Hydon Heath and Octavia Hill

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Our view

"A circular walk through the varied countryside south of Godalming."

Walk directions

From the car park, with the road at your back, take the track beside a wide metal barrier uphill. At the crest of the hill, turn right and continue climbing, past a large green container, for 180yds (165m), to Octavia Hill’s memorial seat. Continue ahead, and pass a low, green inspection cover for Hydon’s Ball Reservoir on your right, and take the right fork downhill to a T-junction.

Turn left here. After 95yds (88m), you’ll see the Robertson Obelisk on the right. Just beyond the memorial, turn right and descend to a forest crossroads close to a brick water-pumping station. Turn left; then, after 250yds (230m), fork right and continue to a junction 270yds (245m) further on. Turn right here, passing between two fields, then climb the old sunken way to a public bridleway marker post.

Turn left onto a wide sandy track and continue to Markwick Lane at Little Burgate Farm. Turn right; then, as the lane levels out, turn left to follow the Greensand Way signs. Follow this waymarked route as it climbs through the woods and then levels out through an area of managed woodland. Before the path starts to descend, turn right for a few paces and take the second path on the left. Drop steeply alongside a handrail, through a gate and alongside a field to another gate then straight ahead to The White Horse pub in Hascombe.

Turn right and follow the Godalming Road past Hascombe Grange. On the brow of the hill, opposite Long Vere House, cross the stile on your right. Follow the path and turn right towards the wood and follow the wood’s perimeter to drop down left, with a post-and-wire fence, down the hill towards the red clay roofs of Markwick Farm.

Turn right on Markwick Lane and climb the hill to a bridleway signposting the Greensand Way. Turn left here, ignore the public footpath 170yds (155m) along on your left, and contour around the edge of Burgate Hangar until the bridleway drops left to join Upper Vann Lane. Follow the lane up the hill to reach Maple Bungalow, hidden in the trees.

Bear left at the fingerpost to follow the Greensand Way alongside a field on a level path to St Peter’s Church, Hambledon. Just beyond the church, fork right and follow the public footpath to reach Hambledon Road opposite The Merry Harriers pub.

Turn right along Hambledon Road. Pass Feathercombe Lane, and, after 240yds (220m), turn right onto a bridleway between fields. The track enters the woods, and you climb steeply beside deer fencing, initially on both sides and then just on your right. Keep straight on at the end of the fencing, and after 95yds (88m), take the middle track ahead (purple arrow) at the three-way junction for the last 400yds (366m) to the car park.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Woodland paths, farm tracks and some minor roads, 1 stile

Landscape - Wooded slopes and farmland of Wealden greensand ridge

Dog friendliness - Lead required through farmyards, near livestock and along roads

Parking - National Trust Hydon's Ball car park on Salt Lane, near Hydestile

Toilets en route - None on route

Walks in Surrey Dog-friendly walks in Surrey

About the walk

Imagine an organisation so big that its magazine has more readers than The Times, Telegraph and Independent put together. Imagine a landowner whose properties cover an area 30 per cent bigger than the county of Surrey. And imagine a club so popular that its membership outstrips the population of...

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Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

About the area

Surrey is one of England’s most wooded counties, with over a quarter of the landscape designated as an official AONB and plenty of history evident in the countryside. You’ll find sandy tracks, cottage gardens and welcoming village inns, and on the fringe of Greater London you can picnic in Chaldon’s hay meadows, explore the downs at Epsom, or drift idly beside the River Thames.