The start was at 51 13 30 N - 00 31 23 W and 175m (574ft ) above sea level.
After crossing the road at Chilworth there was an incline up to Blackheath. The heath was very sandy, and the ground did not change until after Chinthurst Hill.
Along the route so far, there have been several interesting buildings.
By 9.30 reached the junction with the Wey Arun Canal with a very unusual bridge.
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Here the Downs Link and The Wey-South Path are the same. In another 20 minutes reached Bramley & Wonersh Station (4.34 Miles). There was quite a bit to read on various boards around this station and the old level crossing gates are still in place.
The next section from Bramely to Run Common was quite uninteresting, but after being so quiet there was a sudden rush of cyclists to jump out of the way from, so decided to stop for a snack and let them all go past.
There are quite a few interesting bridges on the route, and this is just one of them.
Onward to Cranleigh were the shopping centre is built on the site of the old Station and sidings, continued to Baynards were I stopped for lunch, as there is a picnic site here with benches. It is marked on the map as the "Thurlow Arms P.H." but this has been shut for a long time. Its now 12.40p.m. and 12.2miles
Baynards Station has been privately owned since 1975 and totally renovated with the Station Office now a house. Sorry no photos as there is a notice requesting you don't post photos of the Station on the Internet as it is a private residence.
It was a very short distance to the County Border - yeh !!! finally in Sussex.
A short distance from the Station is the entrance to Baynards Tunnel, which has now been blocked off, but according to the information boards is home to several species of bats.
I must say that the signage of the route is Surrey is not as good as it was in Sussex when I did the section to Shoreham 2 weeks ago, a map was needed on several occasions where the path intersected with other foot paths.
This is in Sussex where several major paths crossed.
Now in Sussex and the next "Station" is Rudgwick, and across the A281 at 1.45p.m. (14.1 miles).
Stopped off to go down to the view point of the Double Bridge (which is the logo for the Downs Link).
After the brick bridge was built the Board of Trade decided that the gradient to Rudgwick Station was too steep so ordered the bridge to be raised as well as the embankments, before they would allow the railway to be opened. So a steel bridge was built on top of the first bridge. Apparently this is the only one of its kind.
Now on the home stretch and getting rather cloudy and a bit chilly with the odd spot of rain.
Left the Downs Link near Itchingfield where it follows the road to Christs Hospital - 3.05 p.m. & 18 miles.
Took the Bridleway that comes out on the A281 near Tesco, then walked along the road to home, this as an additional 2.2 miles.
This was a lovely walk and the scenery at the start was very different and more interesting, a total of 20.2 miles since starting out this morning.
This section of the trail did not have any road sections which was nice, as the section walked 2 weeks ago has 2 long road walks and a couple of shorter ones.
I have now walked the entire length of the Downs Link - in 2 sections - and learnt quite a bit about the history of this old railway line and places along it.
For my next trail walk I am looking at the Wey-South Path.
General Information
The Downs Link was opened in 1984 and is 37 miles long. The start is at St.Martha's Hill on the North Downs Way near Guildford and finished at the South Downs Way, but now continues to Shoreham. For most part it follows the old railway line.
The railway line was built in two sections, Christ's Hospital to Guildford was opened in 1865, and Itchingfield (near Christ's Hospital ) to Shoreham opened in 1861.
In 1966 the lines were shut when 4000 miles of railway lines were lost in the closures recommend by Lord Beeching.
Well done Mum :)
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