RSPB Farnham Heath

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RSPB Farnham Heath was once home to a gloomy conifer plantation. It is now transformed into a beautiful heathland with views across the Surrey Hills, abundant with wildlife that includes roe deer, crossbills, nightjars, woodcocks and tree pipits.

 

A key feature of the site is the vast swathes of heather that stretch as far as the eye can see, the heather is at its best during the summer months of July and August, at this time it is in full bloom with a variety of shades of violet and purple.

Facilities

Home to the Rural Life Living Museum

Car park

Free entry, but donations to RSPB welcomed

Café at the neighbouring Rural Life Living Museum

Toilets at the neighbouring Rural Life Living Museum

 

Access

Disabled parking spaces in car park

Find out about the access improvements made with the Surrey Hills Access for All Fund here.

There are waymarked nature trails throughout:

  1. Orange route – 0.75 mile (1 km) loop – allow 30 minutes. Mostly fairly level and surfaced for much of its length. One short gradient. Can get muddy in wet weather. Has been used by wheelchair users with a helper.
  2. Purple route – 1 mile (1.5 km) – allow 45 minutes. More opportunities to enjoy the heath. Partly surfaced. Stretches with lots of tree roots and soft ground in wet weather. Has been used by visitors with mobility scooters and robust pushchairs.
  3. Green route – 2 miles (3 km) – allow 90 minutes. Passes through acid grassland, bluebell woods and heath. Some muddy patches in wet weather. Some steep inclines.

Easier access orange route

Farnham Heath

Access improvements at Farnham Heath

Edging added to the path through the trees at Farnham Heath

Surrey Hills habitats & species

Dartford Warbler by Mark Crisp

Follow the code

Louis and Zhinlap, Thames Basin Heath wardons at the heathland

RSPB Farnham Heath, The Reeds Rd, Farnham GU10 2DL

What3Words: ///mild.rave.songbird

Bus route is the number 19 (Farnham to Hindhead service). Nearest stop is in Millbridge village, outside the entrance to Pierrepont House. Reserve is a mile (1.5 km) away, along Reeds Road (follow signs to the Rural Life Centre).

Farnham is the nearest station. Take the right-hand fork, signposted Tilford, immediately past the level crossing adjacent to the station. Keep to that road. Just outside Tilford village it is signed to the Rural Life Centre. Follow those signs. Entrance is on the right after 0.5 mile (c1 km).

RSPB Farnham Heath
The Reeds Rd
Farnham
GU10 2DL
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Surrey Hills Arts sculptures on the heath

Farnham Heath is home to the permanent Surrey Hills Arts Inspiring View artwork ‘House of Invisible Hands’ by Walter Bailey, who also designed the Surrey Hills logo.

House of Invisible Hands is a shrine to those whose labours shaped the landscape of Surrey in the making of forest glass during mediaeval times. This practise involved working within the forest using the raw materials of the landscape to keep the furnaces going. The impurities in the materials created the green of the resulting glass objects.

The site also sees the annual Surrey Hills Arts exhibition ‘Heathland Artworks’, where craft, design and fine art students from the degree and masters courses at the University for the Creative Arts create pieces focused on the wildlife, the flora or the history. This usually runs between June-October and is free to view.

What could you see?

Nightjar

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Dartford Warbler

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Grayling

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Find out more about RSPB Farnham Heath here.

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