Ottheshar & Woodham Walk

Saturday March 15, 2008

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Ottershaw, Rowtown & Woodham

Key Facts

Start/Finish: Ottershaw Memorial Field

Distance: 7.2 km or 4.5 miles

Time: Allow 2 hours

Type of walk: Easy Walking

Directions

THIS WALK COVERS PART OF THE AREA THROUGH WHICH THE RIVER BOURNE FLOWS. IT PASSES MANY NURSERIES AND FARMS THAT WERE ONCE SO PREVALENT IN THIS PART OF SURREY. THE WALK STARTS BY THE SCHOOL IN BOUSLEY RISE.

MAP REF. 028635.

Walk down Bousley Rise leaving the school on your left, after 100 yards turn left down a track at the end of a red brick wall. Follow the track over the bridge into the woods at Hare Hill, passing a bungalow on the right. Keep to the path on the right and gradually walk up the incline. At the paths’ cross roads continue straight on until reaching Howards Lane.

At this point turn right and walk to the main road at Rowtown. Turn left and climb up the hill. Pass the entrance to Walton Leigh Recreation Ground and the blue park sign, and just before Franklands Drive, cross the road and take the Public footpath, marked with a footpath sign, between the houses (nos. 37 and 39). After approximately 400 yards the path crosses a wide farm track. The path continues downhill over the River Bourne and then straight ahead at the crossroads up past Fallow Farm to Woodham Park Road.

Cross the road with care, turn left and after 150 yards turn right following Woodham Park Road. Where the road bends to the left, turn right again into Woodham Park Way and left just after Amberley Drive into the public footpath that eventually emerges in Junewood Close. Walk down to Woodham Lane and turn right. Opposite the Victoria Public House turn right again at the footpath sign following the wide track for approximately half a mile up to Grovers Farm. Continue along the public footpath passing through a gap between a conifer and a hedge. The path soon emerges back out onto Woodham Park Road. Turn left and pass Holme Farm and Bourne Valley Garden Centre on your left hand side. There is a café at the garden centre, which is ideal for a refuelling stop! Go over the bridge crossing the River Bourne. Halls Farm can be seen on your right hand side.

Just over the bridge on the left is a wide gravel track marked with a footpath sign. This is Brox Lane. Walk up this road passing Rodwell Farm Nursing Home on your right and Rose Park Caravan site on your left. Pass Bourne Rise Farm on your right and reach a gate across the road. Either pass by one side of the gate or go through the gate taking care to close it after you. The lane now passes through fields of crops on either side. The road bends to the right and another gate is encountered.

Go through the gate to the right hand side. The lane now bends to the left and passes through a stretch of woodland. On the right hand side looking through the trees is a large fishing lake with numerous landing stages. Herons and other birds can often be seen here.

Before the road bends left again there is a footpath sign posted on your right hand side between hedges. Take the path that emerges into a field growing various flowers — wonderful sight when the cornflowers are in bloom. The path maintains the edge of the field until reaching a small alley that leads into Bousley Rise. Turn left to head back towards the school where the walk began.

This site was last updated 09 Mar 2008