Trail Run: Godalming to Cuttmill Pond

1. Godalming to Milton Wood (1.7 km)
Exit the railway station, turn left and take the stairs down to the lower car park. Turn left onto Westbrook Rd, then right in to Vicarage Walk after 50 m. Emerging onto Borough Rd, turn left and follow the lower footpath over the wooden bridge and through Guardian House car park. Continue under the railway bridge. As the road curves, turn left onto the footpath (marked by a metal fingerpost) just before the small bridge over the river. Continue on, passing the Westbrook Mill development on your left to join the asphalt path on the river bank. After 500 m the path forks. Bear left, following the footpath directly alongside the river. Follow this for 500 m as the river bends in an ’S’ shape and you come to an old WW2 pillbox. Carry straight on up the rough track by the end house. Turn left at the top and take the public footpath through Milton Wood.

2. Milton Wood to Lower Eashing (2 km)
Follow the narrow footpath through Milton Wood as it winds, dips and rises. This track can be muddy and there are boardwalks in some spots that can become slippery. Continue for 400 m until you pass through a wooden gate onto a small lane. Turn left at the sandy crossroad of paths at Hurtmore Bottom and follow the track round, bearing left as it bends sharply and rises through the trees. After 200 m, the track broadens, with meadows to the left and woods to the right. Continue directly on the bridleway for 1 km, passing through a five barred gate (by another WW2 pillbox) and Greenways Riding School on your left, until you reach the road at Lower Eashing.

3. Lower Eashing to Elstead Rd (1.9 km)
Turn right at Lower Eashing and after 50 m, turn right again opposite the petrol station to access the A3 footbridge. Cross the footbridge and turn right through the five barred gate into a large field. Keep right – following the track as it skirts the perimeter of the field – until you reach a metal gate by a copse of pine trees. Pass through the gate and after 10 m, take the left hand track through the trees into Peper Harow Estate. Continue down through the meadow, passing a stone dovecot on your right. Pass through the gate at the bottom of the field and join the lane through Peper Harow, with the fish pond to your right and the church to your left. After 300 m, as the lane starts to curve, follow the footpath off to the left through an old metal kissing gate into a large meadow. Continue on the track as it cuts diagonally across the field until you reach another metal kissing gate onto Elstead Rd.

4. Elstead Road to Lombard Street (0.9 km)
Cross Lombard St and pass through the metal farm gate directly opposite into a large corn field framed with woodland. Follow the wide farm track for 500 m, passing a distinctive copse to your right until you join the end of a gravel lane by Warren Lodge. Follow the lane straight ahead, passing over a small brook. The lane curves left and right and becomes sandy, with hedgerows either side. You will emerge onto Lombard St.

5. Lombard Street to Gatwick (1.6 km)
Turn right on Lombard St, following the curve of the lane. After 100 m, take the first left hand turn into a narrow, steep track tumbling from the woodland. Follow this track for 350 m, ascending through trees until you reach a crossroads of pathways and unmade lanes. Turn left and follow the sandy bridleway as it gradually descends for 1 km to rejoin Lombard St at the hamlet of Gatwick.

6. Gatwick to Cuttmill Pond (0.7 km)
Turn right on Lombard St and pick a safe route around the sharp bend in the lane. After 70 m you will pass some rustic barns being used as garages. Directly after the small, private lane to the right, follow the fingerpost into the woodland. This section can become flooded during rainy periods. Continue for 500 m until you cross a small bridge over the old mill waterway to reach Cuttmill Pond.

7. Cuttmill Pond to Rodsall Lane (0.75 km)
Follow the track around the pond for 100 m as it bears left and then right to join a small lane. Turn right and follow the high stone wall that snakes around the grounds of Cutt Mill House. On the left there are beautiful meadows and streams. After a row of stone cottages to your right, pick up the track at the end of the lane, which gradually ascends through a strip of woodland and hedgerows. After 400 m you will emerge onto Rodsall Ln.

8. Rodsall Lane to Puttenham Lane (1.5 km)
Turn right onto Rodsall Ln and follow it round as it curves left. Ignore the fingerpost to your right on the bend – carry straight on, passing the front gates of Rodsall Manor. Continue until the lane runs out and turns into another path, ascending up a steep-sided ancient pathway among tall hedges and trees. After 250 m, take a right hand turn at the crossroad of paths. Continue on this track, passing through a mix of deciduous and pine plantations until you reach arable fields to the left. Stay on the designated footpath here, which opens up after 200 m into a gradually descending meadow, with the enclosed field to the left. Follow the track down – past a large pond with a birdhouse – all the way to Puttenham Ln.

9. Puttenham Lane to Lombard Street (0.8 km)
Turn right onto Puttenham Ln. After 150 m, turn right again on the unmade lane leading to the rustic buildings and barns of Lydling Farm. The lane curves and ascends gradually. Take the left 90° hand turn after 200m, passing an old barn and cottage to your right. There is a large fibreglass cow in the front garden. Continue to the end of this gravel lane until you pass through a metal kissing gate into a narrow, grassy path that runs between two fenced livestock fields. You will pass through another couple of gates until you emerge by a cottage onto Lombard St after 500 m.

10. Lombard Street to Rokers Lane (0.6 km)
Turn left onto Lombard St, passing a row of stone cottages to your left. Follow the stone wall of Aldro School along for 500 m until you reach the t-junction with Puttenham Ln. Turn right, signposted Elstead. Continue through Shackleford village centre – you will pass the Post Office on your left and the village sign and flowerbed opposite. Cross directly over into a small unmade car park behind a hedge and pick up the track on the other side, bearing left to skirt a field. When this runs out, cross into Rokers Ln Bridleway, marked by a fingerpost.

11. Rokers Lane to Elstead Road (1 km)
Follow the Rokers Ln bridleway, passing a stud farm to your left and private woodland on the right. After 700 m, turn 90° right into the woods (just before you reach the wooden gate at the end with the ‘Warning: A3’ sign). Follow the right hand turn through the woods as it becomes an unmade road, passing period houses on your right. In 400 m you will emerge at the junction with Grenville Rd and Elstead Rd.

12. Elstead Rd to Hurtmore Bottom (1 km)
Turn left at this junction – following the pavement up into a small clump of trees above the road. Follow the footpath for 500 m – as it passes under the A3 flyover – then cross the road before the A3 (Portsmouth bound) exit. Pick up the small footpath which forks off the road to the right by some metal farm gates. In 10 m take a right turn on to the small lane leading downhill. Follow the lane as it descends and curves round, passing stone cottages to your right and a large, walled period house to your left. You will reach the sandy crossroad of tracks at Hurtmore Bottom.

13. Hurtmore Bottom back to start (2.5 km)
Carry straight over the crossroads of paths to join the surfaced lane and then pass through a wooden gate to pick up the footpath back through Milton Wood towards Godalming. From here, simply retrace your steps back to the River Wey and return to Godalming Railway Station.