Bagshot survives wedged between the A30, A322 & M3. Map looks promising east (Windlesham), but no bridge on map over A322, and having viewed the road from train didn't fancy trying to cross on foot. So headed south through town centre, which has a Trafalgar Way plaque. After railway bridge find footpath around School.
Cross road after school into small wooded area then over M3 footbridge and onto the welcome relief of Bagshot Heath. Head up to High Curley, either on footpath running alongside (but shielded from) M3 and bridleway or just following easier walking wide track. Through poor navigation skills I ended up doing both.
Slight incline up brings views North, with London's Wembley Arches in far distance. View though is fairly 'flat', not making my top 10. After view and passing the hills sarsen stone, is brief tricky navigating section due to false tracks and paths formed by MOD vehicle testing. Don't know if this area gets 'closed' when testing is on?
Maybe i'm not the only one who got a bit lost around here as by luck came across small cairn (echoing High Curley sarsen stone?) which signalled turn left towards Hangmoor. This section is through very nice, quiet woods. But looks like I made a wrong turning, coming off the bridleway, maybe trying to make straight for road.
Looked quite easy on map! but small strip of land across (Blood?) Red Road had barbed fence and with no pavement or walking verge on road had to step gingerly back along road with quite fast traffic bitting at heels until a padlocked gate offered a vaulting escape. Maybe better to walk to Heatherside Corner next time?
Was tempted by road track as footpath wasn't to clear, despite running right alongside big MOD fence with razor wire on top, but then wanted to 'fight for my right to.. walk', and tried to find footpath again but only succeded in running into bog and finally surrendered back to track. Folly's Bog indeed.
After leaving MOD fence behind, which oddly wasn't that off putting, enter nice coniferous woods then onto open heath not unlike Chobham Common (with same water and mud in places). Just before leaving heath try and spot the goats in the special grazing pen if its still there.
After not trying to get over A322 earlier, I suddenly got a bit nervous about crossing it here. Map still didn't show any subway or footbridge and would even have to cross on roundabout. So gathered nerves by making the most of view at Sandpit Hill before attempting... ...Perfectly fine! pavement & easy crossing!
So you never know till you try. After crossing Gorden's School playing fields & taking Permissive Footpath arrive at picturesque, but probably money draining, Barn at Hookstone Farm. Cross waterlogged field using the 'fence abandoned' lonely looking stile & enter peaceful woods (look out for deer) until meeting bridleway.
After pleasantly enclosed bridleway, running around slight hill, and brief mud escapades, join small road to right. Have to look hard to find hidden entrance to footpath on left, then through woods. Exit over a man-made footbridge (don't tell Council) into more open waterlogged rave fields then onto and through nursery.
Road very quite and walking was O.K. Upcoming Bridleway though had quite bad mud, but silver birches wood made up for the mud clod boots. Was looking forward to peaceful 5 min sit down (and maybe clean boots) at my favourite church, but they had the builders in, so on along easy walking road to 'start' of golf course...
Walk passes two !Danger Areas! First run by the Ministry of Defence, the second Sunningdale Golf Course - which one do you think has the most warning signs? O.K, so M.O.D has razor wire and you can't actually get access and you do go across golf course, but still. Maybe its the job lot signage that gets me goat up.
You enter real start of golf course after 1/2 mile or so of very nice woods & small climb up to a great view point overlooking Chobham Common with North Downs in very far distance. Golf course itself is easily navigated, on firm & part road track. Maybe if this wasn't a golf course this area would have been built on by now?
End walk at Sunningdale Railway Station (Trains to and from London Waterloo or Reading). Has a Waitrose next to it, but closes at 4pm on Sundays. There is a Pub, eateries & coffee chain a few minutes along main road, to right. Time to reflect on discoveries of day, and to try and not get too obsessed with bringing down the man.
