Cranleigh was the starting point for the 35th Poddle which was held on Sunday 10 June. The Poddle is The Wey & Arun Canal Trust's annual sponsored walk. 202 walkers took part and the starting point (at the Bandroom, on the edge of the village) allowed them to set out straight into the countryside, starting with a short stretch along the route of the Guildford-Horsham railway. This railway closed in the 1960s and is now a long-distance footpath and cycle route for most of its length.

The weather was pleasantly sunny and warm without being excessively hot, so walkers were able to enjoy plenty of wild flowers and beautiful views of the Surrey countryside.

Marshals were on hand to help with road crossings and the route was expertly signposted, with several refreshment points along the way. The first part of the walk was gently upwards to the hilltop village of Hascombe, then down to the lunch stop at the Winn Hall in Dunsfold.

After lunch the walk passed through horse-breeding country to Mill Farm, once the site of a wharf on the Wey & Arun Canal. The line of the canal is clearly visible beside the house. A little further on, walkers were able to see a section of canal that had been cleared by the Trust's Midweek Working Party in 2006.

After passing Knowle House, where Oliver Cromwell is said to have stayed, the walkers found themselves back at the Bandroom in Cranleigh, at the end of the 13-mile route.

Joanne Holcombe, the Poddle organiser, was delighted to report that everyone returned safely and the amount pledged by sponsors was provisionally estimated at £11,300. This money will be a boost to the Trust's ambitious project to restore the canal crossing under the main road (the B2133) in Loxwood, West Sussex.

Further information and photographs in the form of JPEG files can be obtained from the Wey & Arun Trust's Public Relations Officer: Sally Schupke (01483 560543): email: pr@weyandarun.co.uk

For general information on the work of the Wey and Arun Canal Trust, please telephone the Trust office on 01403 752403.