I was encouraged by the waymarking and clearance LEAP recently did with Surrey County Council around Widewoods to walk there from Ewhurst. In fact we have lived in Ewhurst for many years now, but have never walked the footpaths through the Polo field, past Widewoods and on to Walliswood.

Alice and I were very lucky that Friday; we had taken time off work for the walk, the weather was ideal: warm, dry, mostly dull, and occasionally bright. The footpaths were very clear and easy to follow until we came across a fallen foothpath fingerpost, but were not lost for long. This time of year the hedges were bulging with ‘wild food’, although we were in a hurry to get to the Scarlet Arms for lunch! Lots of butterflies followed us around, as well as the usual menagerie of birds. A few weeks ago I spotted a Red Kite high over Ewhurst (has anyone else seen it?) but not that day. We did hear some buzzards peeping though.

The food was excellent (even if Walliswood is outside the parish boundary!) and we did pick a few blackberries for pudding on the way back. It was a wonderful hour each way, aren’t we lucky that Ewhurst is surrounded in all directions by such wonderful countryside?