Hi, I'm Neil Boosey this is my report of running/walking along the Greensands Way from Ham Street in Kent, UK, to Haslemere town Hall in Surrey. I did this alone in one go, carrying everything except water which I got from taps, mainly from church yards but there are also farms and some houses that have a tap facing the path, you are never more than 10k from a tap on this route.
On Friday 30th April I got the train to Ham street about 9:30 am and walked down to the the first sign post, where the walking route guide describes the start of the route.
I had packed a bag full of snickers bars, home made flap jack, GU espresso Love and a few bags of Tailwind / SIS Rego. Plus a load of cheese and pickle sandwiches.
The weather was cold but sunny and dry, so almost ideal for trotting along through the beautiful farmland, with apple orchards and fruit farms, plus old Oast houses.
As it got dark the temperature dropped below zero, so I layered up with 2 x base layers a salamon rain jacket gloves and a few buffs.
At the half way point on the Kent Surrey (92km) border I was 12 hours in, so it confirmed that an over all FKT was beyond me, maybe unsupported or self supported would be possible. This first half had taken quite a bit out of me and I slowed considerably from this point. It felt like a very long night and as I trudged past Dorking (130km) I was very tempted to bail out to the all night petrol station for a coffee and a taxi home. But I kidded myself to postpone the thought until Westcote, a few miles down the way, by which time an almost full moon rose and the dawn chorus burst into life. The sun rose on Leith hill, highest point (and the south east) on the route and the start of my local, well known stretch. I moved quite nicely though the familiar surrey hills, but by Hascome (the closest point to home) I was hanging. On reflection I had not controlled my liquid in take properly and even though it was cold, the air was very dry. This had effected my eating and my energy levels. I pretty much walked in the remaining miles and a morning finish also alluded me, but now I had committed to finish this. At Thursley church I finished all my remaining food, including the emergency chocolate brazils (yum!), then it was a one hour treck up to the Gibbet at Hindhead, before dropping down into Haslemere for the finish at the Town Hall at about 3pm.
Next time, I will take a week and visit every pub!
Thanks Neil
ps here is a list of Churches with Taps (or other outside tap) if anyone wants to know :
Pluckley(House); Great Chart (Pub), Egerton farm, Sutton Valence, Boughton Malherb, Ullcombe,
Amsbury wood (house), west peckam, St Giles Shipborne, sevenoaks weald, Tandridge Barley Mo Pub tap outside, Westcote Church. Holmbury St Mary Cricket Club (tap at pavilion)
Gate street barn (bramley) farm, Thursley Church, Hindhead Punchbowl Café Tap