70/71/72 Guildford – Godalming – Midhurst

From the thriving county town of Guildford with its vibrant shopping centre, this is a journey that traverses the scenic heart of Surrey into deepest West Sussex. It’s a trip that winds its way through delightful villages, of manicured gardens, tree lined, twisting and turning roads and a mix of heathland, cattle-grazing waterside meadowland and shrubery throughout, alongside the picturesque River Wey and passing the charms of Godalming and Haslemere with its timbered and tile hung houses and cottages. This is a journey that is in the midst of idyllic National Trust land and of villages and towns with fashionable shops, perfectly-kept historic buildings and architecture, as well as museums and unforgettable walks aplenty.

There’s plenty to enjoy in Guildford before starting your bus journey, including a High Street with cobbled shops and retail across the City which includes trendy designer outlets, independent shops and pleasant pattiseries and coffee shops. Of course, there’s few better places to visit than the Castle which is over 300 years old and also its surrounding gardens with their colourful flowerbeds and a statue of Alice Through the Looking Glass, a memorial to the author Lewis Carroll. On the 70, 71 or 72 bus from the Bus Station and the first suggested stop-off is at Goldmaling. Here a visit to the Godalming museum is highly recommended. It celebrates the work of Gertrude Jekyll, garden designer for Edwin Lutyens’ many commissions in the area and also Jack Phillips, the wireless operator on the Titanic. If you’ve got the taste of gardens, then you could also then catch from Godalming the 71 bus, alighting the bus at the Mulberry Pub/Ramsnest/Killinghurst which is the gatewaty to Ramster Gardens with is set in over 20 acres and is a spring woodland garden with stunning flowers. There’s also woodland walks, a bog garden, tenning court garden and a collection of azaleas and rhododendorns and hard hybid rhododedrons in Ant Wood. There’s also sculptures and a lovely tearoom. Back on the 71 and this time to Haslemere and the award winning independent museum with remarkable collections of natural history, human history and geology. Then re-join the 70 or 72 bus to Midhurst, a market town with fantastic shops, set in the heart of the South Downs National Park. Gateway to the 70, 71 and 72 bus routes: By train to Guildford