Despite the storms that had battered Ranmore Common the night before, our intrepid walking group set off at 10am on Friday 8 October for the four-mile hike known as the Lonesome Lodge walk.
Lonesome Cottage was the home of the wheelwright of the Denbies Estate, Charles Gale. His three children walked each day to school near St Barnabas church. Over the years the woods have been stripped by logging, leaving only bracken, and because of the rains we had to tread gingerly to sidestep the deep muddy ruts.
The North Downs Way passes an open hillside with seats from where to admire the view across the Tillingbourne Valley to Dorking, Westcott, the Greensand Hills and Leith Hill Tower.
The drizzle and low cloud shrouding the valley did not detract from the beauty of the views, but a warm cup of coffee was very welcome at the end of our trek.
Beryl Sinclair