Gritting and snow clearance in Godstone

Sand in the village, clay to the south: paths gritted by hand to suit the ground they’re on.

Not every path in the parish freezes the same way, and that’s the first thing to know about gritting in Godstone. The old village around the Green and Church Town stands on loose, pale Folkestone sand. Blindley Heath, in the south of the parish, is on Weald Clay. One drains in minutes and the other hardly drains at all, so the same frost behaves differently on each.

We’re a family-run team from Horley, about six and a half miles away. Snow gets cleared by hand, then paths, drives, steps, entrances and car parks are salted. Ring when you need us, or join our winter list and we’ll come out when frost or snow is forecast.

Sand drains, clay doesn’t: gritting Godstone’s two halves

On the sand, rain soaks away quickly and a path is often dry by dusk. That doesn’t make it safe: dew or a passing shower can still freeze into a thin film overnight. Down on the clay, water sits in every low spot on the drive and lawn edges stay sodden all winter, so the ice there is thicker and slower to go.

We treat the two differently. Village paths get a light salting before a forecast frost. Drives and steps on the clay get watched more closely through a cold spell, because they freeze again night after night and the grit wears off faster than you’d expect.

Pub terraces, school gates and business units

A lot of Godstone’s winter footfall happens away from home. The old inns have terraces and courtyards that need to be safe before the doors open. The parish has two primary schools, a nursing home, units at a South Godstone business park and around four hundred flats with shared paths. HSE expects employers to manage the slip risk on outdoor routes in ice and snow, and a written list of what gets gritted, and when, is the simplest way to show you’ve done it. As a gritting company working by hand, we agree that list with you and confirm each visit.

Gritting in Godstone: your questions

Anything else, just ring. You’ll speak to the people who do the work.

Our drive slopes down to the house. Can you grit just part of it?

Yes. Plenty of people only want the stretch they walk on, plus the steps to the front door. Show us which parts matter before winter and we’ll stick to them, so there’s no guesswork on a dark morning.

Will salt burn the lawn edges on sandy soil?

Salt is hard on grass if it builds up, and the damage tends to show in spring as a brown strip beside the path. We use only what the surface needs and never pile salty snow onto the lawn or into a border.

Is there any point gritting if heavy snow is forecast?

Some. Salt laid before light snow helps stop the bottom layer bonding to the path. Deep snow we clear by hand first, then salt the surface underneath so it doesn’t refreeze as slush.