Greensand Way: Stage 1, Haslemere to Witley Station, pre-flight prep

There’s something slightly depressing for a weekday commuter getting on a train on a Saturday morning but couldn’t argue it isn’t a beautiful day for it.

Winter days like this are my favourite time for walking and a train ride through the glorious Surrey Hills makes for a good start.

Righto; so today I’ll be walking about 16k (approx 10 miles) from Haslemere heading north east to Witley Station, passing over the Hindhead tunnel.

Map: OS Explorer, OL33 (I have an ‘active’ version which in the past has proved useful for climbing over barbed wire fences without injury).

In the bag: Flask of earl grey tea (standards must be maintained), hat and gloves, one walking pole, 1.5l bladder pack, charging cables and a battery pack, and a chunky slice of Mum’s sausage pie and some cheese for lunch. I’ve got about 11 hours of Caliban’s War (the second book in the excellent Expanse series if sci-fi is your thing) to listen to.

All prepped, ready to go.