After a week of wind and rain and a storm called Brendan (Brendan, seriously?), the hip replacement playing up (sometimes I wonder if they actually left the old one in) and general January “bleh”, Sunday’s glorious sunshine was like a bolt of energy from a beautiful blue sky. The weather called for a walk – and a proper walk, none of your urban strolling around a city park.

I went to Woldingham – 15 minutes from East Croydon on the train. Mainly because I like the name (it also happens to be the next station after Upper Warlingham, try being the announcer on that train with a hangover). But also because looking at the map of the area surrounding Croydon, Woldingham is on the edge of a big green bit.

I downloaded the All Trails app before I set off so I could follow a walking route – it was useless. I could see an overview of a possible route but to download the detail would have cost me a year’s subscription fee. So I did it the old-fashioned way and printed – yes, printed – the Woldingham Countryside Walk.

From information board outside Woldingham station, turn right along Church Road. Just before Church Road Farm, turn right over railway bridge and left towards Marden Park Farm. Continue up gently sloping bridleway, taking in views across the valley.

This is proper countryside – glorious vistas and sweeping views, made all the better by that huge expanse of blue sky and sunshine. There’s still signs of this morning’s frost, as well last week’s rains and God is that ‘gently sloping bridleway’ muddy. Don’t try this with trainers.

Bear right on tarmac road and then left through iron gates on to Horse Chestnut Avenue. Worth a look back to see view of 19th century mansion, once part of the Marden Park estate, established by Sir Robert Clayton, Lord Mayor of London.

Right, so I can’t see any sight of the 19th century mansion but it’s still a very nice view. Lord Clayton was a local 17th century politician, owned a bank and rebuilt St Thomas’ Hospital in London, though clearly had nothing to do with the mansion, which is now Woldingham School.

At South Lodge, bear left and then turn immediately left through squeeze gap into Marden Park. Climb steep 200m section of path with care.

It was steep but the view from the top of the hill was worth it – looking over Godstone and Bletchingley and, according to my map, views as far as the South Downs on a clear day. Which was news to me. I thought I was in the South Downs. But no. Turns out this is the North Downs.

The North Downs, according to my info, has inspired the likes of JM Turner, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Winston Churchill and Charles Darwin both lived nearby. The North Downs Way runs 153 miles from Surrey into Kent, following the Pilgrims Way to Canterbury Cathedral. Being fond of a cathedral, I like the idea of walking to Canterbury. But that’s for another day.

For now, I’m veering off my guided walk, 3 miles in. There’s another 3 miles to go if I want to stay on this route and end up back at Woldingham station. But a wander back down the hill to South Lodge leads me to “ancient woodland”.

Then this.

No, I wasn’t expecting that either. But then this.

So I follow the path down the road towards the vineyard, walking into clear blue sky.

And I come to this!

Result! Godstone Vineyard, a winery, cafe and wine shop bang in the middle of my healthy countryside walk. In the sunshine. So I take off my mucky boots, sit outside in the sunshine and a very nice lady brings me a cream tea.

The vineyard was set up in 1985 and currently produces about 15,000 bottles of local sparkling wine every year from its 10 acres. I had a small sample of both wines they produce – the white (excellent) and the rose (even more excellent, fine bodied and not the slightly wishy washy liquid rose can often be). Then I sat for another while in the sun, sipping a glass of sparkling wine, and thinking how much I love countryside walks. No wonder they’re so popular. I’m really looking forward to my next one.

(Just to finish off, I should probably say that after tea and a scone with jam and a glass of wine, plus a couple of small wine samples, I couldn’t face the next 3 miles to complete the walk – especially since I’d wandered off the route to the vineyard. So I got an Uber to take me the couple of miles to Caterham station, and from there got a bus to East Croydon. Countryside walks. Fabulous.)