The Devil's Punchbowl

I thought I'd step out from my usual subject area for once. We had a cracking walk around the Devil's Punchbowl on Sunday so, for anyone wishing to grab some fresh air in SW Surrey here's where we went:

We parked up (eventually - it was busy - great to see so many people taking the air) in the National Trust car park and headed across the grass towards the nearby viewpoint but cut off right when we reached a wide path going in that direction.

As we came to the trees we forked left through a kissing gate then almost immediately took a path to the left going downhill. We kept to this path through woods for about 3/4 mile as it descended into Highcomb Bottom.

At the base of the valley we passed through another kissing gate and after a couple of wiggles on the path turned right through yet another kissing gate onto a narrower path which drops down to a stream. After crossing over the stream we climbed up out of the dell, passing a youth hostel on our right and took the next left turn down a wide track past Gnome Cottage.

Just after the cottage we crossed a cattle grid and reached a stretch of more open countryside. We followed the track for about 1/2 mile until after a right then left bend we reached a fork. Here we bore left and ignoring the track that joins on the right a bit further on carried straight along a tree-lined track over another cattle grid.

Finally we reached a tarmac lane where we turned left and then right downhill beside a long cottage with PV panels on the roof. At the bottom of the valley we crossed the stream again and up a steep track to Ridgeway Farm. We carried on along Hyde Lane ignoring the track to the right, eventually passing Upper Ridgeway Farm.

The road then dipped down and at the bottom we took a bridleway to the left which gradually rises up between banks to another gate. Through this we pressed on upwards for quite a way (perhaps 1 3/4 miles) much of it following a line of power cables. At the top we came out on the edge of the escarpment with a splendid view across the bowl.

Continuing along the rim of the bowl we eventually reached another gate and barrier by a small parking area. Here we took a left fork, continuing around the edge of the bowl soon arriving back at the viewpoint near the car park. Great - all finished off with a scrummy slice of lemon cake in the NT cafe.

Try it!