The Tillingbourne Trails was a Heritage Lottery Funded (HLF) project focused on the wonderful and unique industrial heritage of the Tillingbourne Valley, which resulted in seven walking trails. This heritage trail takes in the most western of the Tillingbourne villages, scenic Shalford, on the banks of the River Wey. Explore the ins and outs of the original settlement, including Shalford Mill and the church of St Mary, before continuing through the meadows and along the Wey itself, absorbing both the beautiful countryside and historic monuments of the area. For more information and a larger map, please visit tillingbournetales.co.uk/places/trails/shalford-trail.
1. Start from Shalford station car park (GU4 8BZ). Walk away from the station and, keeping to your right, walk over the grassy triangle up to the pedestrian crossing over the A281. Cross the A281 and turn right over the bridge. Turn left onto the public footpath towards the wooden gates of Shalford Cemetery on your left. Stay outside the cemetery gates and turn left, following the left hand path, keeping the cemetery and hedge to your right.
2. When you reach the gravel track, Dagley Lane, with a railway bridge to your left and opposite to the allotments, turn right. At the kissing gate on your left, admire the Shalford Meadows, but turn right, along the narrow path into the woods following the fence on the left (ignore the path through another kissing gate on your left). Look out for the large old tree stump on the left on the other side of the wire fence, and shortly afterwards bear right back onto Dagley Lane and, keeping right, descend to the A281.
3. Cross at the pedestrian crossing and turn right, walking in the direction of the Seahorse pub on the other side of the road. Continue and follow the signpost to turn left down towards Shalford Mill. Cross over the bridge that crosses the Tillingbourne in front of the mill, and follow the shady path to the gate and into the meadow, where the hills known as the Chantries are ahead.
4. At the far side of the meadow, go over the stile and turn left down East Shalford Lane. Keep straight on (ignore Tilehurst Road), recrossing the Tillingbourne on Lemon Bridge. Returning to the A281, cross at the pedestrian crossing and turn right along the pavement in front of the white cottages. You will soon reach the war memorial, the double stocks and the entrance to Shalford Churchyard. Walk through the churchyard on a roughly diagonal course, keeping the church to your right. Turn left down the narrow path between two memorial crosses opposite the blue doors at the side of the church.
5. Follow the path into the trees, and you will emerge onto a tarmac path, opposite the premises of the Thames Water Treatment Plant. Keeping the waterworks to your left, turn right and follow the tarmac path over the Tillingbourne. The bridge provides a last glimpse of the Tillingbourne before it joins the River Wey. On reaching the playing fields, leave the tarmac path and turn left, following the edge of the woods on your left. Keep the field to your right, past a bench on the left, then turn left to five barred gates and an interpretation board. Go through the gate into the meadows.
6. Continue on this path (the Pilgrims Way). As you cross a small wooden bridge, you can just see the ruins of St. Catherine’s Chapel to your left above the treeline. Continue until you reach the Wey Navigation. Turn left and cross the footbridge. After crossing go down and round back under it, following the bank over the Golden Sands. Continue along the towpath until St. Catherine’s Lock is reached. Cross the bridge and weir, and then take the path beside the canal.
7. After a while, go through the gate and past the Lengthman’s cottage, following the path as it turns left and across the Riff Raff weir over the river (not the canal). Continue with the river on your left. The path has been boarded in places and then goes steeply uphill to the kissing gate at Dagley Lane (which was passed earlier). Turn right here and follow Dagley Lane, past the allotments. Go over the railway bridge, and then turn left to follow the road back to the A281. Go back over the pedestrian crossing to return to the Start Point at Shalford Station.
DISTANCE: 3 miles
MAP: Explorer 145 (Guildford and Farnham)
Image: The Wey Navigations at St. Catherine’s Lock (Colin Smith)