Explore some of the most remote parts of Surrey's Wey Navigation waterway, taking in historic buildings and locks, on a walk that can be done either one way or there and back. Particularly on the walk out of Guildford. Apart from that it was really nice. Godalming itself has many options for refreshments at the start or end of the walk. Visitors can see where the huge Wey barges were built and climb aboard 'Reliance', one of three surviving barges. When the river is in flood, we're unable to operate the boat. Here you can see the difference in the water levels. One of the fields may have livestock. At this time, there was also a barge parked up, which I assume was their own personal toy. The path is relatively flat and good for all ages and fitness levels. It is mostly common land and woodlands on both sides of the road. River Thames This walk covers the southern part of the River Wey from the busy centre of Guildford the path soon takes on a rural nature. Trips should be booked online in advance to guarantee a trip. Farnham to Guildford walk 11 miles. The River Wey is a tributary of the River Thames with the main section between Weybridge and Godalming being located in Surrey, UK. The award-winning visitor centre at Dapdune Wharf in Guildford tells the story of the navigations and the people who lived and worked on them. Went early March after a dry spell and it was manageable in old trainers. From here you can see the ancient Lammas lands historic common land on the floodplain, where ownership was marked by dole stones. Good parts for dogs with just a few bits on leads. There are a few hills up and down, which might be tricky in wet weather so be prepared. Today the bridges are owned by the National Trust. So, once you reach the bridge. If youre lucky you can ask someone to drop you off at the start and pick you up four and a half hours later at the end (this is what I did, thanks to my dad who met me for lunch in Guildford as a compromise)! This sounds easy, but its not. There is a curious structure in the middle of the road here called the Pepperpot. The urban oasis of the River Wey and Godalming Navigations is an important green corridor amidst the bustle of modern-day Surrey. contact the editor here. I had written the walk off as over, and now I just needed to get to the station. But once you are at the top, you get an amazing view across the trees to the hills in the distance. I really like this trail. It is a serene and peaceful river that passes through some classic English countryside and has an amazing 300 year old history of barge transport and canal infrastructure. Paddling along the River Wey Navigations is a great way to explore this historic waterway. This one follows a river down to the English Channel. The terrain was excellent and you dont have to worry about navigating; just follow the river! Narrow attractive streets, lined with many ancient and historic buildings, lie alongside the River Wey. Treat yourself at the Lock keepers cafe - we serve barista style coffees with traditional round cakes and tray bakes. Even the railway view is pretty cool up here. Get to know this 5.9-mile out-and-back trail near Norco, California. At Wonersh, theres The Grantley Arms and Wonersh Village Stores. A mix of path types along the way with a few stretches of the walk along quiet roads. HP10 9TY. Scenic moringing countryside / river / urban virtual run / gimbal walking tour with music along the Wey Navigation near Guildford, England, UK. Riverside. Places ton. Boaters, please check river conditions here to see how the weathers looking today. Keep ahead as the bridleway lane narrows to a stone path heading downhill through a tunnel of trees and follow this all the way to the bottom. Went here with the family (5) to ride bikes and enjoy our time together. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 53 min to complete. So, keep on the path as it winds you alongside the river, and past a graveyard and this other interesting building (of which I dont know what it is). Cyclists are also permitted to use the towpath but must give way to pedestrians. Beyond the woodland, the bridleway leads you under power lines and continues with a horse paddock on the left. Tuesdays: 10am . Its fairly steep and rugged, and the ground becomes sand which can add to the slippiness. Parking at Dapdune Wharf is free for members for up to 4 hours. An attractive and easy countryside walk in Send, where the River Wey Navigations has its workshops. Today we parked at the listed address and then took the trail to the left. Take it at your own pace, admiring the water for darting fish, drifting house boats, and an array of birds nesting and singing from the undergrowth. It was originally the ice house from Wonersh House, the Lords former home. Still a great circular walk though! Go up it. With a view to the tree covered hills, and a little secluded looking home in the distance. Follow the route of the last commercial barges on the Wey Navigations on this walk on the River Wey. Go over the bridge, and pick up the path on the other side. River ThamesRiver Wey / Mouth. We're sorry, but we're unable to take dogs on the boat trips. Located the River Walk Park in Eastvale, California, approximately 24 miles from home, This easy walking trail end about 0.8 miles from the starting point; and then you have the pleasure of reversing your course back to the starting point for a total of 1.6 miles for the entire trip. Find out how to keep safe throughout your visits. The towpath along the River Wey is edged with a variety of plants which create habitats for a wealth of wildlife. The trips take about 40 minutes, and leave at 11am, 11.50am, 12.40pm, 2pm, 2.50pm and 3.40pm. Enjoy a range of refreshments at the tea-room or browse the second-hand bookshop at Dapdune to discover your next favourite read. Some narrow roads on route - take care. Its confusing as there are a few turns and options for turns. From memory, this bit got particularly muddy. There are two pathways, one dirt trail for horses and the other (asphalt) for bikers and hikers / runners. Continue ahead, past the stables and a couple of houses, to reach the T-junction with the road, Lower Eashing. Copyright 1999, 2023 Walkingworld Ltd. All rights reserved | Credits. What restaurants are near River Walk Park? Suitable for all skill levels. Learn how your comment data is processed. Our Tour recommendations are based on thousands of activities completed by other people on komoot. Park at the station - it's easier. The whole of the route is suitable for walkers while cyclists can enjoy a nice waterside section in Guildford. Santa Ana Riverwalk Trail. Browse the large selection of second-hand books. The trips take about 40 minutes, and leave at 11am, 11.50am, 12.40pm, 2pm, 2.50pm and 3.40pm. Chris Howard inspecting the World War Two defences. definitely muddy in a few places, but easy walking :). The Shed opens Fri-Sun 10-4.30 from 4th March, before returning to five days a week in line with Dapdune Wharf's summer opening hours from Saturday 25th March. Caterpillar Class: Ages 1-3. Bear right along this drive and continue only until you reach the corner of a garden wall on your right. But muddy today (February). The Godalming Navigation was first to go, and by the early 1900s was derelict. Open 9am-5.30pm. Then turn left into William Rd. So, I said you dont need any navigation skills for this walk. There are 12 locks on the stretch between Weybridge and Guildford. The Godalming Navigation, opened in 1764, enabled barges to work a further four miles upriver. For your safety use the grass verges where possible and swap between the two road edges to ensure you are visible to the traffic. The Wey was one of the first British rivers to be made navigable, and opened to barge traffic in 1653. Food /drink: At Shalford, youll find The Parrot Inn and The Seahorse pub, as well as the Snooty Fox caf and groceries. The Basingstoke Canal Towpath Trail is 33 miles from Penny Bridge to the River Wey at Woodham. Turn left along the road, follow it around a sharp right-hand bend (with Eashing Farm on the left) and continue past the complex of barns on the right. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. The Godalming Navigation, opened in 1764, extended the navigable waterway a further 4 miles to Godalming. Walking from the partial open lock towards the cute bridge, the water looked really interesting. Toughness 6 out of 10. This adds 4 miles to the walk. However you decide to explore the region, theres always a country pub to unwind in after a day exploring the trails. The River Wey has some interesting history. This is a popular trail for horseback riding, road biking, and running, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Across the field to the right were loads of houses. Along the River Wey Navigations is Dapdune Wharf , the heritage centre which shows how the river way used to transport goods before the days of trains and roads. If you do want to make it longer though, the River Wey actually runs for 20miles. There are sweeping reeds and overhanging trees to shelter the path. Go through this into a pasture (which may be holding cattle) and follow the path directly ahead to reach a stile (just to the left of the white house). Cross this and continue a few paces forward to reach the road. This place is the greatest. Tick off the steps on the trail, have a go at the bunny racecourse, shoot your arrows as far as they'll go, build a den. Basically, its a lovely walk to do if you dont have tonnes of energy and just want to switch off. Godalming was the first place in the world to have both a public and private electricity supply introduced in September 1881. The Godalming Navigation, which links it to Godalming, has a further four locks and was completed in 1764. Fantastic easy walk. Some twisting fast roads with no pavements. Now there are a couple of things to make you aware of, before you walk along the river from Guildford to Godalming. Godalming Angling Society own or have the fishing rights on approximately 8 miles of the River Wey, stretching from Eashing at the A3 crossing point, down-stream through Godalming, and on to just south of Guildford. Go past the law courts and take next turning left into Mary Rd. The Wey Navigation was built 100 years before the Canal Age. There is a bench here should you wish to pause and enjoy the bridge and river wildlife. Like for cars on roads. You will see the humour in it when you go . Some sections are pretty peaceful, for some its a faint background noise, and others its quite loud. Im glad you asked. Anyway, keep going and you will soon reach Instead Lock. Further still, at the fork, stay with the main surfaced path which swings right (away from the river) leading you between sections of marsh, under powerlines, over a footbridge and then uphill between houses to reach a junction with the road, Peperharow Road. Great park to walk - ride your bike- picnic. The walk has a few gentle climbs and descents throughout. History Wanborough('bump-barrow') may be named after a Bronze Age burial site on the Hog's Back. Follow the route of the last commercial barges on the Wey Navigations on this walk on the River Wey. Experience the River Wey by water and discover the history of the river navigations on a boat trip from Dapdune Wharf. This is a car crossing bridge, so once its safe to do so, cross over to join the trail on the other side, as it leads you to a nice collection of barges. I shall not reiterate a full description of the history of the Wey Navigation, covered very well by Richard Clayton in his introduction to Walk 31. You know, with the roads and cars. Access is available to Walkingworld subscribers or you can buy the walk individually for 1.95 once you are logged in. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. If travel guides like this interest you, head over tomy blog pageto find out more! It would help keep the grass warm during the winter. Walk along the river to St Catherine's Lock The next section of the walk along the River Wey is easy, along a wide dirt path. Less money meant that the navigations couldnt be maintained. Copyright @ 2019 She walks in England - All Right Reserved. The banks of the river will be lined with people. Nice trail with a mixture of woodland and farmland. Section 1 of the North Downs Way. This walk is published through a collaboration with Surrey County Council. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. During heat waves, you will find kids jumping off the bridge, and people generally taking a dip to cool down from the heat. The station itself is through the car park and up the stairs. So unless you plan on taking a bit of a wild swim dip, I would suggest doing this in the cooler months. Easily-accessible paths. 97% of travelers recommend this experience. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. In fact, it becomes less trail, and more tidy path. There is a sign here pointing which way boats and river traffic should go. At this point, I did get a sense that the Wey Navigation walk was nearly over. You may see roe deer scurrying about in the fields on either side of the river, kestrels and parakeets above and a good variety of bats and owls at night. The original lock controlled the water used to flood the meadows. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 9 hours. Why not join the River Wey volunteers and get out in the fresh air? This travel guide provides information on how to walk or cycle along the River Wey Navigation Path. I have walked much of the Thames Path and many canals in the Thames valley, but the River Wey is perhaps my favourite walk. You will also walk past this roller thing. The River Wey Navigation connects to the Basingstoke Canal at West Byfleet, and the Godalming Navigation to the Wey and Arun Canal near Shalford.Wey and Godalming Navigations. Lovely walk mostly on the flat with a couple of short elevated sections. Btw Beware of snakes! As I said, its quite slippy and steep, so do this at your own risk.