St Martha on the Hill and the Silent Pool A Pilgrimage ... fingerpost, avoid a left fork, marked as the Downs Link, and continue, always uphill. I’d like to say it was planned, but that would imply too much credit on my part. Quite why Downs Link starts at the top of St Martha’s Hill isn’t particularly clear. The beautiful St Martha’s Church (also known as St Martha-on-the-Hill) is a listed grade II Historic building. Others had been living on borrowed time for years after passenger and freight trade had either failed to show up, or had simply disappeared. “Indeed. For most of its length it follows former railway lines and is popular with cyclists wanting to stay off-road on a well-surfaced track. Find out more here. However, the route was designed to link the North Downs Way with the South Downs Way, and this is where it meets its northern brother. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. The hill summit stands at 574 feet (175 m) and commands wonderful views of the surrounding area. the “Downs Link” that runs all the way from St Martha’s to the South Downs Way and ultimately to the sea. Not that there was much to see from the Downs Link, which had been routed away from the station on a side path, but a gap in the fence providing a fleeting glimpse of what once was, perhaps in better condition than it ever was under British Rail; vintage enamal advertisements placed on the platforms under immaculate woodwork. 4 The track soon crosses a bridge over the Tillingbourne stream. I'd recommend missing out St. Martha's Hill, instead going from Guildford station south along the banks of the Wey, picking up the Wey south path just south of Shalford. This joins the downs link just a bit further east, and avoids the sandy ground around St. Martha's. The Downslink Ultra is a 38-mile point to point race from St Martha’s Hill, Surrey to Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex using the Downslink footpath and bridleway. The only commemoration seemed to come a short way on at a sports ground. From Guildford follow the A281 to shalford, then along the A248. A new section of the Downs Link is now open around Christ’s Hospital and can be viewed in the attached map below. After passing Childworth Railway Station turn left into Guildford Lane. But putting footpaths through them means maintaining the infrastructure to a higher standard, plus lighting to install, health and safety hazards to assess. The trail crosses the Low Weald and mostly follows two former railway lines. A network of concrete culverts did, at least, keep the worst of the water off the footpath but such had been the downpour, that they were struggling to cope with the demand. Last Updated: 4 January 2019. The notion of starting a walking trail at the top of a hill is – on paper – an appealing one view. Only a narrow ledge of grass on the side of the path provided any safety at all, and I gently manoeuvred as best I could in order to prevent myself from falling in it head first. I peered through my rain splattered glasses, trying to work out if the line had been single or double tracked, but there were so many bramble bushes overgrowing everywhere that it was almost impossible to tell. The Milk Churn specialises in Cheese on Toast made from the Cheese they produce at the same location. Not surprisingly the bus appeared right on time. The Downs Link connects with other long-distance routes, such as the North Downs Way, South Downs Way, Wey South Path, Greensand Way, Sussex Border Path and National Cycle Network routes 2 and 22. Well why not? For 37 miles it steams down the south of England, from St Martha's Hill near Guildford, to Shoreham-by-Sea on the south coast. Naturally Downs Link followed the same theme, but every now and then there’s a a clue to the former life. The railway went through his land and the opening of a station to serve the estate was made a condition of sale, despite the fact that no one actually lived there. Revised route. Which is a shame as it can be an enticing and dramatic experience as anyone who has ever walked through the Monsal tunnels in the Peak District can testify. 6 From St Martha's Hill the sandy path descends and crosses the Downs Link, a path linking the North Downs Way with the South Downs Way. You are here: Things to Do > Downs Link off road trail. “There’s not a day I pass through here that I don’t wish the railway was still open,” said an elderly woman as she passed me by on the former platform of Bramley and Wonersh station. There’s something about the moody dramatic lighting; the water dripping down the brick walls. Next time: we return to Rudgwick for the start of a two day extravaganza. I’d been keeping my eye open for a bench – there’d been plenty earlier in the day, but no sooner had I wanted to sit on one and they’d all disappeared. About the only obvious reason is that it allows the Downs Link to connect with the North Downs Way which also traverses St Martha’s Hill. “It would have taken a lot of this traffic off the road, for a start,” she carried on, pointing to the car-filled road nearby, where the local traffic was barely moving. I found only one place; a covered walkway outside of the Co-operative supermarket from which it was impossible to see if the bus was coming or not. Unlike its neighbour, Cranleigh had little to commemorate the railway. I walked on, passed a mysterious building with a “CLOSED” sign above the front door. Relatively straight, relatively flat. However there are others where closure would prove to be a big mistake. Together all four meandered south for a couple of miles, as if scared to leave each other. Now I seemed to have the Downs Link to myself as the path headed straight along. There’d been light rain for at least an hour, and it was slowly but surely getting worse. The 37 mile (59km) shared route for walkers, horse riders and cyclists linking the North Downs Way with the South Downs Way. When the track divides, leave the bridleway and go on down a public footpath that will eventually bring you out at St Martha-on-the-Hill church. Whilst the tree lined path of the old train line kept sight of the road to a minimum, the noise of cars rushing on their way meant you always knew it was there. The northern entrance at Baynards has been mostly buried under soil and undergrowth, meaning the Downs Link heads off instead along a selection of increasingly muddy paths in a wood above the tunnel, crossing the border into West Sussex in the process. With an eye on the clock, I sighed and prepared to leave the trail just before the remnants of Rudgwick station and went in hunt of the village bus stop, and somewhere to shelter until the bus came. I peered over the sides of the railway bridge – built up high to stop people from dropping things on the tracks – but there were no trains. I’d got to the top of St Martha’s Hill having set off from Chilworth station in the valley below,, and now I was heading back to it. Far more peaceful were the remnants of the old canal along with Cranleigh Waters, a narrow, shallow looking river. The path then descends to the road and runs next to the road for a while, passing White Lane Farm. That the hamlet got anything can be credited to one Lord Thurlow. may actually be a beer...). Turn right here, just before another bridge, on a clear path. The southern end of the tunnel was more noticeable; a bricked up tunnel mouth with a solitary door set in the middle to keep people away from the colony of bats who had taken up residence after the railway tracks were lifted. Instead it starts a short distance away at a junction of sandy paths; a small stone cairn marking the official start, before heading straight back down hill again. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. If the bus was early, the first I’d know would be when it went sailing straight past me. The main option (DLM) follows the North Downs Way over St Martha’s Hill, where the Downs Link Trail officially begins. I knew I’d made a mistake not putting my waterproof trousers on. Here was the first railway link as the path went over the distinctly open North Downs railway line which connects Reading and Redhill. Downs Link Stage 1: St Martha’s Hill to Rudgwick, Downs Link Stage 3: Henfield to Shoreham-by-Sea. At the top, I was rewarded with the sight of St Martha's Church (picture 25), and the magnificent views of the Surrey countryside to the south (picture 26). Post code for start point: St Marthas, Guildford  GU4 8PZ. The Downs Link footpath and bridleway links the North Downs Way at St Martha’s Hill, Surrey with the South Downs Way near Steyning, West Sussex and on via the Coastal Link to Shoreham-by-Sea. All morning I’d been overtaken by fluorescent lycra-clad cylists, joggers and even the odd walker. For starters you can give the people walking it a fantastic view on which to start their journey. From St Martha's Hill the sandy path descends and crosses the Downs Link, a path linking the North Downs Way with the South Downs Way. To build your own Itinerary, click to add an item to your Itinerary basket. The path continues past the famous beauty sport of Newlands Corner and then continues through Woodland to Hackhurst Downs where there is a path into the pretty village of Gomshall. The Downs Link is a 36.7 miles (59.1 km) footpath and bridleway linking the North Downs Way at St. Martha's Hill in Surrey with the South Downs Way near Steyning in West Sussex and on via the Coastal Link to Shoreham-by-Sea Use this tool to build your own journey or choose from an exciting range of specially selected tours. With little choice, I heaved my tired legs across the road and stood at the bus stop in the rain. Almost all the trail follows the former trackbed of a railway closed in the 1960s as part of the Beeching cuts so it’s pretty flat. And less rain. Bramley and Wonersh may have lost its service, but parts of the station still remained, lovingly restored by local groups. These days the tunnel is left in peace, and the entrances all blocked off. Recent rain had paid its toll on the footpaths as I slipped around on a path that had become a veritable quagmire at parts. To provide you with the best experience, cookies are used on this site. It is named after the original Norman Parish Church built on this site. The small village of Rudgwick would be the last place where I knew I’d be able to get a bus; an hourly service connecting to either Guildford or Horsham. (3) The Downs Link climbs St Martha's Hill (4) Albury Downs Before heading back towards St Martha's Hill where I would rejoin the North Downs Way, I spent some time exploring the little village of Blackheath, with its Villagers Inn (picture 1), where I'd spent the night, some picture postcard houses and a street sign that I'd love to have outside my house (picture 2). It’s hard sometimes to walk down a long closed railway line and not thing about the steam trains and carriages that once came this way. Again, now a private house, Baynard’s is the only station on the route to have remained pretty much intact. If I passed on through, I’d be committing myself for the whole thing. I had fond memories, especially of the South Downs, and I was intrigued to see how the landscape would change as I travelled between the two. It also passes the Surrey heathland of Blackheath, with its impressive War Memorial atop Rosemary Hill. A large, modern white sign – the kind you expect on a road as you ever a town – made sure walkers knew there were in Cranleigh. They certainly had their work cut out for them. But by the time I’d realised, my walking trousers were completely soaked; the wind choosing to whip the sodden material against my legs. The Downs Link is a waymarked route open to walkers, horseriders and cyclists, linking the North Downs Way at St Martha's Hill, Surrey with the South Downs Way near Steyning, West Sussex via … The Downs Link connects with other long-distance routes such as the North Downs Way, the South Downs Way, The Wey South Path, The Greensand Way and National Cycle Networks. The route was opened in 1984 to link the North Downs Way and the South Downs Way. 5 With the church behind you, looking down over the Tillingbourne Valley, you will see a path ahead of you. As far as Cranleigh was concerned, the railway was gone and would never be back. The resulting car growth over the decades was paying its toll on the area, and a report in 1994 for Surrey County Council concluded that partly re-opening the line down from Guildford, through Bramley and Wonersh and on to the town of Cranleigh, would take 500 car users off the road each day. Please consider supporting what I do by buying me a coffee (n.b. On the original railway plans, Baynards wasn’t even going to get a station. Practical Information for visiting with a group, Surrey's Heritage and Houses with a group, Places to eat and stay in Surrey with a group, Get Active sports and countryside in Surrey, Surrey's Arts/Culture/ Museums with a group. The nearest railway station to St Martha's is Chilworth. There is now a cafe a few yards from the walk at Rudgwick. The Cranleigh Line was one of those. The line only gets two passenger trains an hour in each direction. It’s a shame.”. Why not just fill it with local waste? Welcome to the Itinerary Planner. Chilworth hadn’t changed much in the hour since I’d last been there but almost as soon as I’d arrived, I’d left again. The former station had been demolished, replaced by a shopping and housing development, with a large car park next to it. Pass by the Downs Link path on your left. Sacred Summit. Bramley seemed to be a long, thin village. Downs Link - Stage 1. St Martha’s Priory (another ecclesiastical clue) was derelict for many years but has now been converted into a prestigious house. 22.St Martha’s Church. The residents, stuck in their traffic jams, are still waiting. Well it was as good a reason as any to head to St Matha’s Hill, the start of the trail, on a rather soggy Saturday in April. Whilst walking the Ridgeway a few years earlier I’d walked on a bridge over an old railway cutting which was now so densely overgrown that it was impossible to imagine it had ever been any different. 3. The 37 mile (59km) shared route for walkers, horse riders and cyclists linking the North Downs Way with the South Downs Way. Post code for finish point: High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 5DE At the end, turn left on a broad track. The route crosses the Surrey Hills and the South Downs through predominantly wood areas with views across adjoining fields, but also includes small meadow areas and wetland features. The Downs Link follows a disused railway line forming part of the long-distance route linking St Martha's Hill, near Guildford, to near Shoreham on the south coast. If I stopped, I’d end up having to spend two more days walking the trail. The reality is that Beeching closed some railway lines that he really shouldn’t. 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