The Leith Hill Greenway

I'm leading a ride to Leith Hill Tower in a month or so, and I had the questionable idea of riding back to tea along the Leith Hill Greenway.  First discovered by Brian in 2021, and then ridden in part by Mark G on a beefy e-bike, but with very little comment on what it was like to ride.  I decided to go and recce it.  It's described on the website as suitable for all types of active travel, although mountain bikes or gravel bikes are recommended.  How bad could it be?

I got up to the start at Leith Hill tower with no trouble (actually that's a lie, it was hard work).  An excellent pasty in the sunshine and fresh wind and I was ready to set off.  An innocuous track sloped gently down to the east.  Here goes.

So it begins...

The track is in three parts: Leith Hill to Coldharbour,  Coldharbour to the A24, and then the A24 to Denbies.  I'll describe them separately.

Leith Hill to Coldharbour.   Only for brave gravel riders.   Within twenty yards, the track had turned into a full-on mountain bike track, too steep to ride and with a choice of root covered high ground or a rubble-strewn gully.  I walked.  After 10-20 yards I was able to ride again, with care.  After that it was generally a good surface, but very steep (up and down) in places.  A few big puddles or patches of mud, but I was able to ride round them all. I went past the incredibly flat Coldharbour cricket field, looking very out of place in the hilly terrain, and was very pleased to arrive at Coldharbour. 

20 yards later

Steeply down to Coldharbour

Coldharbour to the A24.  Overall this is nicely rideable and gently downhill all the way with a few lovely views, but there's one tricky section.  It starts on a tarmac track, which gives way to a good clay-surfaced track, wide enough for cars and gently sloping down.  This continued a long way, through woods and a few lovely views but mostly enclosed in trees.  There were a few sandy patches but so long as you went for the shallow bits it was rideable.  After  2 1/2 miles I came to a junction.  The smooth wide track carried straight on, but according to my Garmin the Greenway dropped down to the right, on a narrow bridleway, so I followed that.  I was tempted to follow the wide track, but I could see I would have to take a footpath a bit further on to rejoin the Greenway.  

So, the bridleway it was.  A bit steep, a bit narrow, and with loose stones in the middle, it was mostly just rideable with a bit of walking.  It levelled out and became a rideable surface but very narrow between a few nettles and brambles.  This all only went on for about a quarter of a mile and I came to another junction, with the footpath I mentioned earlier.  A sign (the only one I saw) confirmed I'd chosen the correct route, and the alternative looked a bit steep and narrow too.

A bit more narrow but easily rideable bridleway bought me to Rookery Drive, a nice ride down to the A24.

The long easy section

Short narrow section

Short end section

A24 to Denbies.  A nice ride if you don't mind a bit of gravel, with a  decent hill.  Almost straight across the A24 (freshly re-gritted after the heatwave) and you're into Balchins Lane.  I carried along Balchins Lane to Hole Hill (not a hill) and then on a concrete path leading across fields and under the railway line to Landbarn Farm.  The track zigs up to the left and zags right as it climbs up towards Ranmore road, with lovely views down the valley to Dorking.  It's gravelly but rideable if you pick the right line.  A surprise - a tunnel under the road, and you continue on a nice tree enclosed track above the road.   A sharp left turn takes you uphill for a short distance - it could be ridden but I chose to walk.  Then you turn right into Denbies vineyard and ride on generally good tracks.  You have to be careful at the few corners as the surface gets churned up and there can be a lot of loose stones, but it's generally good riding with nice views, back to Denbies.

Concrete track to Landbarn Farm

Sloping up

and up...

Under Ranmore Road

Into Denbies

And through the Denbies estate.

Would I do it again?  Yes!  Maybe not the top section to Coldharbour.   And I'd choose the weather.  When I rode it, we'd had a lot of dry weather with a few downpours a couple of days ago, but the surface was almost completely dry.   I rode it on a road bike with 28mm road tyres.  I wouldn't be keen to ride it after a lot of rain.   But it's a really enjoyable traffic-free route down the hill, if you don't mind a bit of rough stuff.

And what about the ride in a month's time?   Well, I'll see what people think, consider the weather and will at the very least provide an alternative route to avoid the Greenway for those who don't fancy it.  Let me have your thoughts, and watch this space ...