Hiking in Surrey - Gomshall Mill Pub & North Downs

There is no dearth of quaint buildings in Surrey. So far, the quaintest of them all has been the Gomshall Mill Pub. A 17th century riverside mill with original beams and floor boards, there is a tiny river that still runs through this building! Starting the hike up to North Downs on a misty December morning, the air was fresh, crisp and heady with petrichor (which means the pleasant smell when rain falls on dry soil - latest addition to my vocabulary; courtesy of my 12 year old son). The dried leaves were rustling underfoot, the moss shone a brilliant green. And at the end of a grueling 6 mile hike, a festive, cozy little pub awaited the muddy boots and sweaty shirts. The picture of the telephone booth outside the pub and that of the cozy interior was taken by my friend Amanda of the AWS Country hikes, who has been foremost in introducing me to this beautiful landscape of Surrey.