Trail Run: Godalming to Winkworth and Hydon’s Ball

1. Godalming to Munstead Heath Road (4 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. Exit here and turn right, following the double bend in the road then taking a dog leg left to cut through onto Cattleshall Ln. Turn left and after 100 m take the right hand turn by the black and white half-timbered cottage. The lane ascends gradually and turns into a sandstone footpath after 400 m. Continue for 1.5 km on this track as it climbs gradually to meet Munstead Heath Road.

2. Munstead Heath Road to Thorncombe Street (1 km)
Continue straight across the road into the wooded public footpath, with a residential property set behind a hedge and fence to your left. Continue straight through the woods until you reach Alldens Ln. Turn left on the lane and after 100 m, go through the iron kissing gate on the right into Longfield Copse. Follow the wooded trail downhill, emerging into an open field. Stay on the track near the edge of the field and after 180 m, look out for a marked pathway off the field to the right – obscured by trees in a corner. Take this exit and pass through the wooden gate, following the track through the trees and hedgerow. In 140 m you will emerge onto Thorncombe St.

3. Thorncombe Street to Hascombe Road (1.5 km)
Turn right on Thorncombe St and continue uphill for 100 m, then look out for a wooden gate and fingerpost on your right, set back off the lane. Take this path, which runs adjacent to the lane for 300 m, then cut through the disabled parking area to join the gravel lane and enter Winkworth Arboretum. Follow this track as it curves, with a copse of trees to your right and views of the wooded slopes of the arboretum on your left. Ignore the signposted path into the woodland trail on your right and continue. The track curves right and the lake will come into view on your left hand side. Continue past the boathouse and head straight up the beautifully planted Azalea Steps (Alternatively, continue left and follow the lakeside before taking a right hand turn to the top of the hill on a more gradual incline). Turn right at the top of the steps and continue on the track into the trees. Bear right to pick up the tarmac access lane and continue for 400 m, passing directly through the car park towards a gap in the hedge onto Hascombe Rd, marked by a fingerpost.

4. Hascombe Road to Hydon Heath (1.6 km)
Cross Hascombe Rd into South Munstead Ln and turn left at the t-junction after 200 m, onto the waymarked route. After 120 m pick up the small, marked footpath at the end of the lane by the farmhouse. This narrow track descends for 400 m through the trees and then, bearing right, ascends gradually through large pine trees on a broad track. Continue on this main track as it crests and curves gently left before descending, with Juniper Valley to your right. At the bottom, the track bears right and climbs gradually through Busbridge Woods on a gravel footpath. As the path flattens out at the top of the hill, look out for a waymark post with a yellow arrow on your left. Take this narrow path through the trees to emerge onto Hydon Heath.

5. Hydon Heath to Hydon’s Ball (0.85 km)
Cross the road directly to rejoin a narrow track through the trees into Hydon’s Ball car park. Carry straight through the car park to pick up the path directly opposite. After 10 m turn left and pass around the green gate onto the broad, ranger vehicle access track into the woods. Continue on this track for 600 m as it gradually ascends, then turn right onto the steep sandy path up to the top of Hydon’s Ball. You will pass a large metal cabinet on the short climb that carries a graffiti reference to the obelisk in 2001: A Space Odyssey – complete with a painted ape. At the top of the hill you will arrive at Hydon’s Ball viewpoint and Octavia Hill seat.

6. Hydon’s Ball to Hambledon Road (2 km)
Pass directly over the top of Hydon’s Ball – with the underground reservoir to your right – to descend for 100 m where you will reach a T-junction of paths in the woods. Turn right and continue for approximately 1 km until you emerge onto Salt Ln. Turn right and look out for a fingerpost directing you immediately left to continue the footpath on a gravel lane with private houses either side. At the end of this lane, bear left, following the (very subtle) public footpath signs to pass through a grassy plot with a pig enclosure to your left. Follow the signpost to continue into a narrow wooded footpath that skirts the boundary of a dressage school. Follow this track until you emerge onto an unmade road with a large, gated house to your left. After 150 m this joins Hambledon Rd.

7. Hambledon Road back to start (4 km)
Cross the road and continue directly into the public right of way at Clock Barn Farm. The track passes between the wedding venue and stables before descending into woodland at Busbridge Lakes. After 750 m turn right at the t-junction of paths and follow the path uphill to Quartermile Rd. From this point, the final 2 km are on pavement. Turn right then immediately left into Busbridge Ln. At the crossroads, take the footpath diagonally opposite, cutting across Crownpits Ln into Grosvenor Rd. Follow this all the way, crossing the recreation ground behind the tennis courts before turning right on a signposted footpath. This winds steeply down to Croft Rd where you turn left and then right after 20 m to continue to Flambard Way. Cross the road into Queen St then turn left on Godalming High St. After 100 m, turn right into Great George St by the postbox and head straight towards Phillips Memorial Park to retrace your steps back to the start point.