New Haw to Weybridge Walk
Saturday March 15, 2008
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New Haw to Weybridge WalkSaturday March 15, 2008 |
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Addlestone, Hamm Moor & New HawKey FactsStart/Finish: Car Park 2 on the Meads, Mead Lane Distance: 5.6km or 3.5 miles Time: Allow 1½ hours Type of walk: Easy Walking DirectionsTHIS WALK COVERS THE AREA OF THE RIVER WEY AND THE WEY NAVIGATION CANAL. THE START OF THE WALK IS IN THE SMALL LAYBY BY THE SIDE OF THE RIVER WEY NAVIGATION CANAL SITUATED IN BYFLEET ROAD. A LIMITED AMOUNT OF CAR PARKING IS AVAILABLE HERE. MAP REF. 055630.
Cross Byfleet Road carefully and bear left away from Wey Manor Road. Take the footpath on your right that skirts the field on one side and runs along the back of the houses on the other. Follow the footpath until it meets a farm track and turn left. At the footpath sign turn left again, following signs for Wey Island Trust. After a number of twists and turns this track runs alongside a wooded area, eventually opening up near two lines of electricity pylons. Bear round to the right at the edge of the field to follow the track along the River Wey. Your route takes you under the overhead power cables and in front of the Wey Island Trust land. Follow the track over two stiles to the railway. Taking care, cross the railway line and go left through the mobile home site. Keep right and exit onto the road, which twists and turns as it passes the oxbow bends in the River Wey. The road ends at Weybridge Lock, which terminates the River Wey Navigation. This is one of the oldest locked waterway systems in England, first used by barges in 1653. The 1 5 waterway links Guildford to Weybridge on the Thames, and thence to London. Goods carried on the navigation included timber and farm produce, but gunpowder from Chilworth was one of the more unusual items. Trade continued on the navigation until the latter part of the 1960’s. The Wey Navigation was acquired by the Stevens family between 1840 and 1912. Harry Stevens gave the Navigation to the National Trust in 1964. Cross the road and bear left then right into Weystone Road, a short stretch linking Addlestone Road to Weybridge Road. Carefully cross Weybridge Road and head straight down Hamm Court. After 300 metres, where the road bends right, turn left down the footpath to a stile. Walk around the left hand side of the pond. The footpath bears right and exits the field over a stile. At the corner boundary of the mobile home park turn left before the second stile and then turn left again onto the access road serving the mobile home park. On reaching Weybridge Road turn left to the traffic lights and use the pedestrian crossing to get across this very busy road. Go straight on over the bridge and then left into Addlestone Road. Turn right immediately past the final office block on the right, and then right again through a gap in the hedge to take the footpath running along this side of the canal. The path soon emerges in the garden of the Pelican Public House. Rejoin the road and continue alongside the canal taking the path onto the foot bridge over the railway line. The path emerges between two fences outside Coxes Lock Mill, which was converted into luxury flats in 1983. From 1777 the water of the millpond was used to power an iron mill, originally built by the Wealden iron masters Raby and Rodgers, which operated on the site until 1832. It was rebuilt as corn and silk mills by 1835. The massive mill and silo buildings were erected during the first decade of the 20th century. Flour milling ceased in 1983. Continue straight on and up the slope onto the bank of the millpond and follow the path to the left. Cross over the River Wey Navigation and turn right to follow the course back to New Haw Lock and the starting point of your walk.
This site was last updated 09 Mar 2008 |
