21 January 2012
£11 buys me and the boy return train tickets to Farnham in west Surrey, a small town or red brick Georgian houses, topped by a modest bishop’s castle, ruined by a one way system.
A more arduous 6 mile cycle ride than we expected (via the ruins of Waverley Abbey) brought us to Puttenham Common, an area of rare heathland. Starting at the Tarn, a fishing pond surrounded by deciduous woods, climbing gently to open heathland next to an iron age fort with views across the valley to the Hog’s Back. Dry red sand. Heather. Gorse with yellow flowers. Along a section of the North Downs Way, a climb up a muddy track floored with sandstone cobbles. Then back within sight of Lutyens’ Lascombe Farm, round and back down to the Tarn.
Cycling back we passed through a wee village named The Sands and saw more English flags flying from flagpoles in 5 minutes than I’ve seen in the last 5 years. Also the first daffodils I’ve seen flowering, anywhere.
The General's Pond, Puttenham Common
Books & Boots 