I find one of the best ways to cope with jet lag, particularly 13 hours worth (travelling from New Zealand to the UK), is to go for an early morning walk. Here are a few photos from walks around Oxted and Limpsfield, small towns in Surrey in south-east England, which are surrounded by greenery and farm land.
There is an old part to Oxted dating from the 15th century, but the main high street developed after the railway was built away from here in 1884, while most of Limpsfield is older (noted in the 1086 Domesday book) with narrow streets, and 89 listed buildings.
Oxted’s St Mary’s Church dates in part from the 12th century.
I visited in June 2022, shortly after the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and there were still many Union Jack flags flying.
Close to Limpsfield is the Titsey estate, the seat of the Gresham and Leveson-Gower families since the 16th century and now a charitable trust. The 3,000 acre estate is has many woodland walks, used by over 20,000 people a year.
Limpsfield Chart is a lovely area crossed with dozens of paths, a pleasant place to explore.
There are a surprising number of quarries nearby, including the substantial Moorhouse Sandpits.
A few non-green things also caught my eye, including this tiny letter box, entertaining street art, and this tunnel underneath the M25, the huge road that circles London, close to the Titsey estate.
