I had read an article about the new boardwalk at Thursley Common, and thought
it would make a good walk for the AAC weekend walks, so to check it out I came
up with a route starting at the NT car park on top of the Devil's Punchbowl,
Hindhead dropping down the east side to get to Thursley village. Then into the
common to find the end of the boardwalk. Around this and across to Hankley
common to follow the ridge around the large bowl, down to Kettlebury farm.
then back to the top of the punch bowl up the west side.
I parked at the end of the car park and picked up a day ticket before setting
off to Gibbet hill along the trace of the old road (before the tunnel was made).
Taking the rough path up to the hill from the sharp corner.
Looking towards Guildford in the mist of the morning. then into the trees beside
the Celtic cross.
Through the trees on the cycle path staying on the top of the ridge dropping
onto the old road shortly before taking an excursion dropping down to the valley
bottom.
Along the farm drives in the bottom of the valley through Highcomb bottom, then
climbing around the end of the ridge.
The track climbed up over the ridge and down to the end of the old road where it
mutated into a back road. Along this road past some tarmacking machines.
Taking a footpath over the fields beside the road, and through several horse
paddocks.
Into the village of Thursley near the church and along a back road to the
junction where a bridleway led off into the common.
The bridleway had been recently resurfaced with hogging through the nature
reserve.
A zigzag led to the end of an initial boardwalk leading into the flatter area of
the common.
Meeting the end of the main boardwalk beside a dragonfly sculpture. On this
boardwalk through the flat area.
Through an island and on to Pudmore pond, where the boardwalk continued
back towards the moat pond.
End of the boardwalk just down from the car park. Around the south end of
the pond and aroudn to the car park.
Over the back road and along a bridleway leading towards Thursley Manor. A curve
around the manor to gain access to the MoD area of Hankley Common
Along a sandy vehicle track into the common area. The Army had a couple of tents on the side showing that I needed to keep to the public paths.
At the large crossroads of tracks and paths called the Lion's Mouth, I climbed up to the ridge above the large bowl.
Looking over the large bowl - currently closed off for "manoeuvres"
Along the ridge track as it circled above the bowl then over the other side towards Gold Hill.
The path reached the far side of the big bowl and then turned sharply around the end of a small valley. Into the woods above kettlebury farm.
In the woods taking a branch onto the bridleway dropping to a back road.
Along the road to Pitch Place farm where I could pick up the by-way leading due south following power lines. The track climbed gradually along the sunken pathway and over a back road where it changed to a bridleway and narrowed (still climbing gradually). Now under pylons as I re-entered the NT open access area until it veered away from the pylons still climbing gradually through Highcomb copse.
Merging onto the main track near a memorial then on a lesser gradient climbing around the edge of the residential areas.
The final flatter section led back to the tea room and car park.
back in the car for a coffee, and then home in time for lunch.
