17th November Cranleigh

 

 

Walk from Cranleigh – 17th November 2025

A walk from the Ordnance Survey Book of Surrey Circular Walks, starting from Cranleigh.

We’d modified the start slightly from Snoxhall Fields to the very new Knowle Park recreation ground on the other side of Knowle Lane; a lesser parking charge and smart new toilets rewarded us.  Only the previous day a significant road closure meant we had to rethink the journey to Cranleigh from Secrett’s, but we had still started walking by 1015. The weather was bright and sunny, but had suddenly turned much colder after an unusual warm spell; the paths were mostly dry and firm underfoot, often thick with autumn leaves. 

Walking through this new recreation ground brought us past a new and interesting housing development, with bat boxes built into some chimneys. Crossing Alford Road we soon passed the very smart grade 2 listed Utworth Manor, a 16th century farmhouse with barns forming a quadrangle in front, and boasting a gablet above a hipped roof end.  Skirting a vast field drilled with winter wheat, we joined the Wey and Arun canal towpath for half a mile southwards – but no sign of water nor likelihood of restoration here.

Pausing to admire Great Garson, another 16th century grade 2 listed building, possibly a Hall House, we admired the Tudor timber framework showing externally. A short road walk took us to Lion’s Lane, a Green Lane - an ancient trackway. No Lions spotted, but coffee drunk. Crossing Knowle Lane again we tramped Snoxhall Farm’s fields to reach the Downs Link, the old Guildford – Cranleigh – Horsham railway, closed by Beeching in 1965, whose route can be traced as far as Shoreham; it’s now a long-distance pathway.  It brought us back, via Snoxhall Fields recreation ground, to our start point, after 3 hours and about 5 miles.  The walk was almost entirely flat but with much of interest, and with just one stile. 

12 walked, 7 devoured a fine lunch at the Red Lion at Shamley Green.

AMW, AP, HR, IP, JR, LG back marking, MC, NS, PDW, PG leading, RD, SDW.