Grayshott Morning Walk 25th July 2018

Temperatures had been high for some time but the forecast promised we would finish before it got too hot to walk. Combined with some excellent shelter from the woodland we were walking through, we all survived in reasonable comfort. The walk started from The Fox and Pelican, heading down towards Whitmore Bottom before turning down to Whitmore Vale. We then headed up to the ridge alongside the Golden Valley and on to the Beacon Hill road. Another shady path took us to the picnic area at the National Trust Cafe at Hindhead for some welcome iced refreshments. Revived, we travelled via Miss James' path to Nutcombe Valley. We then took the A3 footbridge (Miss James' Footbridge) before sneaking back into Whitmore Vale before finally reaching the Fox and Pelican for lunch. Miss James was a ladies companion who at the age of 57 was left her employer's entire estate in her will. She moved to Hindhead and was very active in the preservation of the area, giving land at Nutcombe and Bramshott Chase to the National Trust and was also instumental in the National Trust obtaining Ludshott Common. She financed the building of the church in Grayshott as well as giving the village the Whitmore Vale Cottages. She died in 1910, aged 79.