For many years, a ‘permissive path’ for horse riders has wound its way through the woodland west of Dorking Road, between Chequers Lane and Deans Lane. It provides a useful route for horse riders coming down Deans Lane from Walton Pond, either heading for Walton Heath along bridleway Banstead 100, or going to Headley Heath via Sturts Lane and Tye Lane (bridleway Banstead/Headley 494).
It’s been maintained, on and off, by top class Walton Heath golf club, which owns the woodland. Lately, it’s been increasinly hard to use, with fallen trees. However, the golf club ground staff have kindly cleared the route in the last few months, and it should now be fine to ride. Please report problems to the club secretary, secretary[atsymbol]waltonheath.com. Thanks to Tadworth and Walton Residents’ Association for alerting us to the recent improvement.
The map below shows the route. Do take care crossing from Chequers Lane to bridleway 100 — as with all crossings of Dorking Road, the traffic moves quickly. At the Deans Lane end, coming down from Walton-on-the-Hill, keep straight on at the bend, just after the turning to the club house, riding between the twee shrubs (not along the club house access road to the right), and then pick up the horse ride through the woods. Please don’t ride along footpath 97 further to the right, and avoid picking up footpath 96 by mistake where it diagonally crosses the horse ride at one of the crossing driveways. You can see the view at the turning from Deans Lane here, with the twee shrubs just ahead.
Remember, too, that Love Lane, linking Sturts Lane and Chequers Lane, is an unsealed public road open to all traffic — including horse riders!
