Puttenham and the Welcome Woods
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Take in the dramatic landscape of Puttenham Common (near Guildford, Surrey), the picturesque Puttenham village and unusual woodland dotted with friendly signposts saying "You are welcome to walk in these woods".
We start at Puttenham Common which is managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust, and is a Site of Scientific Special Interest. The landscape is stunning with fantastic panoramic views from our meeting point car park across miles of heath and woodland.
We shall walk through picturesque Puttenham village where nearly all the houses line the main street, and may take a short detour to visit the charming church which dates back to 1160. We shall also pass Puttenham Priory which is a Georgian Palladian-style mansion set in 48 acres of parkland, and now home to Queen drummer, Roger Taylor.
The landscape then changes as we pass through some unusual woodland before reaching Cutmill Pond which was created as a hammer pond during the 16th and 17th centuries to serve the iron industry. It is hard to believe such a tranquil spot was the site of a gruesome double murder in the 1930s.
The walk will the pass by Rosdall Manor which is an interesting listed mansion dating from the 17th century before returning to the car par start point.
What to bring
Water: bring at least a litre
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Rucksack: or any other bag
Footwear: hiking boots, sturdy trainers or wellies
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally not jeans which become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Please bring a picnic lunch. There will be no places to stop and buy food and drink during the walk.