a bridleway track (wooden signpost) and continue . Follow an old fence then bear at a fork by a wooden post with bridleway waymarkers. The path soon emerges at the edge of a small housing estate, continue along Pathfields and at a on Sandy Lane, cross onto The Spinning Walk; keep as tarmac gives way to track. At a T-junction, with Gravelpits Farmhouse to your right, turn onto Gravelpits Lane. Continue to a , cross over Queen Street then bear onto High View. At a LH bend after 200m, bear under the railway onto Tower Hill.
5 From Tower Hill almost immediately take the second entrance onto a broad farm track bridleway. Pass some barns then keep through the farmyard. At a T-junction, turn onto a broad gravel track and at a RH bend after 250m, turn along a signposted bridleway track, soon forking then and continuing . The track joins a concrete road and emerges at the busy A25; turn and continue into Abinger Hammer, taking the first to climb then descend along Hackhurst Lane. Continue past Hackhurst Farm as tarmac gives way to track. Dismount to cross the railway line through two gates (with caution).
6 Remount and begin the long climb up the ever-steepening north escarpment of Hackhurst Downs. In summer, the lower reaches of the path are engulfed by foliage. Where the path forks, keep (), climbing steeply. Shortly after the NDW footpath crosses the bridleway the climb levels out; continue around a gate to the next bridleway . Turn onto a path criss-crossed by gnarly tree roots and follow this around to a T-junction with a byway track. Turn and continue through a metal gate along a track with a bridleway signpost.
Cruising along the ridge on the North Downs Way at Hackhurst Downs
Negotiating gnarly roots on Hackhurst Downs
7 The bridleway soon joins the NDW; keep over several s, passing stables and Hollister Farm as the track turns sharply right (N). Keep (ignoring two left-hand turns); at Combe Lane, turn then sharply (North Downs Way) passing a concrete dew pond. Cross a lane to go through West Hanger car park and continue along the NDW through woodland on a broad track. Arriving at the A25, follow the path that leads to the right.
8 Cross the A25 by the Barn Café and continue through to the far (W) end of the large car park at Newlands Corner. Exit the car park along a broad bridleway track through woodlands, popping out onto a narrow lane after 1.3km. Turn and continue back on yourself along the lane. Where the lane reaches a car park, swing and descend along Halfpenny Lane. At the bottom, turn along a bridleway path by Keepers Cottage.
