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The Thames Down Link is a official walking route linking the
Thames Path The Thames Path is a National Trail following the River Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Woolwich foot tunnel, south east London. It is about long. A path was first proposed in 1948 but it only opened in 1996. The ...
and the
North Downs Way The North Downs Way National Trail is a long-distance path in southern England, opened in 1978. It runs from Farnham to Dover, past Guildford, Dorking, Merstham, Otford and Rochester, along the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Be ...
. It starts in the town centre of
Kingston upon Thames Kingston upon Thames (hyphenated until 1965, colloquially known as Kingston) is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, England. It is situated on the River Thames and southwest of Charing Cross. It is notable a ...
and finishes at
Box Hill & Westhumble railway station Box Hill & Westhumble is a railway station in the village of Westhumble in Surrey, England, approximately north of Dorking town centre. Box Hill is located approximately to the east. It is down the line from . Train services are operated b ...
.


Name

The path is so called as it connects the River Thames with the
North Downs The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. Much of the North Downs comprises two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs): the Surrey Hills ...
, the hill range which is to the south as far as the western border of Surrey.


Sources

The route starts at
Kingston upon Thames Kingston upon Thames (hyphenated until 1965, colloquially known as Kingston) is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, England. It is situated on the River Thames and southwest of Charing Cross. It is notable a ...
town centre and finishes at
Box Hill & Westhumble railway station Box Hill & Westhumble is a railway station in the village of Westhumble in Surrey, England, approximately north of Dorking town centre. Box Hill is located approximately to the east. It is down the line from . Train services are operated b ...
. The path follows as closely as possible the banks of the
Hogsmill River The Hogsmill River in Surrey and Greater London, England is a small chalk stream tributary of the River Thames. It rises in Ewell and flows into the Thames at Kingston upon Thames on the lowest non-tidal Reach (geography), reach, that above Ted ...
through the urban fringes of
Kingston Kingston may refer to: Places * List of places called Kingston, including the five most populated: ** Kingston, Jamaica ** Kingston upon Hull, England ** City of Kingston, Victoria, Australia ** Kingston, Ontario, Canada ** Kingston upon Thames, ...
passing
Berrylands railway station Berrylands railway station is a National Rail station in the borough of Kingston upon Thames, London. It is south-west of and is situated between and . Location Berrylands, operated by South Western Railway, is on the South West Main Li ...
. South of this it is more rural following the banks of the river south through fields to the A3 and under the
South West The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each sepa ...
railway line. A pavemented section by roads passes through
Old Malden Old Malden is a ward of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London, south west of Charing Cross. Malden Manor is an alternative name for part of Old Malden, popularised by the railway company that made up this name for its ...
. After crossing the A240 near Tolworth centre the walk leaves the
Hogsmill River The Hogsmill River in Surrey and Greater London, England is a small chalk stream tributary of the River Thames. It rises in Ewell and flows into the Thames at Kingston upon Thames on the lowest non-tidal Reach (geography), reach, that above Ted ...
and continues on a narrow green strip between houses and beside a stream to reach the
Horton Country Park Horton Country Park is a Local Nature Reserve north-west of Epsom in Surrey. It is owned and managed by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council. The park is a wooded recreation and amenities area occupying the east of a narrow upland watershed betwe ...
, Ewell. The route follows a wide path through the country park soon passing the former
West Park Hospital West Park Hospital is a modern NHS adult psychiatric hospital in Darlington, County Durham, England. It is managed by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. History The hospital was procured under a Private Finance Initiative ...
. It continues over elevated Epsom Common and then crosses the
Sutton and Mole Valley Lines The Sutton and Mole Valley lines were constructed between 1847 and 1868 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, the London and South Western Railway and the LBSCR-sponsored Horsham, Dorking and Leatherhead Railway. Services Services ...
to reach Ashtead Park. The route then passes through the edge of
Ashtead Ashtead is a large village in the Mole Valley district of Surrey, England, approximately south of central London. Primarily a commuter settlement, Ashtead is on the single-carriageway A24 between Epsom and Leatherhead. The village is ...
and then begins to climb up to the
North Downs The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. Much of the North Downs comprises two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs): the Surrey Hills ...
, crossing the
M25 motorway The M25 or London Orbital Motorway is a major road encircling most of Greater London. The motorway is one of the most important roads in the UK and one of the busiest. Margaret Thatcher opened the final section in 1986, making the M25 the lon ...
and then following the ancient Stane Street Roman Road through Tyrrell's Wood and on over Mickleham Downs from where a trip to neighbouring Box Hill on the path to the south is recommended for those making the return journey by foot. It otherwise reaches further south then west to reach the A24 and the
North Downs Way The North Downs Way National Trail is a long-distance path in southern England, opened in 1978. It runs from Farnham to Dover, past Guildford, Dorking, Merstham, Otford and Rochester, along the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Be ...
which continues west about 200 metres to
Box Hill & Westhumble railway station Box Hill & Westhumble is a railway station in the village of Westhumble in Surrey, England, approximately north of Dorking town centre. Box Hill is located approximately to the east. It is down the line from . Train services are operated b ...
(Chapel Lane, Westhumble).


See also

*
Long-distance footpaths in the UK There are hundreds of long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom designated in publications from public authorities, guidebooks and OS maps. They are mainly used for hiking and walking in the United Kingdom, walking, but some may also be used, ...
*
Thames Path The Thames Path is a National Trail following the River Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Woolwich foot tunnel, south east London. It is about long. A path was first proposed in 1948 but it only opened in 1996. The ...
*
North Downs Way The North Downs Way National Trail is a long-distance path in southern England, opened in 1978. It runs from Farnham to Dover, past Guildford, Dorking, Merstham, Otford and Rochester, along the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Be ...
*
London Loop The London Outer Orbital Path — more usually the "London LOOP" — is a 150-mile (242 km) signed walk along public footpaths, and through parks, woods and fields around the edge of Outer London, England, described as "the M25 ...


External links


Thames Down Link
(text route instructions)
Lower Mole Project - countryside and healthy walks

Thames Down Link
(Long Distance Walkers Association)
Full GPX track at gps-routes.co.uk
{{Transport in Surrey Footpaths in Surrey Long-distance footpaths in England