This weekend we headed to Surrey once more for another family day out in Surrey, it’s such a beautiful place in many ways. This time we went to visit Devil’s Punch Bowl park, part of the National Trust maintained parks, and the views are breathtaking. And yes, this walk can easily be upgraded to a pub walk.
The key points for us were the hilly trails, the space with picnic tables, the diversity of choice if you are up for longer and more involved walks, or short very easy walks. In any case, the views are beautiful and will absolutely delight you. Definitely, one of the best walks to do in Surrey with kids.
Also, there are many more options, checkout Oxshott Heath and Esher Common or the Kingston Barge walk for another very kid-friendly hike, or a day on a farm.
Location and access
The park is located in Hindhead, Surrey.
If you are coming from London, head toward Hindhead on the A3. Just after the tunnel, exit on the left, and follow the city then Hindhead Commons.
Parking and Facilities
There is parking on-site, free if you are a member of the National Trust or about £4 for up to 4 hours and £6 for the whole day. You can pay with the PayByPhone app (area code 803457).
There is an on-site cafe; ‘The Devil’s Punch Bowl’ cafe serving hot and cold drinks and food, picnic lunches for the kids, delicious cakes and light snacks.
There is also a public toilet.
6 main circular walks proposed
There are 4 main walks proposed for walkers, and 2 are proposed for dog walkers who like to keep their dogs unleashed, but once you know the area, you can easily adjust to your preference and build your own walks.
Most walks start from the parking and cafe, where you also have a large area with picnic tables. We recommend that you bring with you a snack or picnic for a short break before or after the walk. There are also benches scattered the along the walk if you fancy a picnic with a view.
The National Trust created a map of the self-guided tours proposed below. It can be downloaded here.
Sailor’s Stroll
Distance: 1.6 km
Difficulty: Easy, reasonably flat surfaces
From the parking go North and follow the blue sailor marking. This is quite a gentle walk to the summit at Gibbet Hill with beautiful views.
Highcombe Hike
Distance: 4.5 km
Difficulty: Medium, some uneven surfaces and steep gradients
This walk starts from the Devil’s Punch Bowl car park. You will walk through ancient woodland and the open heath which provide a bio-diverse habitat.
Hidden Hindhead Trail
Distance: 5km
Difficulty: Medium, some uneven surfaces and steep gradients
This trail will take you through a middle difficulty trail with a few ascends, and an uneven pathway at times.
Start from the parking and follow this distinctive sign for your trail:
On the way you will pass a few landmarks:
- Sailor’s stone
- Gibbet Hill
- Celtic Cross
- Temple of the Four Winds
The trail is relatively simple, with a few slightly more difficult passages with a few climbs and descents. The path is well-marked. Because of the climbs, you will have some stunning, beautiful viewpoints.
ROAM 639 Trail
Distance: 10.2 km
Difficulty: Medium, some uneven surfaces and steep gradients
This trail is named after Richard Overall and his brothers, a local man who died from muscular dystrophy. 639 represents the number of muscles in the human body and also the distance of the walking loop which is 6.39 miles.
Miss James’ Walk
Distance: 3 km
Difficulty: Easy, some uneven surfaces with moderate gradients
This walk starts at the Miss James carpark. It is a wonderful during the heat of the summer as it is a woodland trail.
Golden Valley
Distance: 3.2 km
Difficulty: Medium, some uneven surfaces and steep gradients
This walk starts from Tilford Road carpark. A beautiful Autumn walk with the golden leaves of the beeches, sycamore and oak trees contrast with the Scot’s pine trees.
