Be More You - Surrey Three Peaks
This has been a tough year or two for people around the world, and we’re coming up to World Mental Health Day on the 10th of October.
One thing that helps us deal with this pressure is the support of others, that helps us approach the challenges that life gives us. Last year Be More You and Love Trails put on a Virtual Race & Wellbeing Festival with lululemon. This year, the aim is for different groups, crews and individuals to challenge themselves and celebrate the values that are important to them.
Within Be More You one challenge we’re going to be doing is hiking the Surrey Three Peaks on October 9th. This is a group challenge where we can really connect with and support each other in our community, all surrounded by some glorious leafy Surrey countryside. Over a 21 mile (on the map) loop we’ll ascend 3,100 feet at up to 29% gradients.
Our starting point is Dorking station car park. People can take the train here on the morning, drive and park, or stay overnight in Dorking itself. We’ll start out at 08:30, head through the North of Dorking, and follow the Denbies vineyard boundary paths. This first section is going to be our warm up. Taking it at a steady pace we’ll head away from the North Downs, and take a gradual ascent towards Leith Hill and the 18th century tower at the top at the 7 mile mark. This is the highest point in the South East of England, and obviously the highest point on our hike!
Following Leith Hill, we’re going to swiftly hit the second of our peaks, Holmbury Hill just before the 10 mile mark. This hill’s topped out by an Iron Age hillfort, and sits in the glorious Hurtwood. On our way down we’re going to aim to stop off at the Royal Oak in Holmbury St Mary. This is the halfway point of our day, and where we plan to stop for lunch and to reload with water.
Now we’re going to have a choice, either to head through Westcott and past a small shop, or to carry on along back paths. Either way, we’re going to eventually come to the three quarter mark, and a climb on to the top to the North Downs Way. We’ll be following this back to the East, along the top of Denbies, and approaching Box Hill from Westhumble.
Our final climb starts after we cross the River Mole at the stepping stones. While it’s a steep one, we’re now into the last two miles! At this point we can enjoy the view, see where we’ve been, and know that the hills are done. We’re going to come down, enter Dorking further up river, and then through back to the start at Dorking Station to recover.
We’re not planning to take this at pace, as we want to do this as a community. We’re going to look out for each other, support each other, and have fun doing it! Saying that, if anyone does run into issues, there’s public transport escape routes at the 13 mile and 18.5 mile points, along with other points where it’s possible to get to the road for a taxi. If we need to adjust on the day to help people, we will.
Equipment wise, you’ll need some footwear you feel comfortable walking long distances in, preferably some sturdy walking shoes or boots. It’s also worth considering if you’d find walking poles useful, as they do make a difference over longer distances. You’re also going to want some layers, and a waterproof jacket (depending on the great British weather!). We should be back before sunset at 18:21, but please bring a torch (ideally a head torch) as well, just in case. The other thing to bear in mind is water. We won’t be walking near shops for most of the day, so please make sure you’re able to carry enough.
It’s a good idea to try a longer hike with what you’re going to be carrying, just to be sure it sits comfortably!
We have limited places for any individuals that would like to join us on this challenge – so if that’s you, then drop us a line and tell us why you would like to join us (sha@thewellnessmovement.co.uk) or comment below and we shall get back to you soon. In the meantime click link in bio for further details of our hike, including the route map.
You can see the route map here with elevation profile: https://bit.ly/3BaG97r
