Sarratt Walk 01
Footpath to Dawes Lane
This is an approx 4.5 mile circular walk beginning and ending at Sarratt village hall.
It's a gentle, flat walk that is suitable for families, although of course any accompanying dogs must be kept under control at all times, and meanders through woods and fields but unfortunately does pass rather close to the M25 on the stretch from Great Wood to Sarah's Bridge. None the less it's still a lovely walk, especially through Great Wood.
This walk took me a little under 2hrs on a lovely day in late May 2012.
A map of the walk is attached HERE
It's a gentle, flat walk that is suitable for families, although of course any accompanying dogs must be kept under control at all times, and meanders through woods and fields but unfortunately does pass rather close to the M25 on the stretch from Great Wood to Sarah's Bridge. None the less it's still a lovely walk, especially through Great Wood.
This walk took me a little under 2hrs on a lovely day in late May 2012.
A map of the walk is attached HERE
Sarratt Village Hall
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There is some limited parking in front of the village hall but if this is full then off road parking is plentiful opposite in the surrounding roads.
Start with your back to the village hall, turn left and walk up towards The Green, passing "The Cricketers" public house and the village pond. Continue on past the school and shop on your left hand side until you reach "The Boot" public house on your right hand side. Observe the beautiful oak trees in the centre of the green. |
"The Boot" public house
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About 20 yards before "The Boot" PH turn right down a narrow footpath that runs beside the pub's garden - you can just see the footpath sign on the extreme right of the picture
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Footpath to right hand side of "The Boot"
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Proceed down this path, go through a kissing gate into the field then take a right diagonal path across 3 small fields going through the stiles as required. Beware the left hand field does have some stables and every time I've been on this path there has been several horses around so if you have dogs or children do take care.
Head towards the tennis courts on the far right hand side. |
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A sample of what I was talking about in the last text.
Continue on beside the tennis courts and onward to Deadman's Ash Lane where you turn left. After about 75 yards you will see Newhall Farm Drive on your right and although marked "Private" this is where you need to go - don't worry it is open to walkers. |
Track leading down from Newhall Farm
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Follow Newhall Farm Drive for approx 800yds around the left hand bend until you reach a collection of large barns on your left. Here you turn sharp right down a broad hedge-lined track.
These hedgerows are normally alive with Goldfinches. Follow this track for about 400yds and just after passing a footpath on your right leading to the electricity pylon you take a sharp left. |
Footpath leading to Great Wood
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This is the path leading on to Great Wood which you can see in the distance.
Follow the path onward around the left hand side of the wood until you reach the stile in the corner of the field. |
Entrance to Great Wood
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The entry stile into Great Wood.
It's not such a "Great" wood anymore unfortunately as the walk through only takes about 15 mins. but it's still a beautiful woodland walk where deer can often be seen amongst the trees. Stay on this lovely wide path right through the wood until you emerge beside 2 cottages where you turn right upon a good track. This is where the M25 starts to intrude on your thoughts as you start to walk roughly parallel with it for the next 20 mins or so. |
Track from Great Wood to Sarratt Road
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Upon leaving Great Wood take the track on your right and follow it right up to Sarratt Road.
Cross over Sarratt Road and continue on the same path |
Footpath continues to telephone mast
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Upon crossing the Sarratt Road continue ahead with the footpath veering slightly left heading towards the M25 - shock, horror!! - and the mobile phone mast in the distance.
This is the worst part of the walk by a long way as it literally is only yards from the M25 and the traffic noise can be quite intrusive, but it is only for about 5-10 minutes before you start to move away from it. |
Footpath junction by "Sarahs Bridge" on M25
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The end of this footpath and here you go over the stile and turn right following the farm track into a field.
However if you go, or look left you will see "Sarah's Bridge" crossing the M25. |
Everyone's friend - the M25!
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The view West, towards the M4, from "Sarah's Bridge".
I have researched "Sarah's Bridge" but can find no reference to it anywhere, so if anyone knows anything about it I would be pleased to hear from you. |
Exit from footpath at New Model Farm
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Having followed the path from "Sarah's Bridge" due north through a field, then keeping to your right, through a small orchard you should emerge into an open field with the very old New Model Farm buildings on your right.
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New Model Farm buildings
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The barns at the New Model Farm
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View looking South West across the fields towards Chorleywood
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The view across the fields to Chorleywood in the distance.
Proceed ahead along the same path through the field and then down a short hill through a hedge via a stile at the bottom and then up the other side to emerge into New Road/Church Lane with The Holy Cross Church directly ahead. |
New Road leading you into Sarratt
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View from the path exit with Holy Cross church directly in front of you and the almshouses on your left, in front of the church, and hidden away around the corner (about 50 yards) is "The Cock Inn" if you fancy a breether.
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The Cock Inn in Church Lane
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The Cock Inn
Opposite the Holy Cross Church and a nice place to stop for a breether if you should need one. |
The Almshouses
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Follow the road down between the Almshouses and the Church until you reach a gate on your right taking you through the churchyard.
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Sarratt's 12th Century "Holy Cross" Church
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With the church on your right follow the path to the rear of the church graveyard where there is a kissing gate into a field.
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Footpath to Dawes Lane
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Keep to the left of the field and follow the path. Cross the stile and proceed forward down the hill through an avenue of trees.
Proceed forward on this path until you reach the kissing gate which brings you onto Dawes Lane |
Dawes Lane
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Turn right at Dawes Lane and proceed up the hill for 400-500 yards then bear left along the footpath onto Dawes Common.
There are several footpaths through the Common and it is difficult to specify one but if you generally head towards the top left hand corner (the common is quite small) about 400yds or so you will come to a stile into an open field. Cross this stile and keeping the the right hand side of the field follow it all the way round to a kissing gate. |
Footpath through toThe Green
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Go through the kissing gate and follow this lovely little avenue of trees between the houses to emerge onto Sarratt Green where you turn right to return to the village hall.
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"The Cricketers" public house
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When you reach here - "The Cricketers" PH - you're home.
Hope you enjoyed your walk, that the weatrher was kind and the M25 not too intrusive. If you found any errors, spelling or otherwise, or difficulty with my directions then do please let me know, I'm always looking to improve my information. Suggestions are also always welcome. |
