Tomlinscote, Frimley and St Catherine's

Miles of woodland, two ponds, trees, wildflowers and a churchyard.

 

Although you may join the walk at any point to suit I will start from Tomlinscote Way. At the end where the barrier is turn into Alphington Avenue. Follow this road until you see Tomlin's Pond appear on your right. Here Black-headed Gulls are present for most of the year with Coot and Mallard and often Canada Geese and their offspring. Grey Herons can be seen around the edges with the chance of a perched kingfisher for the eagle eyed! Surrey Heath Borough Council have planted wildflower seeds on the grass verge and cornflowers and oxe-eye daisies were visible when I walked this in July.

 

Turn right into Tomlins Avenue then left along a footpath between the houses. Cross another road and follow the path into a cul de sac keeping straight on to the end, Here is Alphington Pond, a little hideaway from the surrounding houses. Skirt the pond on the footpath. A family of ducklings sat by this path in spring.

 

At the end of the path turn right up Sycamore Drive to Chobham Road. Turn left towards Frimley Park Hospital. Pass the recreation ground and follow the path keeping left along The Grove opposite the Hospital. This area can be full of wild flowers in spring and has a lovely mix of trees including limes, red maple, horse chestnut and a massive, very old veteran oak with a girth of over 4.3 metres, just hanging onto life - check it when you pass! 

 

Join Grove Cross Road here and turn left. Pass Field Lane on your left and enter the churchyard at St Peters. Here, for a few short weeks in Summer, Swifts nest under the church roof. Keeping left, walk through the churchyard, full of cypress and yew trees and a lovely cedar in the middle. Go to the back of the churchyard, as far as you can, towards the left corner where you can descend steps into the track that is Field Lane. Turn Right here.

 

Continue along to the made up Field Lane and go straight on passing Alphington Avenue on your left. Just after the side entrance on your left to Lakeside Primary School take the wooded path. Soon after the school playing fields follow the path sharply to the right and into St Catherine’s Road keeping straight ahead.

 

At the bollards on the left enter the gate into St Catherine’s SANGS and take the path to your left. Here there are some conveniently  placed benches to take a breather. Keep going around the outside of this small SANGS, in spring and summer viewing the wild flowers introduced by Surrey Heath Borough Council and the insect life enjoying them. Devil's bit Scabious and Bladder Campion can be found here with many other species. There is plenty of birdlife here including Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and other familiar species. Don't be surprised to see foxes basking in the sun.

 

When the path returns to St Catherine's Road exit via the gap on the left and turn left. Then very soon take the track on your right and ascend the hill. In late summer and autumn, before the birds steal them, berries hang in great clusters from the mountain ash trees. At the top of the hill is the communications tower where you should turn right descending the hill to what is shown as Valley Road on maps but is a wide track. You are now entering Army training land so may see all sorts of activity with blackened faces and twigs in helmets! Fear not the guns aren’t loaded!

 

At the crossroads at the bottom, turn left onto Valley Road and walk until you reach a T junction where you should turn left and then immediately right ready to ascend another hill. You will see a cycle/walking track in front of you, join it and go over the hill staying on the track - you should see a covered reservoir on your right. This track joins Deepcut to Tomlinscote School and you follow it all the way.

 

The woodland here has many birds high in the trees, Coal Tits and Goldcrests are numerous but sometimes hard to see and hear as they flit around the treetops. Magpies, Jays and Carrion Crows are always somewhere to be found. A Prisoner of War camp was located here in WWII.

 

Stay on the made up track as it descends and bends to the left. The path is brightened by gorse flowers in spring. After a turn to the left and the right on the same track you will soon emerge where you started at the junction of Tomlinscote Way and Alphington Avenue.

Red Fox