Botley Hill, the Greenwich Meridian & one of Surrey's highest hills - a country walk

High up on the B269 in Surrey is Botley Hill, home of the farmhouse and much history. On this walk I start there, head down to the North Downs Way, through the meridian line then up past the chalkpits, visit a water tower then back along the Ridge to Botley Hill. The weather was a mix of sunshine, breeze and cloud and the walk was highly enjoyable!
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Links referred to in this video:
OS Map for this walk: explore.osmaps.com/route/2016...
Botley Hill Farmhouse: www.botleyhill-farmhouse.co.uk/
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My contact details/links: bio.site/philswallow
Email & Website:
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.philswallow.com
Social Media:
Facebook: / phil.swallow.63
Instagram: / philswallow_uk
Threads: www.threads.net/@philswallow_uk
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#botleyhill #meridian #northdowns #woldingham #oxted

[@julieleverentz5846]

Enjoyed that Phil. Shame about the annoying ads that keep jumping in but realise there’s nothing you can do about that! Really interesting, thank you.

[@tonyfriend7378]

Thank you Phil that was a lovely walk really enjoyable 👌🏻

[@philswallow]

Thanks Tony!

[@deethomas8931]

Thank you for these videos and for educating the viewers about all the different areas you visit and the history . I was able to tell my son about Henry VIII visiting Seldon. Also about what was once a green space on seldon High Street. I don't miss a video. Thanks again for all your efforts to make these videos.

[@philswallow]

Thank you so much, Dee - I really appreciate it! 😊

[@fluffybadger9832]

I remember cycling on my mountain bike along the lane near those water tower & Wireless towers one day in the early 80s, a large American pickup truck with USAF markings & registration passed me on the lane & turned up towards the towers. Made me wonder what else was up there!

[@philswallow]

Look up Tatsfield Receiving Station online - interesting reading!

[@amandacann3401]

Thank you for sharing, i know this walk very well as i am very lucky to live in the area.

[@philswallow]

Glad you enjoyed it, it’s a lovely area, I have more planned as there’s lots to see and various historical sites!

[@paulgrommit]

Great video as always Phil. Really enjoyed it !

[@philswallow]

Cheers mate!

[@billwilson1320]

Titsey was a good spot to see the Weald! 1959 💛

[@andymcgarty3099]

I remember cycling up Titsey Hill and on the B269. Problem with growing up in Warlingham is that you always had to cycle up a hill to get back home! Lots of GCHQ sites up on that part of the hill. I remember huge earth works and building which vanished under the hill a few weeks later. Wonder if its still there? And we had the peace camp in the 80s. I did a couple of Warlingham School sponsored walks, great excuse to get the day off. I don't remember being there for lunch. I do remember walking along Harrow road on the way home and popping home for a pee. Some of those oncoming cars seemed a bit close! Another cracking video, thanks yet again.

[@philswallow]

Cheers Andy, I will certainly return and cover more sites/history in this area - hopefully in the better weather

[@peterclark9677]

I remember when I plane hit one of those aerials

[@philswallow]

Roughly when was that, Peter? Id like to investigate further, thanks.

[@chromiumphotography5138]

Can you remember when the tea rooms had a sign incorporating a yellow cartwheel in it? Before there eas anything like the set up they have now.

[@philswallow]

In the 80s certainly & probably some of the 90s?

[@davehannigan7446]

Very enjoyable Phil. Botley Hill Farmhouse has a special place in my heart. first went there when about 5 years old with my parents for morning coffees at the weekend. Also the odd Sunday lunch which i remember being fantastic. The place was run by 2 older ladies who did a roaring trade! 50 years on, it's always been a venue where i would take my Dad on my trips back from the US. Home away from home. The food is still very good. I've not done this walk, but if you drive along the Ridge towards Woldingham there is a little car park on the left with great views to the South beyond the M25 out to Gatwick and even the South Downs on a clear day.

[@philswallow]

I remember the ladies well! I will incorporate the Ridge Viewpoint on another walk I think, I will be revisiting this area as it is growing on me!

[@davehannigan7446]

@@philswallow I thoroughly look forward to that! And yes you did me proud, felt like I was home watching this.

[@philswallow]

@@davehannigan7446 nice one, objective met!!

[@paulgrommit]

Following on from you Biggin Hill walk last month, I went with my Dad to the Hurricane Hangar at the airport for his birthday and spent the day in the general area with a lunch at the Crown Inn and at coffee at The Landing cafe and a visit round the Memorial museum. All thanks to your inspiration to go out that way for the day. A video inside the airport (whatever you can capture) would be a great video.

[@philswallow]

I’ll definitely do a follow-up, Paul. I have a present of a voucher for the Technical Tour of the Spitfire Hangar which I will book for this summer. It’s a great place there

[@paulgrommit]

@@philswallow we were really lucky as they hadn’t been able to send up the Spitfires for a few days, due to the weather, so they sent up 2 on the day we were there (last Saturday) and was up close when they started up, taxied out and took off. Amazing experience and didn’t realise how many Spitfires were over there now. The museum is also so informative and well worth a visit.

[@TheMycal246]

When you got to Chalk pit Lane if you turned left and went towards the ridge. There used to be a firing range which your great aunt Laura and great uncle Albert used to live on. The range was where Fort cottages are. They were the accommodation for the riflemen who worked on the range. I believe there is still a large concrete block near the Fort cottages.

[@philswallow]

Thanks mate, I remember Nan talking about that so will look into it further 👍🏻

[@LoremIpsum1970]

Lovely, if slipper walk. Have you ever gone down to Titsey Place on video? I'm not very good at searching...

[@philswallow]

Not yet, although I will use it as a base for a walk this summer. You are not allowed to use cameras inside the house so I completely respect that. But there are some Roman sites nearby . . .

[@LoremIpsum1970]

@@philswallow Probably going these soon myself. As posted on the Limps vid, Titsey Place reopens tomorrow. Are you going to do any of the walks?

[@peterclark9677]

I think it was in the ninetees i was working for Croydon Council then it was a wet and low cloud day and the aircraft was circling for some time i think it came down from Blackpool with six people on board, if that is any help.

[@philswallow]

I’ll take a look, thanks.

[@chromiumphotography5138]

An interesting walk centred around Botley Hill. Have a bit of a soft spot for the pub, as they used to serve a good selection of Shepherd Neame beers. Look at the slippy slidy footpaths in a positive way - it means that people are using the . As I think there may be a follow up to this, won't mention other notable sites of interest nearby. With your interests in the water infrastructure, there is a pretty big elephant in the room (really area) that you never mention. Will ask on the next podcast. Don't go running for anything, it's a fool's errand!

[@philswallow]

I’m intrigued! There will be at least two more in that area I think. There are references to water in many locations but I haven’t investigated them yet. All in good time and on Monday in the live podcast!