My favourite ride: Surrey

Ride: Godalming (Surrey) – Eashing – Shakleford – Tilford – Frensham – Elstead – Thursley – Milford – Godalming
Distance: c.22 miles 

Maps: Surrey Cycle Guides 4 and 6    Ordnance Survey Landranger 186 Aldershot and Guildford, OS Explorer 145 Guildford and Farnham

GPX: www.cyclinguk.org/sites/default/files/god-tilford-god_2.gpx

With a huge network of off-road routes on our doorstep in Suirrey, it's hard to pick just one as a favourite. In any case, with the terrain, ever-changing according to weather conditions, the preferred loop one week might be an unrideable mudfest the next. The 22-mile route I've chosen is a mixture of sand and loam, which can ridden most of the year, but also has muddy sections; it also includes a choice of watering holes, whether alcoholic or of the coffee-and-cake variety - always a bonus.  The ride also visits several picture-perfect Surrey villages, with stunning scenery and locations from some of your favourite films to spot along the way!

It is a largely non-technical route with a few short, sharp climbs but it’s suitable for averagely fit riders - depending on whether you have refreshment stop or not, it could be ridden in around three hours, making it a perfect ride to do on a Sunday morning and be back in time for lunch. Bear in mind though, that in Surrey, if it's dry weather, it's likely to be quite sandy and if it's been wet, there'll be some mud, so factor in accordingly when selecting your bike/tyres for the ride.

The route starts from Godalming Station so is easily accessible by public transport - there are fast and frequent services to and from London and Portsmouth which will carry bikes for free and without reservations but do avoid rush hour trains to/from London as it might be difficult to get a bike on these, although not impossible. 

Leaving the station on the London-bound side, turn left along a bumpy road which then turns into a bridleway as it climbs up the hillside. Here you will see lovely views towards to the hills of Black Down and the South Downs beyond. Famous public school Charterhouse's spires can be seen on your right - founder-members of rock band Genesis went there, as well as many government ministers, MPs, generals and other luminaries.

The bionic vet

Soon you will pass Fitzpatrick Referrals, home of TV's bionic vet Noel Fitzpatrick, before emerging onto a lane. The lane passes several gorgeous Tudor cottages before turning right down into the hamlet of Eashing - if you need refreshments already, The Stag on the River is an upmarket eatery that serves decent real ales and pub food – you will pass this junction on the way back so could visit it then.  

Cross the A3 on a footbridge and then ride around the field to find the gate on the opposite side and a bridleway leading towards Shackleford. A nice short descent through the woods and a steep climb lead to a sandy, slightly rutted track that you will turn off half way down.

Turn left when you reach a lane and then left down the bridleway past the stunning house on the left and a beautiful lake with a boathouse on it at Cut Mill – try not to feel too jealous of the lucky occupants! Avoid the next section of bridleway if it has been wet - it turns into a bog! - and take a track on your right to the road. Turn left and the next bridleway on your right crosses a field which sometimes contains cattle and then continues over the road, bypassing the village of Elstead to the left. Finally, you emerge onto a fairly busy road opposite The Donkey public house - so called because donkeys were used to help carry heavy loads up the hill to Farnham back in the old days. 

Pass in front of the pub and then turn left down a rutted byway and onto a lane. Turn left into the village of Tilford - you can either stop for a nice hot chocolate or coffee at the village shop, or opt for The Barley Mow Pub, which is situated on the quintessential English village green and has featured in many photo shoots and newspaper features. If you are a gent, the Gents are worth checking out for their unusual artworks! Or so I've heard... 

Location, location, location

Turn right onto a bridleway just after the village shop and climb up past a field with horses in. Drop steeply down to a lane, turn left and cross over the road straight into Bourne Wood, scene of many film shoots including Robin Hood, Harry Potter, War Horse and lots of others. Dodging any flying arrows, turn left and cross the road - if you've missed refreshments until now, the Rural Life Centre is not far away and is worth a visit for its quaint charm: you don’t need to pay to go in to use the café.

Now, there is a long, flowing descent through some woods that emerges into a farmyard - if you're lucky, you might be able to sample the beer at the Frensham Brewery located here. Cross straight over the lane if you prefer something lighter from the National Trust Tern café next to Frensham Little Pond but check opening times first. 

If you love James Bond films, you should recognise it as the location for the scenes in and around the mansion in 'Skyfall', which was filmed here in 2012."

Julie Rand, Cycling UK Member Group Coordinator 

Turn left at the junction of routes and follow a long, rolling byway for a mile or so - watch out for off-road motorised vehicles here - and then turn right onto a short rooty track to emerge opposite yet another pub, The Duke of Cambridge.  Now the terrain can turn very sandy in dry weather so be warned. Turn right and take a very steep climb up through the pine trees typical of this part of south west Surrey to turn right and emerge onto a ridge at the top of a natural bowl below you. Admire the stunning views - you might even see some of the taller buildings in London on a clear day and the famous Wembley Arch.

Does the landscape in front of you look familiar? Imagine a large mansion inside the bowl and a chapel just below where you’re standing: if you love James Bond films, you should recognise it as the location for the scenes in and around the mansion in 'Skyfall', which was filmed here in 2012 with Surrey doubling up for Scotland. Known as The Dropping Zone, there are often military manoeuvres here and on one night ride, a Chinook appeared out of the gloom and landed right in front of us, its lights turned off.

Descend off the ridge and follow a long surfaced track then turn right onto a narrow lane towards Thursley Common. Cross the common on the bridleway - more wheel gripping sand, unfortunately - then left around the lakes. Turn right through a gate and along another bridleway across Rodborough Common. Recross the A3 next to a beautiful but sadly now noisy house, turn immediately left and then pass through a gateway and small wood. Now cross straight over the main road and ride across a rutted field to rejoin Eashing Lane. Retrace your previous route past Fitzpatrick Referrals, enjoying a lovely fast descent - watch out for the post at the bottom! - back to Godalming, where you can find lots of restaurants, cafés and shops and a train station to take you home.