This is a fun and slightly crazy walk, in which you will 'draw' a picture of Farncombe, the hearing dog, as you trace your route with your favourite tracking app.
In truth, Farncombe is more of a puppy than a dog. You can discover the delightful hearing puppies and learn about their training at: www.hearingdogs.org.uk
Once a puppy has passed all the exams to become a hearing dog, he or she will be the life transforming partner of a deaf person, alerting them to all the sounds we take for granted. Is that a visitor knocking at the door or maybe a friend is calling on the phone? Is that the oven timer announcing that lunch is cooked or the smoke alarm warning that the toast is burning! And a hearing dog is so much more. For a deaf person, their hearing dog can become their best friend, helping to break the isolation that deafness brings. For some deaf people, their hearing dog has literally been their life saver.
So, grab your phone, turn on your tracking app and get walking!
The full walk is about six-and-a-half miles but you can split it into two 'loops' that both begin and end near Farncombe station. One loop is just under 4 miles and the other just over 2.5 miles. Bus routes 42 and 46 intersect the walk at several points so you could combine a walk with a bus ride if you would like even shorter sections.
Can I cycle it? The answer is "mostly". A lot of the route is on road. Short sections follow footpaths and one is specifically marked "no cycling" but you could walk your bike here. There are two, short flights of steps but there are no gates or styles to negotiate. Be aware that some of the route is quite hilly!

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