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ROUTE 1

Puttenham Common loop

Start/Finish	Puttenham Common car park SU 921 461; or Guildford train station SU 992 496
Distance	18.5km (11½ miles); or 25.75km (16 miles)
On road	4km (2½ miles); or 7.25km (4½ miles)
Off road	14.5km (9 miles); or 18.5km (11½ miles)
Percentage off road	80%
Ascent	370m (1215ft); or 560m (1835ft)
Grade	Medium
Time	2hrs 30mins–3hrs; or 3–3hrs 30mins
Maps	OS Explorer 145 or Landranger 186
Pub	The Good Intent, Puttenham
Café	The Tea Shop at Watts Gallery, Down Lane near Compton

Overview

This compact route puts together a loop of the best off-road trails available in the area, using bridleways and byways along with narrow country lanes. Excellent sandy tracks are the order of the day, not least on Puttenham Common and along the North Downs Way (NDW). Navigation can be tricky on the wooded sections, so keep your eye on the ball.

There’s relatively little climbing involved on the main route, the most significant being a 50-metre climb along the NDW to the north of Puttenham Common. However, the variant route from Guildford involves a steep 100-metre climb out of town to Henley Fort on the Hog’s Back, but this is mostly on tarmac. On the return, tree roots add an extra dimension to the steep climb up Sunnydown on a narrow path.

In the maze of ‘jungle’ trails on Puttenham Common

Directions

1 Exit the car park at the SE corner of Puttenham Common and turn onto the road. Take the second signposted bridleway that sits on the right after 300m and enter the woods. Follow a narrow sandy path, which is overgrown with bracken ferns in summer, over a bridleway then turn at a second bridleway (not waymarked). Continue N along a sandy track, ignoring turnings to the left and right. Bear at a bridleway fork at the foot of a rise and climb steeply to a plateau at the top of the common. Continue (N) over a bridleway then over a second bridleway with waymarkers and descend along a narrow sandy path. The path delivers you to a with a house 100m to the left at Totford Hatch.

Heather in blossom on Puttenham Common

2 Turn along the NDW on a broad sand and stone-metalled byway track and continue steadily uphill. This excellent section of the NDW rises and falls a couple of times before rejoining tarmac at Lascombe Lane. At a T-junction with The Street, keep () and continue through Puttenham, passing the Good Intent pub and the church before arriving at a T-junction with the B3000. Turn (with care) and cross straight over the busy road to follow a path along the verge for 150m before turning onto a broad track road (North Downs Way).

3 Continue to ride initially along the track through a golf links on Puttenham Heath then on a sandy path through woodland before emerging at a minor road. Turn and pass under two road bridges in succession and continue to a T-junction. Turn (Guildford) then turn onto a broad sandy track (NDW) by Watts Gallery. Climb a little and arrive at a bridleway after 1km and turn off the NDW.

Loose sand along the North Downs Way

Alternative start from Guildford station

A Follow the one-way system around to join the B3100 Godalming road. Almost immediately turn and climb very steeply along The Mount road (NCN22 (National Cycle Network)). At the top of the climb (Henley Fort) continue – initially on tarmac then on an earth track – for just over 2km to reach the A31 just before a major junction. Turn along Down Lane then again onto a bridleway path after 100m. Descend steeply on the narrow path with tree roots forming natural steps. At the bottom of the descent, climb a little to arrive at a bridleway and continue – crossing the NDW.

4 Descend along a sunken lane that becomes a narrow sandy path (overgrown in summer), which pops out on tarmac by a house. Descend a little along Polsted Lane, bearing at a fork and continuing to a T-junction with the B3000. Dogleg then along a minor road then soon after turn onto a signposted bridleway. Continue through woods, keeping at a fork then turning sharp and climbing along a field edge on a narrow path. Turn to follow the bridleway contouring along the edge of woods before climbing to join a residential road.

5 At the T-junction cross onto a bridleway between houses. Cross another road to rejoin the bridleway and descend to a path junction. Turn and continue descending along a broad sandy track to a T-junction; dogleg then and follow the sandy bridleway track. Go through a gate, continue along a concrete track to a T-Junction and turn . Before hitting the A3, turn and follow a bridleway over a bridge across the busy road.

6 From the bridge, go through a gate, turn and follow the path around the field to another gate. Go through and continue along the bridleway. Cross a road, continue on the bridleway across Shackleford Heath, cross another road and follow the bridleway through woods, bearing at a fork and descending a little on a good sandy track.

7 Where the track emerges by a house (Warren Lodge), bear (no signpost) and continue around to a T-junction with a road. Turn and climb along the road; at the brow of the hill, turn sharp off the road onto a broad byway track. Climb steadily, bear and continue on a bridleway where the byway turns sharp right. Turn at the next bridleway and continue to the road by Rodsall Manor. Turn along the road and continue around to a T-junction (SU 918 460). Turn and then to return to the car park.

Alternative finish at Guildford station

B Turn at the T-junction at SU 918 460 and take the second signposted bridleway on your right. Follow the route description in paragraphs 2 and 3, but then turn off the NDW and retrace the outward route of the alternative start.