London LOOP Section 6 – Coulsdon to Banstead Down 24th November 2011

This section was one of our autumn resurgences on the Loop. We took the summer months off to tend our vegetables and take walking holidays elsewhere. However, with holidays done and the vegetable plot hibernating until spring Loop walking is back on the menu.

We tackle section 6 and section 7 both today. The former being 4.5 miles and the latter a mere 3.5 miles. A sunny Thursday in November is ideal. All the trains are running and gadding across London at 11ish is a piece of cake. Unusually for us we start our walk before 12pm, giving us 4.5 hours to do the 8 miles.

The start at Coulsden South Station involves crossing and walking along a stretch of busy road.

The busy road

However, we are soon off it and climbing up through suburban streets where we encounter a lady with pushchair. She asks us if we are “on that magical walk” referring to The Loop. A rather eloquent way to put it. I wonder how many boot clad Loop walkers they observe in places like this. Perhaps they get points for spotting us?

We climb to 100m or so through suburbia before the route takes us onto more rural tracks. The green lane we follow gives scant cover for Betty to spend a penny. I am detailed to watch for walkers coming either way as she squats in the undergrowth. Should someone approach I am to whistle cheerily. Unfortunately Betty squats next to the 9th tee of the local golf course and is interrupted by a ball hunter. No whistle is forthcoming from my lips. Oh dear.

Leaving our embarrassment behind us we scuttle off along the track with views of central London commanding the distant skyline. We pass a travellers ‘settlement’, which all looks very civilised compared to the mayhem recently reported at the Dale Farm site at Basildon. However, the existence of motorbike barriers along the path is as likely as not due to illegal motorbike riding by the locals. I’m not sure how overweight walkers get past these barriers, other than perhaps on their hands and knees.

We shortly arrive at a road and take life in hand as we walk without the aid of a footway for a couple of hundred yards. If nothing else, I hope the Loop organisers can address the absence of safe walking on roads of this sort. We escape the road to discover another danger. At a stile a sign warns us not to feed or stroke the ponies as they bite. Having met over-exuberant and attentive horses on the Loop in the past we hope that if we ignore them, they will ignore us and move swiftly across the field.

On escaping ‘biting horse field’ we are regaled by a field of Lavender. Even in November this is a sensory dream, as we pick a few seed heads and smell the lavender scent on our fingers. During the summer months the spectacle and smell of acres of lavender must be heavenly. The owner of the lavender field must be fond of walkers as he even provides a special doggy gate for dogs to big for their owners to lift over the style.

The Mayfield Lavender field

Beyond the field is The Oaks Park which the Loop guide tells us gives its name to the famous horse race. More usefully it tells us there is a café here. However, since we have our own food we decide to sit outside in the November sun and drink the hot soup from our flasks. Lovely! There are even toilets here to use – without the prying eyes of golfers!

The next mile or so needs little recourse to the directions, with the waymarked route being relatively easy to follow. Personally I like reading the directions. I treat the walk as a bit of a treasure hunt I think. However, there are times when it is just nice to follow your nose and enjoy the scenery.

Before long we are passing HMP High Down and half expect to see a rope come over the wall and someone in an arrow-strewn boiler suit legging it off down the track. No such action occurs and we continue on our merry way.

We shortly emerge onto a golf course, of which there are many in this well heeled area of London. Encountering a couple of golfers we decide to stride on as quickly as possible to avoid being ‘golfed’ on the back of the head. The A217 greats us as its traffic roars into London. She silhouette of the rising bulk of The Shard can be seen in the city beyond.

We rejoin the golf course and I wonder how many a golfer has risked life and limb crossing this thoroughfare in the interests of ‘a good walk ruined’. The golf course on the other side looks identical to the one we have just left, as most golf courses do. A walk on The Loop by contrast is perhaps the most varied one you may ever take.

Betty’s only point of irritation with this section of the Loop is that the directions promise kissing gates. We encounter not one either on this section or the next. Oh well, at least my foot blisters will not be accompanied by lip ones.