The latest “episode” of the “fledgling” COXA Ramblers Section was the Woldingham to Oxted Walk via Tandridge on Wednesday 16th June 2021. I previously had posted “all are welcome” and sixteen had confirmed for Wednesday, meeting at Woldingham Railway Station, with a walk start time 9.30 am.

On arriving at the meet point, it reminded me of the 1980s “meet” at Balham Station for footie. There were Xaverians milling everywhere, what made it different were the addition of partners and wives, friends and dogs. In all 23 of us covered the route on a magnificent June morning with high clouds and temperatures in the “high 20s”. The seven-to-eight-mile route [depending on if you walked in straight lines or staggered from side to side] covered a really attractive area [except for the crossing of the M25]. We had fantastic views across the North Downs and Greensand Ridges. We completed our trek in the beer garden of the Barley Mow in Tandridge Village were ferried back to Oxted for trains back to London.

A brief summary of our walk -from the station car park, we followed the “Valleys and Views Trail” onto the Woldingham Countryside Walk. We followed a gradual upward slope for a mile, or so, [the Dip Slope” Brother Christopher taught up the top of the North Downs Escarpment!!]

There, at the top of Oxted Downs, we stopped to admire a fantastic view of the towns of Oxted and Limpsfield. We then followed the North Downs Way across the M25 into Old Oxted village.

I’m writing much of this to inform the twenty-three walkers who had no idea where we were as they never stopped chatting and laughing for the entire 5-hour event. At Old Oxted, we paused, we’d covered four miles after all, but no, we were not lunching at the Old Bell, the George Inn or Crown Inn, it was only 11.30 after all, so a “loo-break” was taken. A further mile along the valley floor and we arrived at the Haycutter, another look around, [lunch here?]… “No” …”Onward Christian Soldiers”

At 12.45 the discreet COXA “bubbles” had developed into a long crocodile line and we reached Tandridge village. The Woldingham to Oxted footpath had brought us up to the drive leading to Jake Richins Chauffeurs Flat. No, [we are not due there for ten days], our destination was the Beer Garden of the Barley Mow. Six table bubbles in the lovely afternoon sunshine were populated and lunch was taken with a few beers. The intrepid walkers were joined by a passing tourist Tom McLoughlin [with his grandson] and Jake Richins walked down from his home to spend an hour reminiscing about Clapham College days.

This was the fifth ramble following in the footsteps of the 1936 Clapham College Old Boys Walking Section, it was certainly one of the most scenic and might have actually had numbers that surpassed our early pioneers. It was a real COXA Event. Sorry, I can’t list all those who walked with us, however, you could pick out most names from the “faces” in the photographs.

PHOTOS

At the moment July seems packed with COXA Events, August could be Summer Holiday focussed [who knows?]. Certainly, by September we should be on our “SIXTH” Edenbridge I think! There are about another half dozen of original 1936 Walks to negotiate. I will be in touch via the website and email with the “40-Odd” walkers who have joined us on the first five rambles. If you want to be included in my Ramblers Email Group, just pop an email off to me and I’ll keep you up to date with the plans for our next walk.

I can’t wait for the next one – all welcome and hopefully no Covid restrictions.

Scotty

Scotty donmiamac1234@sky.com