21/10/17 - Godalming and Winkworth Arboretum

Distance - 12 Miles
Geocaches - 2
Pubs - 3 (all 2018 Good Beer Guide Entries)
Walk Inspiration - The Blackheath Ramblers

Without wishing to sound all Agatha Christie, the inspiration for this walk came from a chance conversation in a waiting room at Seven Sisters railway station.  I was waiting for a connection to start the Lea Valley walk, when in came a lady, identifiable as a fellow Rambler from the top to toe Berghaus.  She asked me if I was also with Black Heath Ramblers.

I wasn't but we got talking about this particular faction and their fame across the South East for challenging power walks.  I had a look at their walking programme and found inspiration in a decent 12 mile circular route from Godalming.  It may have been the promise of a lunch time pub stop that sold it to me.

It's apparent from the minute I step off the train that I am going to like Godalming.  Instantly, I am following a pretty path next to a Church, into Phillips Memorial Park and alongside the River Wey.

We'll meet up with Jack Phillips again, later in the walk.

Two minutes from the Station

Jack Phillips, Godalming native

Easy walking along the Wey Navigation

Good bridlepaths take me to Winkworth Arboretum.  If you're going to visit an Arboretum, Autumn is the time to go.  Leafy Surrey indeed.

Arboretum 

Near the 1st Cache of the day, Busbirdge Woods

The Merry Harriers, Hambledon Road, Hambledon, Loxhill Biscuit

Perfectly positioned, exactly half way through the walk is the Merry Harriers.  A picture postcard, classic English Country Inn.

Off the Path, Into the Pub

I enter and am greeted with a "Welcome to the Harriers" from an enthusiastic bar man, who obviously finished top of the class at Landlord School.  He then talks me through the beers available and agrees that the choice I made would have been met favourably by his dad, who "is a bit of a beer nut".

It doesn't take much to make a stranger feel at home.  I feel I know him well enough to ask to go behind the bar to scan the Cask Marque Certificate.  100 scans off a free pint glass now, blogfans.

Approved by the Bar Man's Dad

Its only on the way out, I see that its also in the Good Beer Guide 2018.  A double whammy!

On with the walk.  It's all the Surrey Hills in their finest, even if the ground does not cope well with rain.  Waterlogged and muddy paths all the way through Great Enton, Witley and back to Godalming but my Meindl walking shoes pass their first real test with flying colours.

These Views, fine architecture and mud

I'm delivered in Godalming High Street, feeling like a conqueror in my walking gear amongst the Saturday Shoppers.

Love to end a walk in Civilisation.

Jack Phillips, High Street - Nothing more than a Mooch

Good Beer Guide or not, I tend to take Mrs M's advice and avoid Wetherspoons.  But this is no ordinary Wetherspoons.  According to the Bible its decorated in the style of an ocean liner.

Why?  Well, we are back to Jack again.  This local hero has the park and a pub named after him.  He was the wireless operator on the Titanic and refused to leave his post, even after the captain declared "Every Man for Himself".

Which is the mantra you are forced to adopt when trying to get service at one of JDW's huge bars, staffed by incompetent teenagers.  It was getting tetchy.  I decided to delay getting a drink by taking photos and a forlorn hunt for the Cask Marque Certificate.

Life on the Ocean Wave

With no sign of any order at the bar, I consider installing the ordering app on my home.  Seemed overkill.  Instead, I reflect on whether I have the feeling of being on a cruise liner.

I didn't.  There's far fewer angry looking people and tables covered with dirty glasses on ships.

I left for a proper pub.

The Star Inn, Church Street, Hampleton Ales Gulping Gold 

Oh yes, this is more like it.  Not a converted shop but something that looks exactly like a pub should.

Back in the Game

There's one fella in front of me at the bar who orders a Betty Stoggs.  He has been more diligent than me and has noticed there are two banks of clips on the bar - four on the hand pumps and another four on bottles in front.

The barlady heads down to the cellar and I comment that "Betty Stoggs is rarely found out of Cornwall".  When his headless pint comes back he replies "it should have bloody stayed in Cornwall".  To be fair, it was a beautiful colour.

Ironic, as all the heads were above the bar.

What Year Did England Go Mental for Halloween?

I would have probably had Betty Stoggs but went for a previously untested Gulping Gold.  Down to the cellar she went but mine did have some life in it.

At least at first.

Pint Taken, with the Times and Heath Ledger