Day 25 Farnham to Binscombe: A Mizzling Day

At the Start of the North Downs Way

For an OS map of today's walk click here.

After a quick breakfast, we walked Susan to the train station, sad to see her go and happy to have had her company for a week of the walk. One of my favorite things was experiencing the Jane Austen museum with her, and enjoying her enjoyment in learning about the whole Austen family.

Pilgrim's Way Crosses, Compton

Ken and I then set off to begin our first day walking on the North Downs Way, a national trail along a range of chalk hills running roughly to Dover, which we will follow for most of the rest of our walk. We immediately noticed how much better the path is tended and waymarked because of its status as a national trail. We had both map and guidebook yet the waymarking is so good that one could possibly get on without either—though we wouldn't recommend trying it. We started out in a misty drizzle which accompanied us for most of the day. We met a man walking his dog; he told us he had seen a deer give birth to a fawn in the field alongside us a couple of weeks ago, and that he had seen them since. We watched for them, and did see a deer a bit later, but it looked older than a fawn would have been.

Watts Chapel, Compton

A pleasant break from the drizzle came at lunchtime in Puttenham at The Good Intent, a friendly pub. We shared a steak sandwich with chips, then went outside into a bus shelter next to the pub to share the tuna sandwich we had bought earlier in the day. We were quite chilled by the time we toured the church just up the hill.

Almost every inch of space was intricately decorated...

Later in the day we arrived at the Watts gallery in Compton, which contained works by the prominent Victorian painter George Frederic Watts. We really liked the paintings, especially the portraits and one of Dante's Paolo and Francesca. Unfortunately time got out of hand at the end of our visit: we had a nice tea at the gallery, but soon realized our strategic mistake as it was getting close to 5:00 p.m. and we had arranged to meet our B & B hosts' neighbour at 5:30 p.m. in Binscombe, which was still a fair walk away. As a result we had only about ten minutes to look hastily at the remarkable art deco cemetery chapel designed, built, and decorated by Mary Watts (wife of the artist) and a group of local craftspeople after G.F. Watts' death. We also had to skip entirely a visit to the medieval church in Compton, which was a severe disappointment to us both as it apparently has a unique two-level chancel. We were really quite sad about it—Ken especially so since he had read about Compton church in multiple books.

The Watts Chapel: A Riot of Art Deco

We regrouped at our B & B, which was very comfortable, and headed off to the Withies Inn for a light pub meal. As Ken's research had suggested, we were indeed served by a man in a waistcoat. The pub had a lovely cosy and mellow atmosphere, and we sat near the fire. It was a warm way to end a day of mixed emotions.

30,738 steps, 23.053 km, 957.2 cal
OS getamap measured distance: 10.85 mi (17.47 km) 

Near Our B&B at Binscombe

The Withies Inn, Compton