{"id":25325,"date":"2025-11-04T03:20:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T03:20:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=25325"},"modified":"2026-01-15T02:57:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T02:57:10","slug":"august-16-and-after","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=25325","title":{"rendered":"From Bishops Sutton to Alice’s Looking Glass…"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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A little taste of heaven – after a hard first full <\/strong>day of through-hiking, from Bishops Sutton… <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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November 4, 2025 – In the last post my brother Tom and I finally<\/em> started the Canterbury Trail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kind of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Actually, our first two days didn’t meet the definition of Thru-hike<\/a>. “Hiking an established long-distance trail end-to-end continuously.” That was because of a glitch in lodging; we couldn’t find a good place to stay between Winchester and Alton. (A distance of some 18 miles.) So the first day we hiked halfway, then took a bus back <\/em>to the apartment in Winchester. (Which held half our stuff, for what should have been a lighter if not easier hike.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So Wednesday the 13th we bused<\/a> from Winchester to Bishops Sutton<\/a>, then hiked the rest of the way, to the Alton House Hotel<\/a>. (For the first time lugging fully loaded packs.) We ended the day with a touch of Heaven’s Kitchen<\/a> – hot meal and cold beer – but I’m getting ahead of myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back to Wednesday morning. We took full packs – mine at 16 pounds – and took the bus from Winchester to Bishops Sutton<\/a>. (A mile east of Alresford<\/a> – \u201cAl\u2019s Ferd\u201d – where we stopped the afternoon before.) And home to a lot of watercress<\/a> cultivation, “due to its chalk<\/a> geology and the calciferous River Alre allowing it to grow in the beds of Chalk streams<\/a>.” Meaning we saw lots of watercress “farms” (more hydroponic<\/a>) that first full <\/strong><\/em>day’s hike from Bishops Sutton. And as noted last post, this was after we’d stopped that first “half-weight-day” for lunch at the Bush Inn, Ovington<\/a>, in the process of having its roof re-thatched. So we began this day’s hike as well on St. Swithun\u2019s Way<\/a>, a path that I found “weighed in the balance and found wanting<\/a>.” I found it neither well marked nor well kept, plus there were few places to stop; more on that in a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But before going further, a preview of coming attractions. That Wednesday, August 13 we hiked from Bishops Sutton to the Alton House Hotel in Alton. Thursday we hiked a short 7.4 miles to the Farnham House Hotel in Farnham. (On Alton Road.) Friday the 15th we hiked 12.4 miles to Guildford Station – the “d” is silent – at 33 Farnham Road. We stayed there two nights for our first day off. (After five days hiking.) And now for some background details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ll start with why I found St. Swithun’s Way “wanting.” Aside from a total absence of fellow through-hikers, the path was often overgrown; at times only six inches wide between brush and bramble on both sides. And the path markers<\/em> left much to be desired; often missing and sometimes just plain wrong. Plus as noted, few places to stop and refresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An example of a rare place we found to stop: Somewhere between Bishops Sutton and Alton, a place called the Tack Room. (A “tea place,” meaning no beer<\/em>.) We met two local oldsters – close to our age? – who took great interest in our hike and debated long and hard on how to get to Alton. And getting there we passed through more sheep fields – “watch where you step!” – then through another overgrown patch of trail. I didn’t write much about that day, our first with full packs, except to say hike should have taken six hours but ended up taking nine. “We drag-assed into Alton, then showered and had dinner at the ‘Heaven’ Mediterranean steak house down the street.” (Heaven’s Kitchen Alton<\/a>.) And that I “collapsed into bed about 9:00 pm.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It does <\/em>usually take a day or two to round into shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That first full day’s hike did have some moments of beauty and solace. Like the fields of flocking sheep and “shades of Van Gogh” fields of wheat. Plus it was overcast and a bit cooler than Tuesday, which helped. (The UK weather had been much warmer than expected.) Also, right about that time the Pilgrims’ Way Guidebook<\/a> started talking a lot about Kissing Gates<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The kissing gate is often the subject of chatter about the origins of its amorous-sounding name. Consisting of a semi-circular, square or V-shaped enclosure on one side and a hinged gate that swings between two shutting posts, it allows one person at a time to pass through but keeps livestock out… As for the title, the prosaic answer is that it derives from the fact that the hinged part touches \u2013 or \u2018kisses\u2019 \u2013 both sides of the enclosure rather than being securely latched like a normal gate.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

So much for that amorous-sounding<\/em> gate. On the 14th we left the delightfully retro Alton House Hotel<\/a> – at 9:10 – and stopped for lunch in Bentley, after five and a half miles. That afternoon we ended up at Farnham House Hotel<\/a>, another delightfully retro inn, but hard to find. (Part of the slow going, “mostly due to poor upkeep and ‘iffy’ signage.”) Google Maps said it was only three miles, but not on “St. Swithun.” The iffy signposts took us way north.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, later that day we found a sign pointing northeast; it said, “Farnham 4m – 53 km.” Which I found a perfect metaphor for the FUBARs on St. Swithun\u2019s Way. We believed the sign but it took us the wrong way. “Had to backtrack a bunch, once again. And note, 53 kilometers is some 33 miles, not four. My advice: Hiking to Canterbury … go the Google Maps way. Which I\u2019m sure Chaucer\u2019s Canterbury pilgrims would do if they had Google Maps back then.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The day’s highlight? A late lunch (and pint of Cruzcampo beer) at Farnham Royal Pub<\/a> in Bentley. I noted, “Google says we\u2019re three miles from tonight\u2019s lodging in Farnham\u2026 But it\u2019s slow going, mostly due to poor upkeep and iffy signage.” We eventually did make it to Farnham House Hotel<\/a> on the 14th, “a delightful country manor house located on the outskirts of Farnham in Surrey,” no thanks to St. Swithun. (And after hiking through a pasture full of horses.) If you check Google Maps you can see that coming from the north – after being misdirected by signage – we had to take a left on Runwick Lane, then head south on Chamber Lane. Then hit Alton Road, take a left and then head back up north for ten minutes up that long driveway to the Hotel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was just part of the backtracking we had to do that Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our hike on Friday the 15th started better. For one thing (as I wrote later), “Saw the first NDW sign at 9:15 a.m., after leaving the Farnham lodging at 7:50. 11.95 GBP for their breakfast but it was really good. Lots of fruit, juice, coffee and cereal. And so far the NDW looks a whole lot better than St. Swithun’s Way.” To translate: We had to pay extra – 11 British Pounds – for breakfast, but it was worth it. Then, hiking out of Farnham we saw our first sign indicating we were finally off St. Swithun’s Way (ptui!) and on to the North Downs Way<\/a>. Which I found much more pleasant to hike on; better maintained, smoother well-kept trails and better signs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hiked through Runfold Wood<\/a>, a 30-acre nature reserve east of Farnham, and at 2:20 we reached Puttenham<\/a>, famous for \u201clots and lots of hops.\u201d (From which they make beer.) In honor of that we stopped at the Good Intent Pub<\/a>, with its “cosy atmosphere,” spacious beer garden and a menu “full of freshly prepared pub classics and seasonal dishes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaving Puttenham the Trail eventually goes through a tunnel under the busy Guildford and Godalming Bypass<\/a>. Past that and the Watts Gallery<\/a> we saw a long line of open fields to the left. The last one we saw – before turning left (north) up to Guildford – had its northeast corner bordering on the Ergo at Work Ltd<\/a> shop, which we didn’t know at the time. What we did<\/em> know was that the official Trail bordered one last long open field, which led to trouble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official trail was in deep woods, but parallel to it – bordering the open field – was a nice sunny smooth dirt path, open to the sky. For a while we hiked in the woods, then switched to the parallel dirt path. Between the smooth path and official trail ran a line of thick brush, much of it brambly, overhung with more trees. Looking ahead I saw Tom head off into the brush, what I thought was answering a call of nature<\/a>. So I took off my pack and waited. And waited. After a bit of time I heard Tom calling. I yelled back but he evidently didn’t hear me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That went on for a while, him calling but not hearing my response. (“Bedroom voice?”) I climbed back through all the bramble-brush to the official trail, but that didn’t help. In time I figured “No problem. I know the address. All I have to do is get to Guildford, find a pub with wifi and contact Tom by WhatsApp<\/a>. Piece of cake.” So I set off east, heading toward Portsmouth Road, where I’d take a left and head up to Guildford (and a pub). That was a strange feeling, being alone and out of touch in this faraway land, but also a touch exhilarating…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In time I got to Portsmouth Road, where the Canterbury Trail keeps on toward Dorking. But just to make sure – before heading north – I hiked south a bit, then a bit east. Then from the west came a man on a bike who said, “Some guy a way’s back keeps calling out. I think he’s looking for you.” So I backtracked once again, and eventually met up with Tom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result? That August 15 we “drag-assed our way in to Guildford,” after hiking 12 miles (at least), but on the North Downs Way. (“Not St. Swithun\u2019s.”) Which we celebrated with a late dinner \u2013 and a pint \u2013 at the White House pub on the River Wey. (“Perched gracefully on the banks of the River Wey, this elegant yet cosy pub is said to overlook the very waters that supposedly inspired Lewis Carroll\u2019s (Alice) Through the Looking-Glass<\/a><\/em>.”) After that I collapsed into bed \u2013 actually the living room sleeper sofa<\/a> \u2013 followed by sleeping late and catching up on rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The <\/em>White House Restaurant<\/em><\/a>, bordering the River Wey in Guildford…<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The upper image is courtesy of Heaven\u2019s Kitchen Alton Uk Image – Image Results<\/a>. And a word about that “Sutton.” The name derives “from Old English elements ‘s\u016bth’ signifying ‘south’ and ‘t\u016bn’ indicating ‘enclosure or settlement.’ Historically, it denoted southern farmsteads or villages, playing a significant role in Anglo-Saxon England as agricultural hubs. Many places named Sutton evolved into manorial estates and local marketplaces documented in the Domesday Book.” (Meaning Of The Name Sutton<\/a><\/em>.) So this particular Sutton once belonged to the Bishop of Winchester.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some things I’ll put here so as not to disrupt the narrative: On the 12th we stopped and got a stamp for our Pilgrim Passport at St Swithun’s Church, Martyr Worthy<\/a>. Then – speaking of iffy signage – one time on August 13 we missed a turn because the SSWay marker was covered with brush. We were changing from one paved road to another. Then passed through a long field of what looked like stunted wheat. Then a lot of sheep fields.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another note: Our spreadsheet had the name of the apartment at 33 Farnham Road as “Guildford Station.” But more properly that term applies to the Guildford railway<\/strong> station<\/a>, “one of three main railway junctions on the Portsmouth Direct Line and serves the town of Guildford, in Surrey, England. It is 30 miles 27 chains (30.34 mi; 48.8 km) down the line from London Waterloo.” (Wikipedia<\/a>.) The station is a five-minute walk from “Guildford Station Apartment, 33 Farnham Rd.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The full link: <\/a>Kissing Gates: How Did They Get Their Name? | HistoryExtra<\/a>. As for the prosaic answer to its amorous-sounding name: “That hasn\u2019t stopped many clinging to a more romantic notion: that the first person to pass through would have to close the gate to the next person, providing an opportune moment to demand a kiss in return for entry.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Downs Way – Wikipedia<\/a> adds that it’s a long-distance path that opened in 1978 and runs 153 miles “west\u2013east along the North Downs<\/a>, the range of chalk<\/a> hills after which it is named, from Farnham<\/a> in Surrey<\/a> to Dover<\/a> in Kent<\/a>.” <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The link Answer the call of nature – Idioms by The Free Dictionary<\/a> provides a lot of in-depth history. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Re: “Bedroom voice.” Back in 1966 – I was 15 – my best friend’s girlfriend told me that. “You have a bedroom voice.” Which comes in handy sometimes, but not this day on the Canterbury Trail. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lower image is <\/em>White House Restaurant Guildford Uk River Wey Images – Image Results<\/em><\/a>. See also White House | Restaurant Bar | , UK | DesignMyNight<\/a><\/em>, with the full quote:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perched gracefully on the banks of the <\/strong>River Wey, this elegant yet cosy pub is said to overlook the very waters that supposedly inspired Lewis Carroll… Step through the doors and you\u2019ll find a space that feels both timeless and full of character – think glowing fireplaces, wooden floors, and an inviting buzz that makes every visit feel like an escape from the everyday… Outside, the riverside terrace is the real show-stopper. On sunny days, it\u2019s the perfect spot to sip a chilled glass of ros\u00e9 or a pint of Fuller\u2019s Frontier while watching the river drift by – you might even half-expect the White Rabbit to hop past. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

We enjoyed our fish and chips (plus pint) on that show-stop riverside terrace, watching the River Wey as it glided by, and as four local ladies chatted away and the sun set in the west.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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*   *   *   * *   *   *   * November 4, 2025 – In the last post my brother Tom and I finally started the Canterbury Trail. Kind of. Actually, our first two days didn’t meet the definition of Thru-hike. “Hiking an established long-distance trail end-to-end continuously.” That was because […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25325"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25325"}],"version-history":[{"count":198,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26272,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25325\/revisions\/26272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}