© Colin Saunders, 2006

The new, 4th edition of the route description will be available to download later in 2008

The Vanguard Way starts at East Croydon station, where it connects with the Wandle Trail.  The Vanguard Way follows the Fairfield Path to Lloyd Park, and in Littleheath Wood joins the London Loop for the next 3km, including Selsdon Wood Nature Reserve.  After Farleigh, you cross ridges up to 160m high to Woldingham, then climb again to the North Downs escarpment (reaching the highest point of the route at 260m).  You descend to cross the M25 motorway, then climb again over the Greensand Ridge to reach the A25 near Moorhouse Bank.

Lowest and highest points: East Croydon Station (61m); by "WT station" near Flint House (260m).

1.1.  From East Croydon Hv station forecourt (Grid Reference TQ329657) go L of Croydon Tramlink platforms (across tram lines – look both ways) to light-controlled crossing.  Cross main Rd (George Street) then TL.  Shortly TR along Altyre Rd to its end past Law Courts.  TR and cross Rd at pedestrian crossing, then TR and immediately TL along Fairfield Road.  At its end, go SA along Fairfield Path, crossing Stanhope Rd / The Avenue, and keep SA to Rd junction (note water tower in Park Hill to your R).  Here cross Rd, TR then in a few metres TL along access Rd (still Fairfield Path) and keep SA on path descending to Rd at pedestrian crossing.  South Croydon station Hv can be reached by turning R along Park Hill Road, cross major Rd and keep SA along Park Hill Road South.  Cross, TR and after 15m bear L up Fp by stone bollard.  At top join Rd, bear R, and after 80m TR down Path (by house No.1) to Brownlow Rd.  Cross and take Fp opposite to Lloyd Park v.

(Grid Reference TQ336647)

1.2.  Bear L across Lloyd Park Avenue and follow fence to corner of bowling-green.  TR keeping bowling-green on R to its end.  Continue SA across park towards copse.  To your right are Lloyd Park tram stop (v Croydon Tramlink) and toilets (on far side of pavilion).  Go L of copse with craters and children's playground behind metal fence (there may be green ring-necked parakeets here).  Soon after end of fence, bear half R on faint path to corner of park by Coombe Road, crossing tram tracks with care (look both ways).  TL along Rd (Coombe Road) (passing Geoffrey Harris House, formerly Coombe House, on your L and Coombe Lodge, now a pub/restaurant and hotel, on your R).  After 320m TR with great care across busy Coombe Road with fast traffic and go SA along Conduit Lane with Coombe Wood H on L (cafe and toilets).

(Grid Reference TQ345644)

1.3.  Continue SA past barrier and council nursery, then after 40m bear R on Tk between fences.  After 600m Tk descends to junction at lamppost and antique signpost.  TL before garage along Tk (actually Ballards Farm Road) signposted "Addington" and follow for 900m to end where it joins Rd (Ballards Way).  TR and after 50m TL and cross Rd into Crest Rd.  At junction with Croham Valley Road cross over to take Fp opposite.  After 60m TL (by second lamppost) along Fp to Littleheath Wood.

(Grid Reference TQ347632)

1.4.  Enter wood.  Where fences diverge, ignore first Tk on R and after 30m fork R uphill through wood.  After 75m keep on Tk ignoring R fork.  Continue uphill then descend to junction with main Tk.  Cross over and continue SA to R of open space and SA uphill.  Here the Vanguard Way joins the London Loop and Tandridge Border Path for the next 3km, so you will also see their waymarks.  At top join broad Tk and keep SA.  Shortly after passing water tower on your L, bear R to descend on Fp, eventually between fences, with playground on your L.  On reaching edge of wood opposite houses, bear R along broad grass verge to pylon then TL to Rd – Addington Road to your right, Selsdon Park Road to your left.

(Grid Reference TQ358627)

1.5.  Cross Rd (usually very busy - you may need to go L for 60m to controlled crossing) and take Bw by brick wall L of Ashen Vale, then keep SA on Bw between fences for 600m, crossing two Rds (v bus service along Sorrel Bank / Peacock Gardens).  At end of Bw enter Selsdon Wood Nature Reserve through wooden gate.  TR at fence corner then immediately bear L uphill.  Follow Tk through reserve to gate, ignoring cross Tks.

(Grid Reference TQ368618)

1.6.  Leave reserve (crossing the boundary between the London Borough of Croydon in Greater London and Tandridge District in Surrey; bus stop in Rd to L) and TR up Bw Baker Boy Lane between Selsdon and Puplet Woods.  Continue for 1km to golf club entrance, just off Farleigh Rd, where VW leaves London Loop and Tandridge Border Path.  Pass brick gateway and TL on Fp (permissive horse ride) parallel with and to R of golf club drive.  After 250m, where Fp bears L, keep SA on Fp into wood and follow for 500m, eventually reaching Fp/Tk junction parallel with another Fp.  The golf clubhouse H is open to the public for refreshments – for this TL through gate and follow signposted golfers’ Fp to clubhouse.  TR on Tk between fences towards barn and Farleigh Court Rd at Farleigh.

(Grid Reference TQ371602)

1.7.  TL along Rd.  In 100m TR to St.Mary the Virgin Church, then keep SA on Bw between fences.  In 100m at Fp junction keep SA by fence between wood and field for 350m to junction of several paths and tracks.  Take second Fp on L between metal barriers and follow under pipe and bridge beside Greatpark Village (site of former Warlingham Park Hospital) to Rd by Warlingham Park School at Chelsham Common v (buses to Croydon stop here).  Cross Rd, TR then in 10m bear half L across common to Rd.  Go SA on Rd opposite to pass the Bull pub H.

(Grid Reference TQ372590)

1.8.  Go between posts then immediately TL and bear R across common to R of pond and join Rd.  TL for 30m then just before crossroads TR along Tk (marked with fingerpost) to field.  Follow R edge of field, and after 900m go through trees to Rd.  TR to junction with B269 at Worms Heath.

(Grid Reference TQ376579)

1.9.  TR along pavement beside B269 for 60m.  Cross Rd and take Fp (signpost and stone sign) to L of Lodge Cottage.  At end of fence bear slightly R for 40m and keep SA on Fp passing L of second house then cross stile into field.  Proceed in same direction uphill between horse jumps, passing L of Nore Hill Chalk Pinnacle towards radio mast at top of field, eventually following fence to corner.  TR steeply downhill with hedge on L.  (Watch for hang-gliders to L and last view of London to R.)  Cross two stiles (on either side of a Countryside Stewardship Site) then SA with fence on L and go uphill after 50m to cross broad Tk by two more stiles.  With hedge on L follow Fp uphill then down to Rd at Woldingham (do not cross stile).

(Grid Reference TQ376567)

For Woldingham Station v (2.5km) keep SA on Rd bearing R for 800m, then take second turning R (Lunghurst Road), shortly bearing L (Croft Road).  At crossroads keep SA bearing R on Station Road, which descends to Woldingham Station.

1.10.  TL inside field and follow permissive path parallel to Rd to join public Fp to R of fence, continuing in same direction.  (Note: if permissive path not available for any reason, go out on to Rd and TL along it.  After 400m, where Rd turns R, go SA to rejoin route.)  At metal gate, bear L on clear Bw uphill to enter wood by gate.  Follow Bw, which becomes a metalled Tk after "W/T station" (as shown on some maps - actually nowadays these are known as "microwave relay stations"; near here is the highest point of the VW at about 260m or 853 feet).  Follow Tk for 2km to Rd at Flint House.  Cross with great care and take Rd opposite.  After 80m as Rd bears R take Fp SA down through trees.  Cross stile by gate into Oxted Downs (National Trust) and go steeply downhill (may be slippery if wet)  to Fp junction with North Downs Way (NDW) at bottom.

(Grid Reference TQ389543)

Walkers wishing to divert into Oxted Hv can leave VW here and bear R through tunnel under M25, then follow roads into Oxted.  For an alternative route mostly on footpaths see next paragraph.

1.11.  TL along NDW by wire fence for 400m to bear R across stile then cross another stile in hedge (alternative route by Fp into Oxted to R, crossing M25 by footbridge – this is also a signed link to the Greensand Way).  With Titsey Woods on L, continue together with NDW crossing two more stiles.  (Soon after this you cross, for the one and only time along the VW, the Greenwich Meridian Line, marked by a plaque that was funded jointly by the Vanguards Rambling Club and Surrey County Council.)  Continue to steps down to sunken Tk.  (Here NDW turns L uphill.)  TR downhill and pass through gates with yellow arrows by Pitchfont Farm and on to Rd.  (Here VW crosses the Pilgrims' Way.)  Pass entrance to Titsey Park (permissive path to Titsey Plantation) and as Rd bears R go SA along Bw to stile on L (20m).

(Grid Reference TQ401545)

1.12.  Cross stile and go half R over field, heading for fenced recess in far (E) corner of field.  After crossing small stream and stile, go through several fields, crossing stiles and heading for R side of copse, to footbridge over stream (infant River Eden) and over further stile on to B269 Rd.  TL for 100m and TR over stile just beyond Water Company building.  Follow wire fence on R and when this ends proceed ahead to motorway fence and Fp sign.  Bear L along fence, crossing stile to concrete bridge over motorway.  Cross bridge and follow clear broad Tk SA which later becomes metalled Rd at Broomlands Farm and rises, with huge sandstone quarry on R, to A25 Rd at Moorhouse Bank Hv (TL for refreshments, toilets and transport).

(Grid Reference TQ421533)

© Colin Saunders, 2006