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.

Near to

Hindhead Commons and the Devil's Punch Bowl

Start point

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

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 3.1 (km: 4.96)

Duration1 hour 30 mins to 3 hours

Dog friendly***

*Undulating terrain, steep in places. For further details, please see Terrain section.
**Varied pathway, only partially paved, with some steep sections. Unsuitable for wheelchairs. For further details, please see section marked Access.
***Dogs welcome. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.

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.

Address
National Trust car park, London Road, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6AB
Directions via Google Maps
On foot
Comprehensive network of rights of way including the Greensand Way National trail.
By bus
From Farnham, Haslemere alight Hindhead crossroads.
Cycling
Surrey Cycleway starts at Haslemere, cycle via Farnham Lane to Hindhead.
By road
From the North: Continue south along A3 through tunnel then take first exit (A333) signposted Hindhead (Devil’s Punch Bowl). At traffic lights carry straight on – car park on left-hand side.
From the South: Continue along A3 north of Liphook and take exit signposted 'PROHIBITED VEHICLES' (A333) towards Hindhead (Devil’s Punch Bowl). At the traffic lights carry straight on – car park is on your left-hand side.
Dogs
Well-controlled dogs are welcome. Please keep them on a lead when around grazing livestock and during the ground-nesting bird season (March–July), Assistance dogs only in the café.
Car park
Devil's Punch Bowl car park. Free for National Trust members. Non-members can pay and display or use Paybyphone (area code 803457; 0330 060 4037). Tickets can also be purchased at the café.
Toilet
Toilets are located near the café and are available for use during the café opening hours.
Café
The Devil's Punch Bowl Café serves a range of hot and cold drinks, soup, sandwiches and paninis as well as a variety of cakes, flapjacks and pastries.
Cycle parking
Cycle parking available at Devil's Punch Bowl Café.
Kiosk
The kiosk serves scoop Jude’s ice cream and is open at weekends and daily throughout the school holidays from 12 noon.
Blue Badge parking. Full Changing Places toilet. Benches. Trail is steep and unsuitable for wheelchairs.
Designated parking
Accessible parking at the main Devil's Punch Bowl car park: four designated spaces 70m from the café.
Accessible toilet
Changing Places toilet located inside the café.
Seating available
Many benches dotted around the property at view points, near slopes and in picnic areas.
Steps/uneven terrain
The car park is at the top of the valley, many of the paths heading down into the Devil's Punch Bowl are very steep.
Total stages: 8
Total stages: 8
Start point
Devil's Punch Bowl Café car park, grid ref: SU890357
Stage 1
From the car park head north towards the white trig-point – look out for the pink disc which marks the Hidden Hindhead trail.
Stage 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.
Stage 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.
Stage 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.
Celtic cross on Gibbet Hill, Hindhead Common | © National Trust Images/John Miller
Stage 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.
The Temple of the Four Winds
This structure was built around 1910 by Viscount Pirrie, a chairman of Harland and Wolff, the builders of the ill-fated Titanic. The Viscount lived at the nearby Witley Park estate, which included a deer park. Many elaborate lunches were held for his hunting friends at his hunting lodge at The Temple of the Four Winds. The Temple fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1966.
Stage 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.
Stage 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.
Stage 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
Hidden Hindhead walking trail | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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View south from the Temple of the Winds at Black Down, West Sussex

Trail

Black Down Temple of the Winds trail

Sussex

Find one of the best views of the South Downs National Park at the Temple of the Winds. This little-known spot has a secret feel and a charming curved stone seat to rest on.