Newwes one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Newwes here.

Original review mid Oct 2023 - Updated Nov 2023 after testing a replacement walk with some overlap.

This route has the worst bit of road-walking I've encountered during nearly 150 Slow Ways walks. Please use replacement NewWes 2 instead. It uses the southern half of this route but avoids the problems in the northern half. The closed footpath mentioned below was still closed after the scheduled reopening date shown on the sign (20 Nov 2023) - Surrey County Council website hadn't been updated with an extension date, so if you (like me) checked before your walk you'd think it had reopened on schedule.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Good bits: Harebells, roe deer, red kites, surprisingly tasty "wild" apples, pretty steep sided valleys and an absolutely enormous pollarded beech near Parkwood Golf Course.

Only 3 stars because although the countryside was lovely and there was a lot to enjoy in the first half, the second half had unsafe road walking amongst other problems. I realised the route was going to fail and gave up shortly afterwards.

I started from Westerham and it was a good route all the way up to Chelsham Court Rd which is where the route earns its flag. The traffic was fast and more or less constant - much busier than you might guess from a map. The verge was intermittent and missing altogether on the blind corner. If you cross to see the oncoming traffic there's not even a hedge to push/lean into, only the space between the white line and a fence. Then you cross back again to get to the verge, and then again to get to the footpath at the junction with Washpond Lane (TQ 3870 5826). But it was closed and no alternative route was available. So I had to double back along Chelsham Court Rd - and then more, but with even fewer and smaller bits of verge. It took a long time for a relatively short distance as I had to stop and press into the hedge so often, the traffic often didn't slow or sometimes wouldn't move even slightly even when there was enough space in oncoming traffic. I put my high-vis bike vest on but it didn't feel as if it made a difference to how the traffic behaved. This is the page on the council website to check for reopening but was incorrect in Nov 2023. https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/culture-and-leisure/countryside/management/footpaths-byways-and-bridleways/rights-of-way-public-notices/footpath-11-chelsham-and-farleigh

The level of traffic on that road wasn't any better on the second visit either (testing for NewWes 2), a constant hum from across the fields. That was also a weekday but earlier in the day. And to top it off that bit of the route is inaccurate too. Just before the blind corner with no verge it sends you through either a hedge or a nearby (heavily gated) farmyard. It's a really terrible place to stop and consult a map - and even if you do some give the false impression there is a track and you should be able to get through.

Once I got back on that footpath the signage was misleading in a couple of places, plus I had to cross a recently ploughed field and the mud on my boots made me an inch or two taller! More road walking on Fairchildes Rd - better verges but also quite a lot of traffic.

Soon after Fairchildes Rd I was able to cut the walk short towards the south eastern corner of New Addington - if by some chance you follow this route and want to do the same it's actually a much safer way than it looks on OS maps. The relevant bit of Park Rd is now closed to motor traffic and then there's a very good footpath to take instead of Skid Hill Lane, coming out by the secondary school.

Other issues:

The long path beside the M25 was safe, but the road is terribly close, and on a slight embankment above at times. It was all noisy but that bit was claustrophobic. There was also a fairly muddy bit which could have been due to road run off, might get very wet. But on the plus side that way takes you past a back entrance to Clacket Lane Services. Which has a budget-ish motel (if you book far enough ahead) plus the usual public toilets and fast food places.

There was also a slight issue with an earlier bit of road walking just outside Tatsfield on Lusted Hall Lane. There's one very tight corner at the top of the hill, limited sightlines, and little or no verge. But the proximity of the village seems to make drivers slower and more sympathetic than they were on Chelsham Ct Rd - true for both my visits to both roads.

There's more non-pavement road walking on Featherbed Lane near New Addington, the verges look pretty poor on Google Street View. I didn't test it but have had to watch traffic on that bit of the road while waiting to cross for SelNew 1, I wouldn't try it and don't think it would feel safe. There does seem to be a parallel footpath set back inside the nature reserve.

Share your views about this route, give it a star rating, indicate whether it should be verified or not.

Include information that will be useful to others considering to walk or wheel it.

You can add up to 15 photos.