I set off on the eleventh leg of the Loop under leaden skies on a raw grey morning, nursing a cold. I was also on a fairly tight schedule to make all the train connections but today proved to be one of those days when the transport gods smiled on me. At Whitechapel I had to push small children out of my way in order to get to the Overground platform in time to catch the 10.03. At West Croydon I caught a delayed train and emerged into the gloom at Coulsdon South at 11.00.
Section 6 is one of the shortest and most boring of the Loop so it was a perfect match for the weather. It started off with a steep uphill drag from Coulsdon into the London Borough of Sutton through some very uninspiring residential areas. The rest of the walk was on bridleways that were extremely glutinous, and despite being advertised as ‘mostly level’, the route undulated through five valleys and seemed to be forever going uphill.
Having finally reached the countryside after about a mile and a half, there wasn’t much to see as the bridleways were most enclosed. There were views south towards London from Woodcote smallholdings but it was too murky to make out anything. The small weather-boarded houses were built after the First World War for returning soldiers and farming still goes on. I encountered sheep for the first time on the Loop.
'Thoughtful' owners had put a sign advising walkers not to feed or approach horses as they kick and bite and to keep to the footpath. I’d rather they instruct the horse not to approach walkers. This horse galloped across the field at a fair old pace and then stalked me as I walked across (on the footpath). The next field was a lavender farm, much more pleasant, although there were no flowers yet. The owners had put an information board and picnic tables for passing walkers, which really is thoughtful.
Oaks Park was the halfway point so I stopped for a bit of refreshment at the café. This was where Lord Derby and Lord Bunbury had their famous coin toss to name a horse race at nearby Epsom. The house has long gone but its name lives on as the other Epsom Classic. If it had been a nicer day I might have been tempted to explore the park as there are some surviving bits of architecture and formal gardens but it was just too parky. I also needed to crack on in order to catch the hourly train from Banstead.
After leaving Oaks Park the Loop followed Freedown Lane, a long bridleway up and down yet another hill passing Highdown Prison. I heard muffled shouts as I passed by, so either the inmates were exercising or having a riot. From the state of the bridleway the lane is very popular with riders. The Loop then crosses Banstead Downs, home to Britain’s smallest butterfly, the small blue. The Downs is one of four areas that make up Banstead Commons. The last part of this leg went across Banstead Golf Course, mercifully free of golfers as you have to cross several fairways.
I reached Banstead Road with less than four minutes to catch the train and very dismayed to find the last hundred metres was uphill. As I was rushing up the hill an old codger was coming the other way and I could tell he wanted to have a chat. I feigned deafness and made it onto the platform just as the train was pulling in. I had the same good luck with connections on the way home and was enjoying a nice cup of tea at home by 3.30pm for one of my shortest days on Loop since crossing the Thames.Time for leg 2hr 35m Distance 5 miles Time for trip 6hr 24m
Walk log
Fares this leg £6.60
Section 06 Essentials
Section Map
Directions
Distance and time 4¼ miles 3 hr
Walking conditions: Mostly level; stiles and kissing gates; Only the Oaks Park area is suitable for the less mobile and pushchairs.
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