Frith Hill and Charterhouse

This links the spine route near Godalming Station to Frith Hill, Charterhouse and the Surrey Cycleway.

Why is this link important?

Frith Hill is a significant centre of population.  Most of the residents need to access the town centre from time to time and commuters make a daily return journey to Godalming or Farncombe Station.  Some already walk but, by improving pedestrian and cycle access, more might be encouraged away from the easy option of using a car for this short journey.

The students and staff of Charterhouse School would also gain benefit from a greenway link to the town and the same route would connect to a signed, Surrey Cycleway which passes the school.

Creating links to the hill-top residential areas around Godalming present some of the greatest challenges on the greenway network.  The hilly nature of these areas means that they do not immediately lend themselves to cycling.  Nevertheless, this difficulty is being offset by the increasing ownership of electrically assisted bikes that greatly reduce the effort required to cycle up hill.  Rather more problematic, is identifying a suitable route.

  • Borough Road is currently the only route connecting the town to this area. It twists and turns with poor sight-lines, is a bus route and is very constrained in width in several locations.
  • To ascend the hill, the choice is Charterhouse Road, which is busy, or Deanery Road/Frith Hill Road, which is very steep.

The suggested route capitalises on proposed development to create a greenway through Westbrook Mills.  It leaves the spine near Godalming Station and connects to Borough Road near the Charterhouse Arms cross-roads.  Deanery Road and Frith Hill Road are used to ascend the hill to the junction with Knoll Road from where quiet, residential roads connect to local destinations including Charterhouse School.