Farthing Downs and Happy Valley Circular

Farthing Downs is the most extensive area of semi-natural chalk downland left in Greater London, a 53 hectare Scheduled Ancient Monument with an Iron Age field system, cart ruts and sixteen Anglo-Saxon burial barrows still visible in the turf, grazed by sheep and cattle that mean dogs go on a lead when livestock are present. This circular route of around 5.5km crosses the open downs, where the London Loop long distance path runs along the ridge, before dropping into the steep-sided dry valley of Happy Valley and looping back through Devilsden Wood at the northern end. The chalk grassland supports rare wildflowers, including one of the country's largest populations of greater yellow rattle, and the climbing in and out of Happy Valley gives the walk a proper sense of relief for somewhere so close to central London.

This dog friendly stretch of downland gives dogs plenty of open, off-lead grassland to explore, but sheep and cattle graze here to keep the chalk turf in good condition for its wildflowers, so dogs need to go on lead whenever livestock are present on the downs or in Happy Valley. There is no significant water on the route, so bring some for a dog on a warm day, and the exposed downland offers little shade outside Devilsden Wood. The steep valley sides can be hard going underfoot in wet weather. There is no cafe on site, so this suits a there-and-back to the car with refreshments elsewhere in Coulsdon, and parking is available in the free car park off Ditches Lane.