Surrey has one other Marilyn besides Leith Hill, the county top. Botley Hill (876ft / 255m) is more a plateau than a hill with some very steep sides but quite level on top. So level in fact that is quite hard to work out where the highest point is and last October, the ‘top’ was relocated to its present position, near a water tower and ubiquitous radio mast. This is a bit of a bummer for everyone who has visited the former location, a trig point near the Woldingham Road, me included, who will now have to troop out to Surrey the bag the new top.
I had visited Botley Hill One on a mild, grey day in December 2006 on my way to bag the top of Kent. It was only about a sort distance from where I left the van. Easy and convenient! In January 2009 I returned to the same car park near Titsey Place hoping to combine Botley Hill Two (the relocated top) with Botley Hill Three (the former county top of Greater London). On a day with better weather and more time this would make quite a good walk. However, on the chosen day it was hard to tell if the North Downs were cloaked in high mist or low cloud. With visibility was down to 100 metres there was a real chance of getting lost. It was so bad I had to wear my high visibility jacket.
Botley Hill Three (837ft / 255m) is a point in someone’s back garden which was part of Greater London between 1965 and 1993 before Surrey reclaimed this area with a boundary change. It took me just over 30 mins to walk to Waylands House, peer over their wall and take the obligatory photo. It was so misty I probably could have wandered around their garden unapprehended but I had to make do with getting within 150 feet. Topping can be very silly at times!
I decided to relocate Archie to another car park within half a mile of Botley Hill Two. However I missed the turn off and had to drive all the way round the hill via the village of Woldingham. It looked and felt more like the Peak District than Surrey. I imagine there was quite a nice view from the car park as it was atop the scarp side but visibility here was down to a few yards. It was still possible to hear the M25 less than a mile away though. Botley Hill Two is just off the Vanguard Way and the actual top was barred by very large fence and some severe warnings protecting the water tower and telecom masts. No views here either, even in good weather.
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