Directions

Meet: Either in The Queens Head, Nutfield High Street (note depart at 2:00pm sharp to drive to Mercers Park) 
Or at the picnic area in Mercers Park at 2:15pm. Mercers Park is between Merstham (to the north) and Nutfield (to the south).

Nat Grid Ref: TQ301518

From the north: This route avoids major roadworks in Merstham (April 2000). Heading south from Coulsdon/Croydon, Merstham is on the A23 south of it's junction with M23 and where it crosses M25. After crossing M25, continue to Merstham High Street. Continue, approx. ½ mile after war memorial & clock turn left at traffic lights into New Battlebridge Lane. Soon turn left at T-junction into Battlebridge Lane. Under railway bridges then ahead (approx. ¼ mile) to crossroads with church on right. Turn right into Nutfield Road. After just under 1 mile the entrance to Mercers Park is on the left.

From all other directions: Nutfield is on the A25 between Redhill (to the west) and Blechingley (to the east) just west of where the A25 crosses M23. From Nutfield village centre (High Street) turn north opposite "The Crown" pub into Church Hill. After approx. 1 mile the entrance to Mercers Park is on the right.

Public transport will be difficult. Redhill station (about 3 miles distant) then bus 411 to Nutfield BUT the timetable shows only every 2 hours at 10:15, 12:15 and 14:15 on Sundays. 
Merstham or South Nutfield stations are about 2 miles distant from Mercers Park.

Location Map:

The walk starts from the Picnic Area just inside Mercers Park:

Route & Question Sheet

STARTERS 
In the picnic area and immediate surrounds up to the club/shop. 

1.	Camel to wreck Emperor's composure
2.	Fourth rate - could they be?   Or was the artist Ali-G?
3.	A polite request to withdraw   In protest at those who close down more

STAGE I  
Proceed along track past shop and through gate. Ahead to far left corner of field. Follow sandy path ahead between works on right and lake on left. Stage ends at new wooden footbridge on right. 

4.	Benefactor turns the key   To keep out you and me
5.	Mechanical installation   Provides punchy communication
6.	Hint: there's no answer down there!

STAGE II   
Continue along sandy path keeping lake on left. At tarmac access road, turn right and out to road. Turn left along road (single file along verge). After 50 yards, onto grass area on left. Continue ahead towards white house. Stage ends at stile to left of house. 

7.	Vigilant observers will find a hidden message
8.	Those with pips or stripes must resign   To being without net or line
9.	Not for those who keep moving along, that is clear Witches won't get a ducking here!

STAGE III  
Over stile to left of house and ahead across field. Continue along path with hedge on left. After a while, over stile and continue ahead, initially with hedge on right then crossing field to another stile. Over and continue ahead towards house at far side. Stage ends at gateway (don't go through) by house. 

10.	How to screw   Black on blue
11.	No way!
12.	Four thousand in Blackburn, Lancashire,   And though they're rather small   You don't have to count them all   (But they know how many to fill the Albert Hall)

STAGE IV 
Turn right along side of field (hedge on left). At corner over stile ahead, then, ignoring path left, over another stile ahead. Diagonally right across field then ignoring path to right and keeping house to left, over another stile and up narrow path. Stage ends at metal footpath signs and stile on right just before left bend. 

13.	Friendly idiomatic environment lovingly defended
14.	Gullible Heather   Out in all weather
15.	Another gin Mother?   Ivy's got you covered one way or another

STAGE V 
Over stile on right then ditch and along left-hand side (top) of field. At far corner, over stile and left. Soon follow path right towards church. Bear left through churchyard (hint: no answers on the memorial stones) and exit through main gate, where stage ends.  
This is a lovely little church and well worth looking inside (if open). Parts date from about 1250 and some recently found medieval stained glass showing St. George has been incorporated into the top of one of the west windows. 

16.	Here we find Bill's leisure   With time to stand and stare
17.	To keep warm as toast   At this cold outpost
18.	Paul sounding brass:   The first is last!

STAGE VI 
Turn right along pavement (down hill). Very soon at steps on right, cross road and take footpath (track) opposite. Follow path (yellow arrows) through trees then along side of field, ignoring paths left & right. Keep going ahead, eventually through more trees and crossing wide grass track. Still keep going ahead until kissing gate at corner of field where stage ends. 

19.	Film scripts the censor must screen   And he'll probably cut the murder scene!
20.	Your order is progressing   Through logistical processing

STAGE VII 
Through kissing gate and down side of field with fence on right. At far side over stile, ahead along wide path. Keep going until reaching road. Turn right and stage ends where road ends at field. 

21.	Smokers ditch the habit
22.	Ugh! Oh no! Drat! or turn about

STAGE VIII 
Turn left in front of houses then bear right across field towards white house (in distance)and keeping cricket pitch to right. Cross road and continue along footpath. Near white house, turn left along track through Mercers Farm. After farm buildings on left, through gate across track and left to stile and bridge. Over and left to gate by shop where walk started. 

23.	A dance at the grasshoppers ball?
24.	Part of the “Stop Ken” campaign?
25.	May the forces be with you   And keep an eye out two!

Young Walkers Questions

All stages and directions are as the walk above.

THROUGHOUT THE WALK
a.	As you walk these three miles   Upon which stage do we cross the most stiles?

STARTER
b.	Ahoy there!   Pirates! Where?

STAGE I
c.	What must you take home?   And why can't you leave it where you roam?

STAGE II
d.	This happy chap has got the hump!

STAGE III
e.	What colour the pointers used to show All of us which way to go?

STAGE IV
f.	If you were allowed today   Where could you climb and play?

STAGE V
g.	How do you use the sun to tell the time When the clock does not chime?

STAGE VI
h.	Sounds like a soft coat they wear And a trunk up in the air!

STAGE VII
i.	Where do you think   Cows and horses can get a drink?

STAGE VIII
j.	On this farm they have a cow What colour is it now

Answers

1. Welcome to Mercers Park - anagram of “Camel to wreck Emperor’s” 
2. “Manufactured by D-Signs” on notice board 
3. “Please stay at least 30 metres from banks” signs 
4. Patron padlock 
5. Conveyor belt 
6. Anglers Path sign 
7. (Danger) buried cable - sign 
8. Private Fishing - sign 
9. No Swimming - sign 
10. “Tighten with a wrench” on black nut securing blue plastic pipe 
11. Stile, completely overgrown by hedge 
12. Holes (rabbit burrows): misquoted from A Day In The Life, a song by The Beatles 
13. Field - initial letters from clue 
14. Sapling - sap (gullible) & ling (heather) 
15. Ruin, part covered in ivy 
16. “What is this life if full of care”: carved on a broken seat, opening line from the poem "Leisure" by Wm Henry Davies: 

What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare as long as sheep or cows etc.

17. Gate tied up to post with an old scarf 
18. “Faith Hope & Charity. The greatest of these is Charity”: over church gate - taken from the Bible (1 Corinthians XIII) 
19. “Unauthorised shooting strictly forbidden” - notice on gate 
20. Pipeline - small metal pipe running alongside then over footpath 
21. Pieces of old pipe (of various types and sizes) in ditch 
22. No Through Road (sign) - anagram of “ugh oh no drat or” 
23. Cricket square 
24. Newt Exclusion Fencing: reference to Ken Livingstone & the London mayor election campaign 
25. “Surrey Police Horse Watch” and “Metropolitan Police Horse Watch Area” signs on gate post 

Young Walker Answers

a. 3, 4 & 7 (3 each) 
b. By the flag with skull & crossbones 
c. Litter. To protect the countryside (Sign: “Protect your countryside, Please take your litter home”)
d. The camel - on Mercers Park sign 
e. Yellow (arrows) 
f. In the garden (climbing frame) 
g. Use the sundial (on the church) 
h. Fir trees 
i. Trough 
j. Black (on Mercers Farm sign)