The Wetlands walk with its board walks and raised footpaths is perfect for a gentle stroll. The Wetlands Lake and reeds are an ideal habitat for waterfowl, reed buntings and reed warblers. You might even see swallows and a kingfisher. In summer, there is an abundance of wildflowers. The Welsh Badger Face sheep help to check the vegetation as part of the conservation scheme.  

Length: less than 1km

Please note: Dogs are not allowed in the Wetlands area. The paths can become muddy or even submerged after heavy rain. 

Access: Heather Farm car park or on foot. 

Suitable for buggies 

Car park: Heather Farm, Chobham Road, GU21 4XY with EV charging points and disabled parking 

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This circular walk through the meadows is great for all levels of ability and ideal for dog walking. You can make it as long or short as you like. As there are no ground nesting birds in these meadows, the dogs do not have to be on the lead. The footpaths are surfaced and in places there are board walks, making it suitable for buggies.  Throughout the year you can enjoy the wide-open spaces and in summer there is an abundance of meadow flowers.

From the Mimbridge meadows the path crosses the River Bourne, leading into the Bourne Fields. Small aircraft from the nearby Fairoaks Airfield regularly fly over the meadows. These meadows are part of the “SANG” scheme (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace). Walking here reduces the footfall on the more fragile parts of the Common where there is heathland and ground nesting birds.  Enjoy refreshments at Heather Farm Café. There is also a “posh wash” for dogs in the car park.

Length: 2.8km

Please note: As this is part of the flood plain of the River Bourne, the paths can become wet and muddy after heavy rain.

Access; Heather Farm Car Park. Leave the car park with the Wetlands area on your right and head for the wooden bridge across the River Bourne. Then follow the footpath straight ahead or turn right.

Car Park:  Heather Farm, Chobham Road, Woking, GU21 4XY with EV charging points and disabled parking

The Sandpit is a favourite destination on Horsell Common with its open sandy banks and seasonal pond overlooked by iconic pines. This is the site where the Martians landed in H. G. Wells’ science fiction novel “The War of the Worlds”. In recognition of H.G. Wells, who lived in Maybury for one year, the footpath from the Shores Road car park, built in 2019, was named after him. Once you reach the Sandpit, take time to sit and enjoy the scene or explore the exposed tree roots and check the steep sandy banks which are the ideal habitat for rare solitary wasps and bees. You can further explore the rest of the Common from here.

Length: 1.5 km

Access: Leave the car park to reach the easy access footpath and follow this all the way to the east side of the Sandpit where there is the Hanning Seat and a couple of rustic benches. Return on the same path.

Please note: You can reach the Sandpit by a shorter but rougher track which goes straight down the sandy bank at the point where the easy access path turns right.

Car Park: Shores Road, Horsell, GU21 4XB

This area of undulating grassland belongs to Horsell Common Preservation Society but is named after the McLaren headquarters which lie to the east of these meadows. It is worth meandering all round on the wide paths cut through the grasses and flowers. 

The area was planted with wildflower seed in about 2010 and this rich habitat of grasses and wildflowers supports a very varied insect population. The air is filled with the song of skylarks in early summer.  The McLaren Technology headquarters and its lake on the eastern perimeter are private. There are several picnic benches in the meadowland. 

 Length: 3-4 km 

Access: Once you have reached the top or eastern side of the Sandpit, continue until you meet a very wide cross track called “Sandy Track”. This crosses the whole Common in a SW to NE direction. Turn right and continue along Sandy Track until you reach a wide rough road and some houses opposite. This is “Anthony’s” and can also be reached from The Sands Pub.  

Turn left and stay on this perimeter track. After a few hundred yards the track turns sharp left, in front of a couple of houses, but you continue straight forward, with the houses on your left. Soon you see, on your right, an information board about McLaren Park. Follow the wide path that leads straight into McLaren Park and its undulating meadows.  Take time to explore and then return to the Sandpit by the same route and back to Shores Road Car park. 

 Please note: the paths from the Sandpit are rough tracks and not suitable for wheelchairs or mobility scooters. 

Car park: Shores Road, Horsell, Woking, GU21 4XB

Grasslands is designated a “Special Protection Area” (SPA). The woodlark, the Dartford warbler and the nightjar are rare, protected, ground nesting birds whose primary habitat is heathland.  Large areas of heather and gorse are cut back to provide new growth which is the ideal habitat for the woodlark and also for the rare silver studded blue butterfly. In summer, the short heathers and gorse make a patch work of mauve and yellow. Many birds can be observed in this area with its mix of pine, mature gorse and silver birch as well as the short heather. The docile Belted Galloway cattle often graze here, helping to restrict the growth of grasses and other vegetation which would outcompete the heather.     

As this is a special protection area, it is important that you stay on the paths and do not walk, cycle or ride across the short heather. Dogs should be kept under control and kept on a lead from March to September when there are many ground nesting birds. The ground nesting birds are easily frightened and their nests and young can be destroyed if a dog or horse trample over them. 

 Length: 3-4 km  

Please Note: Quite rough paths which become very muddy in wet weather. 

Access: On foot from Carthouse Lane, Littlewick Road and Horsell Common Road.   

Access by car: Park at Heather Farm Car Park. Walk back to Chobham Road via the Heather Farm access road and cross Chobham Road onto “The Triangle”. Continue straight on the main path veering slightly right until you reach Horsell Common Road. Cross the road and continue straight ahead. Once past a big house on the right, go through the double wooden gated area to the left onto the Common. Often muddy by this double gate.  
There are paths all-round the perimeter of Grasslands and also there are cross paths. 

Car Park; Heather Farm, Chobham Road, Horsell, Woking, GU21 4XY 

Pyrford Common is ideal for family walks and dog walking. It is an area of woodland with some old specimens of oak and sweet chestnut in amongst the silver birch and tall Scots pines. The under storey of holly is quite thick in places. You can hear the songs of many different birds in this varied woodland. The paths criss-cross throughout the woodland, sometimes skirting the boundary of Hoe Bridge Golf Club and they cross over Pyrford Common Road. Next to the woodland there is a playground and large open recreation ground. 

Pyrford Common was acquired by HCPS in 2006. 

The large car park, the children’s playground and the open green field are owned by Woking Borough Council.  

Length: 1-2 km 

Please note: Muddy paths in wet weather 

Access: Pyrford Common Road Car Park (off Old Woking Road) GU22 8UD 

1) Start by the information board next to Heather Farm car park and the Wetland area. The path leads through an avenue of pink hawthorn trees. Cross the River Bourne into Mimbridge Meadows and turn right.
2) Cross the bridge leading into Bourne Fields and follow the boardwalk.
3) Follow the way marker arrows taking a sharp right then left as you enter the next section of Bourne Fields, making towards the very end of the field. The three-way finger post indicates Fairoaks Airport left across the big wooden bridge, and Horsell Common right. Follow Horsell Common direction along a wide shady track.
4) You will pass one of the many hidden-away houses on your left and soon reach a “crossroads” with the perimeter track. Turn left, along the old perimeter track, passing the track to Scotcher’s farm.
5) After about 800m, follow the arrows going left, on to a boardwalk which leads to the edge of McLaren Park. Follow the path ahead mown in the meadow grass straight up to the small copse of trees above. Keeping to the right of the copse (though there are benches where you can rest just off the path) turn right, looking out carefully for the green waymarker arrows.
6) As you descend the gentle slope, you will see the main track ahead where you turn right, soon passing a seasonal pond and benches on your right.
7) Follow the path keeping gently left to the exit of McLaren Park and meet the perimeter track once more, keeping ahead a short distance but don’t miss the arrow on the right leading into the woodland. This is the trickiest bit of the walk but just walk straight ahead. On your right you can see heather at the edge of the heathland. Soon you come to Sandy Track, a wide straight track which leads from Anthony’s to Shores Road. Turn right.
8) Walking down the broad Sandy Track, you will soon come to the Sand Pit on your left.
9) Continue along Sandy Track passing Danewell Gutter Pond on your left.
10) At Sandy Track car park, continue straight across onto a cycle track which emerges at Heather Farm. Turn right into Heather Farm.

Horsell Common is the largest recreational space in Woking with its heathland, woodland and meadows. The heathland is a Special Protection Area because of the rare and endangered ground-nesting species, including the nightjar and Dartford Warbler. From March to September, you are kindly requested to keep to the paths in the grasslands and heather area, and to keep your dog on a lead.  

The walk takes you through open meadows alongside the river Bourne, through woodland and past the Sand Pit. There are benches in McLaren Park and by the Sand Pit. Do give yourself time to stop and stare and listen to the different birds. Some parts of the walk are wet and muddy after heavy rain  

Length: 7 km 

Please note: Muddy paths in wet weather 

Access: Start and finish Heather Farm Car Park GU21 4XY