My Way

February

Stage four Liphook to Haslemere. 9km.

I have a passion for maps. Real, folding paper maps. They are the places where journeys begin, a magic paper carpet ready to deliver me to a new county.

Planning a walk means considering the options. Which path to take? An unfolded map reveals terrain and possibilities. I can take the longer way or find a place with woods or streams but whichever way I choose, it will be my way. When I walk alone, I always get my way.

Instead of knitting a mass of connecting footpaths I choose to follow the Sussex Border path for most of this stage. I have been sharing foot prints with parts of this long-distance path since I began this journey. Today would be my last chance to share this way on my walk to London.

I don’t like to walk map-in-hand if I can avoid it. By walking a signposted way I can keep my eyes ahead, enjoy the mist and sunlight between the trees, listen and then look for birds in the branches, and ponder the  texture of the earth as it changes from sand to mud and back.

Through Stanley Common with its birch and gorse, to Linchmere and past a field of Belted Galloway cattle. ‘Beware of the Bull’ the sign warns, but I can’t help but think of these shaggy bovines as ‘Doctors’ cattle’. They became so synonymous with doctors as wannabe gentleman farmers in Australia, that they were almost obligatory in the lush east coast small holdings.

From Marley Common down to Haslemere. Somewhere I crossed the county line and left Sussex for Surrey. I consulted my map but the streets wouldn’t reconfigure to match my expectations. I found myself on a busy main road where the footpath disappeared on a blind corner. Then I heard and soon saw the railway but apart from following the iron way there were no clues for the walker looking for a station.

Of course, I found it soon enough glad to have made my choices and walked my way.

Sussex border path: https://www.sussexborderpath.co.uk/