Sarratt Walk 10

Sarah's Bridge

This is a 5 mile circular wark starting and finishing at Sarratt Village hall.
A good portion of this walk is adjacent to the River Chess and passes through the extensive grounds of the Chorleywood Manor estate.
It has a couple of small ups and downs but is generally a flat, gentle walk that is suitable for families, although of course any accompanying dogs must be kept under control at all times.
This walk took me a little under an 3 hours on a very warm day in late July 2012.
A map of the walk is attached HERE

Entry to Dawes Lane

From the Village Hall go left up the Green keeping to your left until you reach Dawes Lane (opposite The Boot public house).
Turn left and proceed down Dawes Lane

Cakebread Cottage at the bottom of Dawes Lane

Follow the lane down to the bottom passing Cakebread Cottage on your left then turn left along Sarratt Bottom

Sarratt Bottom runs roughly parallel with the River Chess, continue forward through the kissing gate at the path junction and go straight ahead until you reach New Road

Footpath crossing New Road

At New Road continue forward across it still running parallel with the River Chess into an open field, keeping to the left hand hedgerow go foward to the trees about 150yds ahead

Footbridge over River Chess

Go forward on the footpath and follow it round to the right through a small copse until you emerge out onto this wooden bridge which takes you over the River Chees.
Turn left on the other side and continue forward parallel to the Chess on now on the other side.
Stop for a minute to admire the lovely river views both north and south and what I call the "playarea" to the south in particular, which during the school summer holidays is alive with young families all enjoying this lovely environment.

View of the river Chess north to Chenies

View of the river Chess south to Chorlewood and the "playarea"

"Z" bend in footpath at Chorleywood Manor

Continue forward with the River Chess now on your left.
Upon reaching this footpath junction turn left where there is a plan of the Chorleywood Manor estate for your reference then immediately turn right - effectively an "Z" bend in the path.
The continue forward until you reach Solesbridge Lane where you turn left and cross over the M25 - you'll probably have heard it long before you reach it!

Footpath entrance on the right in Solesbridge Lane

After crossing the M25 go forward about 100yds, cross Solesbridge Lane and then turn right onto footpath into Beechengrove Wood. Proceed alongside a stout garden fence for a short distance before emerging into open woodland

Exit from footpath onto Sarratt Lane - behind the log!

The footpath through Beechengrove Wood is not the clearest by any means and is overgrown in some places making it even more difficult, but you need to head due east and even if you can't or don't follow the path it's not the end of the world as you will eventually arrive at Sarratt Lane - just maybe not at the right spot that's all.
This picture shows you the right place! If you arrive safely here you will need to turn right and walk approx 100yds to Cherry Walk on your left.
If you hit Sarratt Lane somewhere else you will need to determine whether you to turn left or right to get to Cherry Walk, either way you shouldn't have too far to walk, about 300yds max.
A good landmark to aim for is an electricity pylon which is near the entrance to the next footpath

Footpath entrance to Sarah's Bridge at junction of Sarratt Lane and Cherry Walk

This photo' shows the junction of Sarratt Lane with Cherry Walk and the footpath (on your left) which takes you straight through a field, passing an electricity pylon and on to Solesbridge Lane by New Cottages

Cross Solesbridge Lane at Flint Cottages and take track to Sarah's Bridge

Cross Solesbridge Lane at this point and proceed along the farm track opposite, beside Flint Cottages.
Continue forward on this track until you arrive at Sarah's Bridge.

Sarah's Bridge crossing the M25

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.
Good views, both East and West can be had of the M25 here (picture below) if you really want them.
Also there is a quite good landmark here with the mobile 'phone mast jutting up into the sky and visible from quite some distance in all directions.

View East of M25 from Sarah's Bridge

Mobile 'phone mast at Sarah's Bridge acts as a good landmark

Farm track beyond Sarah's Bridge leading to New Model Farm

Proceed forward on the same farm track after Sarah's Bridge down the right hand side of the field.
As you approach the top right corner note a narrow, almost hidden footpath that goes straight ahead (the main track bearing left around the fields perimeter).
Take this narroiw path straight ahead and follow it round to the left before it emerges into the open after about 100yds.

Go forward on this path from New Model Farm to Sarratt

Note the New Model Farm buildings on your right.
Proceed straight ahead to the fields end then going downhill cross over a stile and head for the top right corner.

Footpath emerging on fringes of Sarratt by Holy Cross church

Cross the stile at the end of the path and go forward along New Road into Sarratt and on towards the Holy Cross church directly ahead.

Sarratt's 12th century Holy Cross church

At the church turn left in front of the Almshouses and at the far end go through the gate on your right, follow this path down beside the church before crossing a stile behind the church, and emerging into open fields.

The Almshouses are shown in the picture below.
The Cock Inn is also shown below and is barely 50yds from the Almshouses on the road into Sarratt

Almshouses directly facing the church

The Cock Inn just 50ydsto the right of the church

Footpath leading from the church to Sandfield Wood

Take a diagonal path across down through this field heading for the bottom corner.

Cross Old Rectory Drive to enter Sandfield Wood

In the bottom corner is a kissing gate allowing you to cross Old Rectory Drive and directly opposite is the entrance to Sandfield Wood

Footpath through Sandfield Wood

Entrance to, and path through Sandfield Wood.

Footpath exit from Sandfield Wood

Exit from Sandfield Wood into open fields

Footpath through fields from Sandfield Wood to drive up to Sarratt Green

Upon emerging from Sandield Wood keep to the right, along the hedgerows of the fields until going through a kissing gate in the far right corner down beside the houses, and emerging onto a driveway giving access to Sarratt Green.
Turn right at the green and Sarratt Village hall is about 200ydsd down on your right.

I hope you enjoyed your walk, and that the weather was kind.

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.

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