill to reach the main road.  
To return to Haslemere Railway Station from here by bus, turn left and walk along the narrow and overgrown pavement for 110 yards and cross the road to the bus stop opposite.  The Stagecoach 70 leaves from this stop at about 5 minutes past the hour.
To continue on the route to Midhurst, cross the A286  diagonally to the right and follow a narrow footpath which climbs the bank on the opposite side and continues under the trees.  Follow the marker posts. At the fingerpost continue down hill to again reach Beeches Farm.

11

At Beeches Farm walk back up the hill for about 55 yards to a fingerpost and bear left. Climb uphill on a deep sunken path under large ancient trees. Cross the lane at the top and continue straight ahead.  Cross the next lane and keep ahead at the fingerpost.  Where several tracks meet, keep straight ahead going slightly down hill. At the bottom bear right onto a wide straight track.  Pass Knightons Well cottage on the left. The road descends. Soon at a fingerpost on the left, turn left up the steps and cross the stile into a field. Keep to the right-hand fence.  The path bends to the right and descends to a gate by the entrance to Whitters Lane Farm. Turn left and follow the lane to reach the A286.
To return to Haslemere Station by bus from here, turn right and walk 55 yards along the pavement to the Stagecoach 70 stop outside Budgenor Lodge.  Buses leave at about 3 minutes past the hour.

12

To continue to Midhurst, turn right along the pavement for 30 yards and cross the main road to the metal rail opposite and turn left up the lane. At the fingerpost turn right up the bank and steps and cross a stile into the field. Keep straight ahead on the footpath across the field.  At the T-junction turn right and head towards the allotments beyond the far hedge. Reach the allotments and turn left on to a track. After 40 yards turn right on a narrow footpath to pass the Adventure Playground.  Go down the steps and turn left to the road junction.  Using the central traffic island, cross the main road and turn left to St Mary’s Church, Easebourne, which contains interesting memorials. Follow the path to the left through the churchyard and cross a small green. The Cowdray Farm Shop and Cafe are on the right hand side.

13

Continue straight ahead on a very wide gravel track past the Cowdray Park Polo Lawns and towards the ancient Tudor Cowdray House ahead.  Turn right opposite Cowdray House, cross the stone bridge and continue along the causeway that leads to Midhurst Bus Station and the South Downs National Park Centre on the other side of the main road.

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