Out and about

Make the most of autumn by enjoying this easy and pleasant walk around Worplesdon and Whitmoor Common, which will provide you and your family with plenty of opportunities for spotting local wildlife.

The route

1. From the car park cross the paddock, turning left when you reach a tarmac track. Follow the track until you pass the power lines, taking a narrow path on your left immediately after the post.

2. Follow the path through the trees, then bear left as the path forks, passing a way mark post with a green arrow. Continue along the path until you reach a pond. Go over the sleeper bridge and fork right, past the signboard following the edge of the pond.

3. At reaching its furthest point, fork off to your left and immediately take the left-hand path through the trees. At reaching a ditch, turn right and follow the path, keeping the ditch on your left, until you reach a tarmac path.

4. Turn left for a short distance, taking the marked footpath on your right, then fork right and follow the path until you reach a track. Turn right and continue straight ahead until you arrive at a wide track.

5. Turn right and continue, turning left at the yellow way mark post and follow the path uphill, keeping the silver birch copse on your left. At the top of the hill continue straight ahead past the way mark post. At the five point junction, take the far right path (1 o'clock).

6. At the next junction turn left down the hill until you come out onto a tarmac track. Turn left and continue until you reach Goose Rye Road. Turn left and cross the road, taking the bridleway on your right through the trees. Continue along the path, crossing three driveways until you emerge onto a road. Continue straight ahead towards the A322.

7. Take care when crossing this busy road, turn right and continue along the pedestrian/cycle path. When you reach a fingerpost footpath sign turn left, go over the small wooden bridge, through the gate and head towards the gate on the opposite side. You are now on Merrist Wood Agricultural College land.

8. Go through the gate and follow the path up the hill between two hedgerows. Continue along the path until you reach a concrete drive and some agricultural buildings. Turn left at the drive, keeping the buildings on your right. When emerging onto a tarmac drive turn left, then turn right onto a brick paved path opposite the Westnedge Centre.

9. Continue along the path, turning left when you reach a T-junction with another path. Pass a small pond (beware of the alligator!) and continue past the `No Exit' sign to leave the College grounds. Continue along the tarmac footpath until you reach the A322.

10. Again, be careful when crossing this busy road. Follow the footpath to the right of the White Lyon Pub towards St Mary's Church, which has been a place of worship for around 1,000 years.

11. Go through the church gate, turning left at the yellow way mark post. Follow the path through the churchyard and leave going down the hill to a metal kissing gate at the bottom. Follow the path diagonally across the field to another kissing gate and follow the path, keeping the fence to your left, turning left past an attractive house and garden.

12. Continue along a wide track until you reach a fingerpost sign. For a shortcut back to your car, follow the arrow to the Jolly Farmer. Otherwise, to enjoy the open space of Whitmoor Common, take the path to the right marked Salt Box Road. Follow the path through the trees going over a wooden bridge and continue straight ahead.

13. Just before reaching Salt Box Road, turn left at the way mark post with the purple arrow. Continue along the path until you reach a five-point junction. Take the path immediately to your left (7 o'clock) and continue across the Common.

14. Cross the bridge and continue along the path until you reach a wide tarmac path. Turn right and continue along the path, keeping the house on your right-hand side and retrace your steps back to the car park.

Acknowledgements

This walk was kindly supplied by Khalil and Fatima Martin from Woking. If you have a favourite walk you would like to share, please email details to editor@woking.gov.uk