A 4 mile circular pub walk from Kingfisher on the Quay in Mytchett, Surrey. Tucked away alongside a beautiful lake, Kingfisher on the Quay is the perfect location for eats or libation, sit on the deck and enjoy the lake or relax inside by the roaring fires. The walking route takes you through the sprawling local villages and wildlife corridors, with chance to discover the River Blackwater and the Basingstoke Canal in all their glory.
Getting there The village of Mytchett is located alongside the A331 at the western end of Surrey, close to the border with Hampshire. Kingfisher on the Quay has its own large car park and can be found just off Coleford Bridge Road, very close to the junction with the A331. Turn right off Coleford Bridge Road before you reach the first house on the right and follow the access lane (signed for Watersports Centre) back under the road bridge and alongside the watersports centre to reach the pub and its large gravel car park.
Approximate post code GU16 6DS.
Walk Sections Start to River Footbridge
Leave the Kingfisher car park, back along the vehicle entrance drive passing the lake and the watersports facility on your left. In the summer months, the lake is a hive of activity with water skiing, wakeboarding and paddle boarding. At the T-junction at the end of the first
K I N G F I S H E R O N T H E Q U A Y W A T E R S I D E T R A I L �1
You’ll find this and many more walks at iFootpath.com. All iFootpath walks are available to download on the iFootpath App, allowing you to follow your real-time progress on the live satellite map as you are walking (no more getting lost!). You can also add your own comments, ratings and photos to each walk. If you notice any changes required to this walk please contact us at [email protected]
1. The walking route is relatively flat, with just a couple of gentle slopes.
2. Most of the paths are surfaced and firm, but the towpath along the Basingstoke Canal is unmade and can get muddy after periods of rain and in the winter months.
3. There are no stiles or kissing gates on route, just a couple of flights of steps and few bridle gates.
4. You will need to cross a railway at an unsignalled crossing point so look and listen for trains carefully before you cross.
5. There are a few sections of road walking but these are through residential areas and all have pavements.
stretch of drive, turn right and follow the main access lane, passing through a bridle gate alongside a metal vehicle barrier. The access lane leads you over the River Blackwater and on between pretty sections of hedgerow, with the main A331 running audibly to your left (don’t worry, we will be leaving this traffic noise behind very soon).
This access track is part of the Blackwater Valley Path, a 23 mile long-distance path which follows the River Blackwater from its source near Aldershot to the point where it joins the River Whitewater, near Swallowfield. I’ve never quite fathomed why the river from that point is not called the River Greywater... instead it takes the less logical name of the River Broadwater. The Blackwater Valley Path is waymarked with a symbol of a coot sitting within some reeds.
The track leads you under the rail bridge (which also bears this symbol) and then, a little further on, under a high footbridge. The path now swings right and crosses the River Blackwater via a sleeper footbridge. The River Blackwater’s water quality has been improved enormously in recent years and it now once again supports a healthy population of fish including roach and chub. After a 50 year absence, otters have also returned to the river with several confirmed sightings near Frimley.
River Footbridge to Frimley Green
Beyond the river footbridge, keep straight ahead and ignore the path to the left. Your path swings right to reach a T-junction. Turn left and follow this fenced tarmac path which leads you through Frimley Hatches Nature Reserve. Each side of the path, but often not visible through the summer foliage, are large lakes set within the woodland. At the end of the path you will come to a pedestrian railway crossing. NOTE: This is an unsignalled crossing so make sure that you look and listen carefully for trains before you proceed.
Cross the railway via the two swing gates and continue ahead along the residential road. Continue to the end where you will reach a T-junction. If you look to the right here you will see a small community orchard. Turn right and follow this next section of residential road as it swings left. In amongst the relatively modern detached houses, you will find an old thatched cottage dating from 1500, The Barn, on the right-hand side. As the name suggests, this was once the old thatched barn for the adjacent farm, Bedfords Farm.
Shortly after this you will emerge to the corner of the large triangular green open space which gives the village of Frimley Green its name.
Frimley Green to Basingstoke Canal
Take the right-hand of the two tarmac paths which cross the centre of the green. Just before the far side you will pass the village sign, which depicts the old barn that you passed earlier. At the far side, cross over the road ahead to reach a parade of shops and then turn right along the left-hand pavement of Guildford Road.
Follow the pavement of this residential road which leads you over the railway and then swings left. Continue only as far as the crossing point, just before the traffic lights at the bridge over the canal. Cross over the road here, taking care and using the timing of the traffic lights to judge the flow of traffic over the hump back bridge. Turn left along the stone path signed to the South Towpath, and this soon swings right to become the towpath directly alongside the Basingstoke Canal.
Basingstoke Canal to Mytchett Place Bridge
Follow the pretty green towpath for some distance, with the canal running on the left. NOTE: The canal is fairly deep, so take particular care with children.
The Basingstoke Canal was first opened in 1794 and connected Basingstoke with the Wey Navigation from where boats could continue to the River Thames. Timber, flour and chalk were the principal cargoes to London. Barges returned with coal and fertiliser. But the canal did not prove to be a profitable venture; tonnages were below expectations, inflation led to rising costs, and road improvements from 1750 onward made overland transport increasingly competitive.
Following a restoration project funded by Hampshire County Council and Surrey County Council, the canal re-opened in 1991. Today, the canal serves as a recreational facility as well as a notable wildlife habitat. As many as 25 of Britain’s 39
species of dragonflies and damselflies inhabit the canal.
A little way along, through the trees to the right you will see Frimley Lodge Park which includes a miniature railway. Further still, you will come to the swing bridge over the canal that gives access to the canal visitor centre (should you make a short detour to visit this). For the walking route, simply continue ahead along the right-hand towpath. Soon afterwards, you will come to the arched stone Mytchett Place Bridge (dating from 1790) over the canal. Leave the towpath here, up the flight of wooden steps to reach a T-junction with the pavement.
Mytchett Place Bridge to End
Turn right along the pavement which leads you over the railway and continues downhill to reach a double mini-roundabout at the end of the road. Turn right at the first roundabout and left at the second one (using the designated crossing points) to join the left-hand pavement along Coleford Bridge Road.
Follow this long residential road all the way down to the last house on the left. Immediately after this, you will see the access road for Kingfisher on the Quay on the left. Do NOT take this, instead cross over the access road and continue along the left-hand pavement.
As the pavement swings left, turn left down a flight of paved steps. At the bottom, turn right along the access lane (taking care of any vehicles). Follow it under the road bridge (with the River Blackwater running on the left). As you emerge from under the bridge, bear right along the access drive at the end of which you will reach Kingfisher on the Quay for some well-earned hospitality.
K I N G F I S H E R O N T H E Q U A Y W A T E R S I D E T R A I L �3
DisclaimerThis walking route was walked and checked at the time of writing. We have taken care to make sure all our walks are safe for walkers of a reasonable level of experience and fitness. However, like all outdoor activities, walking carries a degree of risk and we accept no responsibility for any loss or damage to personal effects, personal accident, injury or public liability whilst following this walk. We cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that result from changes to the routes that occur over time. Please let us know of any changes to the routes so that we can correct the information.Walking SafetyFor your safety and comfort we recommend that you take the following with you on your walk: bottled water, snacks, a waterproof jacket, waterproof/sturdy boots, a woolly hat and fleece (in winter and cold weather), a fully-charged mobile phone, a whistle, a compass and an Ordnance Survey map of the area. Check the weather forecast before you leave, carry appropriate clothing and do not set out in fog or mist as these conditions can seriously affect your ability to navigate the route. Take particular care on cliff/mountain paths where steep drops can present a particular hazard. Some routes include sections along roads – take care to avoid any traffic at these points. Around farmland take care with children and dogs, particularly around machinery and livestock. If you are walking on the coast make sure you check the tide times before you set out.
