10th JAN.REIGATE HILL to NEWLANDS CORNER nr.White Lane carpark

It seemed really dark on getting out the tent, packing up using the head torch. It was quite an interesting day,  firstly passing an old 1800s fort then stumbling through chalk sludge having descended to the bottom of the Downs.
We passed the old lime kiln,  abit different than the ones on the Welsh coast and onto Box Hill.
It was the National Trust land and the cafe reflected the fact. A bar of NT choc was £3....we did not eat and made do with a coffee, it was good though. We sat next to a gaggle of five woman that all seemed to be talking at the same time ....the volume was incredible.
We walked on,  a bird song I did not recognise and using my newly acquired binoculars, from Oxted, we saw six Ringed Necked Parakeet.
It was a strange sight seeing parrot like birds in the wild in Britain.
We were unable to use the 'Stepping Stones' over the River Mole as it was in flood ... more like floodish.
We nipped into Dorking for more affordable snacks passed the Denbies Wine Estate.
We walked onto Ranmore Common stopping in a shelter with a North Downs theme,  it was more of a bus like shelter with a few posters.
The rest of the route was uneventful and weaved through woodlands , some of which the seemed to have mutated trees ...I think they call it ancient woodlands. There were also curious round water filled structures which the guide book described as signs of the Canadians being here during the war,  very Canadian?
We had to pace it out to Newlands Corner Visitor centre as we knew there was potential of water there and was paranoid that it may close at 4. We got there in plenty of time,  filled up water containers and the bonus of chips.
We walked on toward the car park the other end of the down and found a spot out of way tucked under an old Yew tree.
We had a cuppa and choc hobnobs from Dorking and that was it,  we were full. We were asleep again by 8.