Trail Run: Godalming to Thorncombe Street

1. Godalming to Trowers Bridge (2.5 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, cross straight ahead to enter Phillips Memorial Park. Continue by the riverside until the park runs out and cross Bridge Rd, turning left onto the bridge. Just after the bridge turn right to join the Wey Navigation Towpath behind Godalming United Church. Follow the canal towpath for 1 km to the bridge at Cattleshall Lock. Cross Cattleshall Ln and rejoin the towpath on the other side of the road. Continue for 500 m then turn right on Trowers Bridge to cross the River Wey.

2. Trowers Bridge to Munstead Heath Road (1.6 km)
Follow the unmade lane for 500 m, passing water meadows and paddocks either side of the hedgerow. Ignore the first marked footpath on the left and at the next junction of paths take the left hand fork – marked with a fingerpost – into trees. Follow the track for 400 m as it ascends, skirting a field on your left. At the top of the rise, the track splits. Ignore the signposted left hand turn and carry straight on into a steep-sided hollow way. Follow this narrow track as it climbs and skirts the grounds of Unsted Park School. You will soon join a leafy avenue with the school grounds to your right. Follow this until you almost join Munstead Heath Rd, then turn left at the Y Junction (before the tall hedge) to merge safely into it. See 2.2 below for the alternative route via Bramey/Hurst Hill

3. Munstead Heath Road to Snowdenham Mill Pond (1.3 km)
Turn left onto Munstead Heath Rd and follow the curve of the road downhill. After 250 m, Turn right into a tarmac driveway – marked by a fingerpost – to join the public footpath. Follow this wooded path as it descends for 600 m between residential properties to emerge onto Snowdenham Ln. Turn left onto the lane and continue for 400 m, then turn right – as directed by the fingerpost – onto the gravel lane to pass Snowdenham Mill Pond.

4. Snowdenham Mill Pond to Daneshill Cottages (1.6 km)
Follow the lane for 200 m as it zig-zags to the right around Eastwater House and starts climbing on a broad track through the trees. The track eventually narrows to a single track that skirts open fields and scenic hills to your left. Mind the brambles here, which can be very snaggy in places! After about 1.5 km, you will emerge at Daneshill Cottages, overlooking rolling farmland.

5. Daneshill Cottages to Thorncombe Street (2 km)
Turn right to pass the cottages and continue on the old drovers’ track as it weaves through a canopy of trees, with sheep fields to your left. After 800 m you will arrive at a staggered crossroad of paths. Turn right and pass through the gate directly ahead onto a grassy track (fenced either side) through a livestock field. This climbs steadily for 200 m and enters woodland at the top of the rise. Continue uphill through the copse and you will emerge onto a small hilltop with airy views of the surrounding hills. The path then becomes an ancient drovers track, which descends through a steep tunnel of trees. At the bottom, you will emerge onto Rose Cottages in the hamlet of Thorncombe Street.

6. Thorncombe Street to Alldens Lane (1.5 km)
Turn left at Rose Cottages towards the hamlet of Thorncombe Street. After 70 m, turn right onto Alldens Hill at the t-junction of lanes. The lane crosses a small river – after 60 m take the left hand footpath, marked by a fingerpost. This skirts a small copse and soon joins a sandy track with a sloping field to your right. Continue straight, passing through a line of trees into an adjacent meadow. In 300 m, you will pass through a metal gate by a large house with a swimming pool. Follow the marked footpath around the edge of this field, keeping left as it curves to the right and ascends up towards a hill cloaked with mature woodland. You will then cross a stile to enter Longfield Copse. Follow the track as it winds and climbs for 600 m. Pass through the small metal kissing gate to emerge onto Alldens Ln.

7. Alldens Lane to Cattleshall Lock (3.9 km)
Turn left on Alldens Ln and in 150 m take the wide left hand track as it forks off the lane. Follow this track through the trees for 500 m and you will arrive at a staggered crossroads of paths. Turn hard right and follow the track for 300 m, crossing Alldens Ln once more to continue past the old water tower – a residential property. Turn right again immediately as the track starts to merge with Munstead Heath Rd and follow the woodland trail until you reach a crossroad of tracks after 300 m. Turn left and you will shortly emerge onto Munstead Heath Rd. Cross directly to pick up the gravel bridleway opposite as it descends once more. Follow this track for 1.5 km as it narrows into a sandstone trail, descending gradually before finally joining a tarmac lane and emerging onto Cattleshall Ln by a half timbered cottage. Turn left and after 80 m, turn right through a residential road for 150 m to join Cattleshall Rd. Continue on the road as it winds through Cattleshall, crossing the weirs over a small bridge. In a further 250 m, you will cross the canal, with Cattleshall Lock to your left.

8. Cattleshall Lock to Bridge Road (1 km)
Continue over the bridge and in 100 m turn left to pass through the wooden gate onto the Lammas Lands, just behind the allotments. Follow the track across the field as it skirts Hell Ditch to your right. After 800 m, pass through the wooden gate and skirt the canal to emerge onto Bridge Rd by Godalming United Church.

9. Bridge Road back to start (1 km)
From Bridge Rd, simply cross over into the Phillips Memorial Park and retrace your steps through the park to return to the start point at Godalming Railway Station.

Alternative Route via Bramley and Hurst Hill

2.2 Trowers Bridge to Foxburrow Hill Road (1.65 km)
Follow the unmade lane for 500 m, passing fields and paddocks either side of the hedgerow. Ignore the first footpath on the left and at the next junction of paths take the left hand fork – marked with a fingerpost – into trees. Follow the track for 400 m as it ascends between trees, skirting a field on your left. At the top of the rise, the track splits. Bear left as directed by the signpost. Follow this track as it climbs steeply then curves around Farley Hill, with Unsted Wood to your right and open fields falling away to your left. Can you spot Woking? :) The track then descends to join an unmade lane, with Foxburrow Cottage to your right. In 150 m you will emerge onto Foxburrow Hill Rd.

3.2 Foxburrow Hill Road to The Coombes (1.85 km)
Cross the road and follow the fingerpost to rejoin the path through Bramley Golf Club. Stick to the track as it skirts the edge of the golf course. After 700 m, the path veers off to the right through trees and descends gradually to Clockhouse Ln, with houses either side. Continue to the end of the lane and turn right onto Horsham Rd. The next 750 m of running is on pavement. Turn right on Horsham Rd and after 150 m, cross Snowdenham Ln as it joins the mini roundabout. Continue straight over into High St, passing The Jolly Farmer PH. Continue through the village for 350 m and just as the road starts to curve left, carry straight on into Woodrough Ln (look out for a large oak tree and follow the unmade lane to the left of the houses). The footpath emerges onto Ricardo Ct and after a further 150 m you will arrive at a t-junction with The Coombes.

4.2 The Coombes to Daneshill Cottages (1.4 km)
Cross directly over The Coombes and pick up the dirt track by a wooden telegraph pole. The track ascends gradually through the trees and becomes a more attractive steep-sided hollow (often muddy) as it climbs up Hurst Hill. Keep to the main track – it narrows as you crest the hill and skirts a fenced field to your right, with bracken lining the path and woodland to your left. Continue as the path widens again and descends through fenced paddocks. You will emerge at Daneshill Cottages, overlooking rolling farmland. Carry straight on to pass the cottages on your right. Rejoin the route at waypoint 5 above