Three reasons for a longish walk yesterday afternoon, exercise, checking on water levels, and testing my fledgling Surrey Heath Countryside & Heritage Trail.
We can forget the first reason, exercise, that’s a solely personal challenge. The main reason was to check on the water levels on the heathland, and heathland streams.
Oh boy did I get muddy from my walk from Lightwater to Bisley over the heathland tracks and paths. Lots of visible standing water, and ponds where I’ve not seen any before. Years ago when I played hockey, I had a friend who referred to standing water, as idle water. I think it’s far more descriptive than standing water.
While walking along a muddy Priest Lane, which connects Brentmoor Heath in West End to West End Common off Lucas Green Road, I checked on the state of the streams that flow under the lane, and which drain the land of the Bisley & Pirbright Ranges. The streams were fast flowing and not too full [entirely subjective comment from me here].
Having got to Lucas Green Road, I decided to carry onto Bisley, over West End Common and Bisley Common. A good and bad idea together. Good for the exercise. Bad for the mud. The tracks and paths were full of incredibly sticky muddy puddles. While the path through Bulhousen Farm had deep unavoidable cow trodden mud. Walking to the side of the paths meant combating prickly brambles and thorny stuff, hence the bloodied bit.
Conclusions: Fun as a challenge, need gaiters or Hunter wellies, and the Countryside and Heritage Trail ain’t great in a very wet winter. Here are two photo’s I took.
Lightwater 
I’ve just discovered this laudable project of yours; and as a long time recreational countryside walker (3 to 4 miles twice a week, sometimes more, generally within a 8-miles radius of Lightwater) I’d be very interested in details of any of the routes you’ve established…any chance?
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