Section 26 (Return)
Dorking to Betchworth
Walk Details
| Map | OS Explorer 146 (Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate) |
|---|---|
| Distance/Time | 3 Miles/1.5 Hours |
| Start | Dorking Deepdene railway station; a commuter station so very difficult parking in this area; public car parks in Dorking but may be time and price limited. |
| Comment | A quite short and easy stretch of walking. Some hidden corners of Victorian Dorking at Pixham then easy walking along the Old Coach Road to the splendid village green at Brockham, which also boasts two pubs and an animal pound. It's then but a short distance by fields to the churchyard at Betchworth and ‘The Dolphin’ beyond. |
Walk Instructions
From Dorking Deepdene Station turn downhill, along the main road, away from the railway bridge towards a petrol station over on your right. Soon pass Brook Close on your left and turn down an enclosed footpath on your left.
On reaching a junction of ways, go left under the railway, then on, under a second railway (For Dorking North Station turn left here). Keep forward on the asphalt path. At a fork bear left to walk alongside a cricket ground and then houses on your right to reach a main road.
This is Pixham. Turn right along the main road for 200 metres to pass under a railway bridge. Immediately turn left along Leslie Road, just before St. Mary’s Church.
Keep along for some way by attractive terraces, then cross a road on the left and pass some rather Spartan modern houses. Just beyond, turn left on an enclosed footpath between railings and an earth bank. Ignore a turning off right and keep on to Castle Mill.
Immediately past the mill buildings on your left, turn left over the mill stream. Follow the path sharp right over a long footbridge over the River Mole. At the end bear left up the field to a stile, then on between fields to a stile and steps down to a road.
Turn sharp right on a rough side road. At the bottom cross a tubular bridge (Boxhill Bridge) to emerge into the car park of a nursery. Keep forward up the entrance drive to a main road. Cross with great care to a road entrance to a golf club.
Go up to soon reach a T-junction. Turn left, uphill, on this private road which is also a bridleway. Where the road swings right to a club house, keep straight on, on the bridleway between lines of trees. This is ‘The Old Coach Road’. Stay on this for ½ mile leaving the golf course behind.
The track broadens then eventually passes houses to meet a road. Turn left on the road over a bridge and uphill. Soon emerge onto the green at Brockham. Cross the green and roads to ‘The Royal Oak’ pub. Here turn right and walk past houses on your left to pass a second pub (The Duke’s Head’). Keep on to reach the preserved ‘Village Pound’ where animals found on the green were held until a fine had been paid.
Here turn left down an enclosed path to a brick footbridge. Cross and keep on along an asphalt path. Soon cross a concrete river bridge and bear right uphill. At a junction of ways bear right on a footpath (part of the Greensand Way again) going along high above the river with gardens on your left.
Stay on this path for a good distance, soon along the edge of a field with a treeline on your right. Ignore paths going off left. Towards the end go through a metal swing gate into an enclosed path. Eventually the path meets a road. Cross this to pass a small car park on your left and enter Betchworth churchyard.
Go ahead passing the church on your left (well worth a visit). Leave the churchyard at the bottom end and emerge onto a road opposite ‘The Dolphin’ pub and the start of the section.
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