Botanizing at Oakshott Heath. 267 



loss where to go next for fresh, air, fine scenery, and the choicest 

 examples of the British flora, let them select any town or village 

 in this range of hills, and having made the transit thither by 

 rail or road, they may be sure of finding pleasure if they care 

 to seek it. But supposing the reader to have explored these 

 hills throughout, he will probably know but little of Oakshott ; 

 he will have shot past it, or round it, somehow in his wander- 

 ings, and the better for him, for there is a happy experience in 

 reserve — a real sensation ; and if he takes Oakshott last instead 

 of first, the Surrey hills will be dealt with fairly : but it would be 

 unfair to go to Oakshott first, because after feasting on its 

 beauties, many more famous spots on this range will be found 

 very tame by comparison. While the map is spread out, it will 

 be as well to mark out the site that now interests us. The Epsom 

 branches of the South- Western and South-Eastern Railways ter- 

 minate at Leatherhead, almost in the centre of the long range of 

 the Surrey hills. A little to the south of Leatherhead, the land 

 rises higher and higher towards Dorking, and on the nearest of 

 the slopes is situated the princely estate of Olaremont, of which 

 Oakshott is but an unimportant waste, producing scarcely 

 fodder enough to keep one donkey. We have been botanizing 

 about Leatherhead and the surrounding hills occasionally during 

 the past six months, but as our botanizing was mixed up with 

 serious matters of business, we rarely got more than glimpses 

 of the floral treasures that abound here, and determined to put 

 business aside for a season, and pay court to Flora only. Self 

 and friend took train on the 28th of September for Leather- 

 head : arrived at Leatherhead at dusk, walked along the new 

 road to the right of the station, past Prince's Cover, direct to 

 Oakshott. Here found at the " Brown Bear " inn a party of 

 rustics, eighteen in number, prepared to eat a supper of boiled 

 beef, roast mutton, and plum pudding. Joined this party, par- 

 took of the generous fare, made speeches, and next morning 

 started early to the heath. If my reader intends to take the 

 same route, the " Brown Bear " is to be recommended, not for 

 any elegance of the bear itself, for it is a somewhat rugged 

 animal, but because of its nearness to the scene of action, and 

 the certainty of finding the heath from this starting-point. We 

 start, provided with vasculum, basket, and provender, for we 

 shall not enter a human habitation till nightfall. We are armed 

 with knives, pocket-lenses, good temper, stout sticks, and 

 waterproof boots, but anticipate no dangers but such as pro- 

 perly belong to steep hills and treacherous bogs. 



We take the road, and our first halt is at a bend to the left, 

 where, as the land falls directly before us, we have a grand view 

 of the country to the north and east. Far across the hills lies 

 Hampton Court, to the right of that Kingston, and further on 



