January often inspires ambitious resolutions, but many of them vanish by February! So why not choose something you genuinely enjoy instead?
Rediscover an old passion or explore a brand-new one, right here on your doorstep. From art appreciation, flower arranging, classical music and choirs to cooking, gardening, running, rackets, fitness, golf and more. There truly is something for everyone in Limpsfield!
If you’re looking to get moving, Limpsfield Fitness can offer some great exercise classes for group motivation, and there are some fantastic local running groups. Both Oxted Runners and Oxted Ladies Run offer friendly weekly sessions, with the latter also running walk/run options for beginners or anyone easing back into fitness.
If sports with rackets are more your style, The Limpsfield (Tennis) Club now offers pickleball, as well as padel, squash, badminton, racketball and traditional tennis – something for every taste and ability level. Meanwhile, at The Chart Golf Club, you’ll find membership options to suit all golfers, from absolute beginners in the Academy to committed players seeking full membership, competition access and the full social calendar.
For those who prefer creativity to cardio, Kate Tulett’s Art 4 All classes provide a warm, encouraging space to explore drawing, painting and all things artistic – perfect for a creative and cosy winter hobby. Check out www.katetulettart.com for her regular or one-off courses and workshops.
If food is what gets you going, Limpsfield Chart’s Quince House Cookery School on Caxton Lane runs a range of delicious courses, including a Healthy Treating session on Friday 30 January. A wonderful way to expand your skills, and your recipe repertoire! www.quincehousecookery.squarespace.com
Discover Winter Wildlife Around Limpsfield
If the BBC’s wildlife programmes have sparked your curiosity, winter is a wonderful time to explore our corner of the Surrey Hills and see what’s living quietly around us. With leaves down and the countryside peaceful, spotting wildlife becomes surprisingly easy and we have some great spotter sheets for you at http://www.limpsfieldsurrey.com and at www.friendsoflimpsfieldcommon.org.
Look out for redwings, fieldfares, treecreepers and woodpeckers, all more visible among the bare branches. You might even be lucky enough to witness a swirling starling murmuration – one of winter’s true natural spectacles.
On the Common and High Chart, early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to glimpse fallow, roe and muntjac deer, though please take extra care driving, especially along Kent Hatch Road. You may also hear the eerie calls of foxes, now in their mating season. Our lively population of grey squirrels is hard to miss but keep an eye out for the Chart’s much-talked-about white squirrel!
In your own garden, caring for winter wildlife can be wonderfully simple: leave things a little untidy, keep a shallow dish of water ice-free, and avoid chemicals. Log piles, leaf corners and undisturbed ground provide essential shelter for hedgehogs, small mammals and insects, while feeders stocked with seeds and suet help your garden birds thrive through the coldest weeks.
Big Garden Birdwatch is back – Get spotting on 23-25 January
Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey. Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers like you take part, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring. All you need to do is spend 30 minutes spotting birds in your back garden or local green space, note down what you see and submit it the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch site. All info is HERE.
Wassail time – Save the date!
The ever-popular Wassail at the Limpsfield Community Orchard takes place on Sunday 11 January, 4.30–6.30pm. Meet at the Legion on Grub Street at 4.30pm and join the colourful noisy procession to the orchard—think warm clothes, rattles, whistles, bells and lots of cheerful singing. It’s a fantastic family evening and a wonderful way to celebrate the orchard and ward off any lingering bad spirits!
Our smaller orchard on Stoneleigh Road now has new animal feeders and a hedgehog house. It’s a peaceful little spot to pause and enjoy a quiet moment watching wildlife, so please do pop in when you can.
A gentle reminder to allotment holders on Limpsfield Chart. The Stoneleigh Road Allotments have become rather neglected and sad in recent years. While TDC is doing some much needed clearing and cutting back, allotment holders are also duty-bound to keep their allotments cultivated, tidy and rubbish free. If you have a plot, please do spend a little time this winter tending it and getting rid of accumulated rubbish.
With frosty days ahead, please help keep our pavements safe. Surrey’s gritters cover priority routes only, so clearing outside your home is a big help to everyone. You’ll find grit bin locations on the Limpsfield Parish Council website and local merchants such as Fairalls sell bags of brown rock salt.
We are happy to say our Chart playground repairs should be completed this month. If you notice anything needing attention, please tell Tandridge District Council or contact our Parish Clerk.
Finally, a reminder about responsible countryside use: motorbikes are strictly prohibited on the Chart and Common, and cyclists must stay on bridleways and multi-use tracks, always giving way to walkers and horse riders. Horse riders must also only use bridleways, not footpaths.
Please take your rubbish with you if possible and clean up after your dogs. Help us protect our beautiful spaces – both for people and for wildlife.
Published in January’s Oxted Local – Read the full issue online, HERE:
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