Lockdown walking 1: Outwood Loop

I never really intended to put any Horley (my hometown) focussed walks on here. Probably a bit too specific for most. However, I've rethought this for a number of reasons:

1. What with "one thing and another", unneccessary driving and/or public transport journeys are rather frowned upon; as such my Greensand Way epic has been put on the back burner and I want something to blog about

2. I am super super lucky to have beautiful outdoor space pretty much on my doorstep that almost guarantees isolation; thus key rules can be adhered to whilst enjoying joys of the Surrey (and occasionally Sussex) countryside

3. There might be a few folk interested in some of the routes I take

So, in the hope this at least relieves tedium for some, and maybe useful for others, I will blog about my 'local walks' for bit at least. I live close to the train station in Horley so all my routes start and end there, give or take.

Walk 1 I'll call the Outwood Loop. Its about 15km (roughly 9 miles) and takes me between 2.5- 3 hours, depending on whether its an amble or route march.

From the top entrance to the train station, cross the road at the lights (safety first), turn right and then left down Station Approach. Follow the road round and cross over at the cross rounds onto Smallfield Road. From here we're basically heading into (surprise!) Smallfield. There's a number of ways to do it, via the lovely Langshott Woods or just following the road ahead. It's about 1.5 miles or so and either way is a pretty walk and at the moment not much traffic. Whichever way you take, you'll cross over the M23.

After the M23 crossing, but before getting into Smallfield 'proper' take a footpath to the left hand side of the road. This is just after the turning for 'The Cravens' and is waymarked as part of the 'Tandridge Border Path'. This is a great path which tracks round the the whole borough, linking up small villages stretching about 50 miles (more TBP another day)

Follow the TBP straight up, passing the backs of houses and, eventually fields which often have horses in. At the top of this section is the bottom of Rookery Lane and you'll see a concrete building which I think is a workshop of some sort. Walk straight over the concrete and turn left when you reach the lane. Ahead of you should be a gate, and a turning to the right marked as the TBP. Take this path and follow it past a pretty house & garden to the right and into woodland and more fields.

At the top of this section you reach a main-ish road. This is Rookery Hill, and in normal days you'll be able to hear the rush of M23 traffic off to the left. Turn left onto the road and walk on about 40-50 metres (50-60 yards???); cross the road just before the bend in the road and pick up the TBP again. Follow the waymarked path, which takes you back on yourself slightly at an angle, to the right, towards a stile. Over the stile you'll follow a narrow path that appears to bisect someone's garden; beware an enthusiastic barking Alsatian in the farmyard, who never fails to make me jump! Over another stile and you'll find yourself in a small copse which is also apparently a rabbit warren. At the moment its full of bluebells.....