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Visitor walking their dog at Hindhead Commons and the Devil's Punch Bowl, Surrey in autumn
Visitor walking their dog at Hindhead Commons and the Devil's Punch Bowl | © National Trust Images/John Miller
Surrey

Hidden Hindhead walking trail

Discover this well-signposted and not too demanding walk taking in both Gibbet Hill and The Temple of the Four Winds, each with superb views. On a clear day you'll be able to glimpse the distant London skyline.

Admire the views over the Punch Bowl

Make your way to the eastern side of the Devil’s Punch Bowl and look across the valley for some of the best views in the area.

Total steps: 8

Total steps: 8

Start point

Devil's Punch Bowl Café car park, grid ref: SU890357

Step 1

From the car park head north towards the white trig-point – look out for the pink disc which marks the Hidden Hindhead trail.

Step 2

Follow the pink signs, crossing the old A3 (now grassed over), to reach a paved road where you turn left. Follow this road in an easterly direction. Please note that this paved path is a Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT), so bikes and motorised vehicles, although rare, are also entitled to use this path.

Step 3

Pause for a moment beside the Sailor's Stone and admire the views north across the Punch Bowl. Continue along the paved road ignoring the gateway on your right hand side. On your left look out for the old milestone (London 39 miles), and after 30m bear right up an ill-defined path that emerges onto Gibbet Hill.

Step 4

At Gibbet Hill, take a rest near the Celtic cross and enjoy the views. Gibbet Hill, which stands at 272m, is located above the Devil's Punch Bowl and is the second-highest point in Surrey (Leith Hill being the highest). Looking north from the trig-point, head down the ill-defined, but signed path on the right. Take care here – when wet this may be muddy and slippery. At the bottom continue straight ahead on a tree-lined track, eventually emerging at The Temple of the Four Winds.

The Celtic cross on Gibbet Hill, Hindhead Common, Surrey.
Celtic cross on Gibbet Hill, Hindhead Common | © National Trust Images/John Miller

Step 5

When you reach the Temple of the Four Winds, take another rest and enjoy the view. From here, look for the signage leading onto a well-defined downhill track through coppiced beech woodland, eventually arriving at a T junction, with a small lake on the right.

Step 6

Turn right following the often muddy pathway through the gateway onto some open ground. Continue uphill. When you meet a trail, bear left and proceed downhill to a galvanised gateway an onto an unpaved roadway.

Step 7

Again follow the signs and head uphill. When you reach the top of the climb, ignore the first gateway on the right and enter Hindhead Common at the second gateway. Proceed up the rough track (the Greensand Way). Towards the top of the incline and to the right, there are excellent views to the east with the South Downs clearly visible. On a clear day, you can see Gatwick Airport too.

Step 8

The trail is well marked, and you'll eventually leave Hindhead Common through a galvanised gate, emerging onto the paved road (BOAT) of your outward journey. Cross this and what was the old A3, retracing your steps back to the Punch Bowl car park. The café is a great spot to relax after your walk, and serves a range of light lunches, snacks, hot drinks and cakes – well deserved after your walk.

End point

Devil's Punch Bowl Café car park, grid ref: SU890357

Trail map

Map showing the route of the Hidden Hindhead walking trail
Hidden Hindhead walking trail | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey

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London Road, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6AB

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We’ve partnered with Cotswold Outdoor to help everyone make the most of their time outdoors in the places we care for.

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