Bentley, Gently and Contently (with Zero Mud and Flood)

The gentle sweeps of downland that fade into the slate blue of the winter horizon. The profound stillness that is only disturbed by a skylark. The quiet lanes that wander across the landscape, their destinations obscure. The handsome red-brick houses that stand aloof if large, or huddled into communities if small. The barns and former oast houses that stored the abundant wheat and barley grown on the chalk plateau or the hops grown beside the River Wey. The twentieth-century notables who made this district their home. Let's make a date in early February to explore this wistful, peaceful area. We'll only be using tarmac lanes so we can avoid the mud, and, I hope, any floods.

The sights:

Bentley: Quite a suburbanised little place, but with some fine buildings. St Mary's Church is C13 and largely unrestored apart from the Victorian aisles. Jenkyn Place was home to Harold Sanderson, owner of the White Star Line, when news of the sinking of the Titanic reached him. Bentley House is early C18, and Bury Court has a set of three oast houses and a long barn.

Isington: A hamlet that is part of Binstead village, Isington Mill is a converted C18 water mill on the River Wey. It was the last home of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, who died there in 1976, aged 88. Montgomery is buried at Binstead Churchyard.

Lower Froyle: A straggling place with the main group at Upper Froyle. Coldrey House has a Georgian front on a house from 1560. Hussey's Farm is also timber-framed and with a Georgian front. It has four splendid oast houses. Hodges Farmhouse is Late C17, and 1766, and most handsome.

Well: A hamlet in the parish of Long Sutton. A well with a well-head sits at a road junction.

The route (please see the link here):

Station Road will take us west, then north and over the A31 to Bentley. This lane will become Hole Lane which we'll follow all the way to the junction with Crondall Lane west to Well. We'll then head south along Well Lane to Froyle Road which we'll follow to, and past, the pub. We'll cross over the A31 again and take Isington Lane to that village, before taking Isington Road to Station Road to go back to the station.

Dogs:

I love having dogs on my walks and this walk is fairly suitable for them although it will be all lane walking and there might be some fields with livestock. A dog off the lead must be obedient.

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(All pictures were taken by the leader on his recce in January 2025. OutdoorLads is welcome to reuse them.)