North Downs Way: Day 1

The North Downs Way (“NDW”) runs for 153 miles from Farnham in Surrey to Dover. It’s the closest National Trail to home and can be tackled in short sections, perfect for my rehab before returning to the less accommodating Highlands. Jude and Hayley hiked it in 2024, so I’ll follow in their footsteps.

Emerging onto the concourse outside Farnham railway station, a young woman in boots, shorts and a backpack, studies her phone. A fellow pilgrim? I hang back to give her space, and she strides down the main road before confidently cutting up a tree-lined footpath, only to return a few seconds later. We’ve all been there.

The official trail begins alongside a busy dual carriageway. It’s always exciting to start a new path. It soon diverges away from the traffic, passing beneath a massive old beech tree.

The woman disappears into the distance as I dawdle, reading information boards and taking photos. It’s only 12 miles today, giving plenty of time to explore and enjoy this mini-heatwave, breaking records for the hottest day in May.

The NDW chalk grassland supports rare wild orchids, one of which, the bee orchid, is celebrated by a carved bench, thankfully clear of any mischievous “H” or “J” initials.

There are so many shady trees, mainly majestic oak and beech, full of birdsong. A strange dwelling appears through the trees. Who lives there?

The trail, decidedly non-downy at this stage, passes large houses, sumptuous gardens and a golf course in the stockbroker belt, before the hard concrete and asphalt turn to soft sand. Am I back on my coast walk? The sand is good for the endless waves of blueberries and raspberries growing at Binton farm. Sadly, this walk is too early for scrumping.

After a short climb, the landscape finally opens up, looking across to Hog’s Back, the true North Downs ridge, dominated by the non-walker-friendly A31. We shall meet eventually.

The soft chalk is worn away over centuries by heavy carts, livestock and running water, creating enchanting sunken pathways, or holloways.

An attractive tunnel image becomes rather more unsettling when the silhouette of a woman passing by reminds me of a nerve-jangling scene from the surreal Men with Jessie Buckley.

I break from the trail to visit the house and gardens of artists George and Mary Watts. Limnerslease was built in 1891 — ‘Limner’ is old English for artist, and ‘Lease’ is to glean hope for the future. A small cafe serves coffee and carrot cake on a pretty patio.

The sloped gardens contain a terracotta Cetic cross designed by Mary Watts.

Suitably fortified, I return to the shaded path. The bothies down south need a little work

Nearing the end of the walk, I meet my old friend, the pretty River Wey Navigation, which I followed for some time on my Thames Path hike, mistaking it for the Thames. In my defence, I did not check my OS Maps app very often. Just stay on the riverbank, I thought. What could go wrong?

The walk into Guildford is beautiful, passing rowers gliding on the river and trees dancing in the breeze.

At the end of a very hot day, I make my way up a hill and past a castle to the Royal Oak for a refreshing pint of London Pride.

The train journey home proves a separate adventure. A tree on the line has blocked all services into London Waterloo Station. The trains are delayed, crowded and stifling. On reaching London, my train to Chelsfield is also delayed as paramedics treat a passenger. The train crew seem to think it’s a good idea to keep us at a station for a long time without opening the doors. It’s like a sauna. They will soon have fainting passengers to keep the paramedics busy. They do finally open the doors and let everyone onto the platform. After an hour, we resume our journey, and I get up for my stop, only to see the train whizz past. It’s only then that they announce it’s not stopping to make up time, and I’m finally deposited at Sevenoaks to catch a train back up the line. It’s easier to get home from Knoydart.

Date of walk: Friday 22 May 2026.

Walk distance: 12 miles.