We plan to organise car shares in advance, so will not meet at West Town Car Park.
Park at the Bluebell Inn, Batt’s Corner, Dockenfield or on nearby Boundary Lane if not staying for lunch, postcode GU10 4EX, grid reference SU819410. Meet at the gate to the pub car park for walk start at 10 a.m. latest. Possibly pre-order lunch.
We start by walking briefly into Abbotts Wood Inclosure then to the Visitor Centre in Willow’s Green Inclosure, where there are toilets (about 1.5 miles into the walk). We then walk to Lodge Pond (possibly sighting a Gruffalo on the way) then cross the A325 into a quieter part of the forest. We circle back via Holt Pound.
We then go in to the Bluebell Inn for lunch (served till 2.30).
It should be generally dry underfoot – most of the paths are hardcore, and if we meet a muddy or very wet area it should be relatively easy to backtrack to find a dry route.
The total distance is 7.6 miles with 400 feet of height gain, and no steep sections.