SOUTH EAST
07SURREY CHILWORTH & ST MARTHA’S HILL
■Distance: 5½ miles/8.5km ■Time: 2½ hours ■Grade: Easy
This walk passes through the former site of Chilworth Gunpowder Mills. Explosions at the works were a constant threat and they occurred with fateful regularity since the first powder mills were established here by the East India Company in the 1620s. One explosion, in 1763, even brought down the tower of St Martha’s Church on the hill above the village and the ‘Great Explosion’ of 1901 at the Black Conning House killed six workers. The last powder mill closed in 1922.
1 Start
From Chilworth Station walk along the pavement past the school and turn R along Vera’s Path, a footpath which follows the line of a former tramway to a picnic area in the Middle Works of the former gunpowder mills.
Turn L along the heritage trail, where marker-posts identify the ruined buildings, to the gate at West Lodge.
Turn R along Blacksmith Lane over the Tilling Bourne to the bend and fork L up a footpath between gardens, along a field-edge with a view to St Martha’s Hill, and then the backs of more gardens to reach Halfpenny Lane.
2 1 mile/1.6 km
Turn L onto the bridleway and for the next 1km head and up over the rise to the buildings of Manor Farm. Here, fork R onto a footpath along the field-edge for another 800m to Clifford Manor Road. Turn R up the road for 30m to the bend and then fork R up a footpath over the rise to the junction with the North Downs Way by Chantry Wood.
ROUTE
Start/parking Chilworth Railway Station, grid ref TQ031472, postcode GU4 6TT, parking on A248 Dorking Road Is it for me?
A now tranquil route past bygone gunpowder mills and along the highway formerly trodden by pilgrims Stiles 4
PLANNING
Nearest town Guildford Refreshments The Percy Arms (thepercyarms.net, 01483 561765) Public toilets None Public transport Trains from Guildford and Dorking (gwr.com), bus 32 from Guildford and Redhill (compass-travel.co.uk) Maps OS Explorer 14
