Farnham Heath

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

Grid ref: SU859433

The Farnham Heath reserve is part of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Once a gloomy conifer plantation, it has been transformed into a beautiful heathland with views across the Weald, abundant with wildlife that includes roe deer, crossbills, nightjars, woodcocks and tree pipits.

Plan your visit

Open at all times.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Children: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Facilities

No visitor centre
Car park
Toilets off-site
Accessible toilets off-site
Pushchair friendly
No Refreshments
Guided walks
Nature trails
Shop off-site

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

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).

By bus

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).

By road

Take the B3001 south from Farnham. Take the right-hand fork, signposted Tilford, immediately past the level crossing. 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 miles (c1 km).

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Get directions from Google Maps

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Group visits are more than welcome, it is best to call in advance to ensure we can facilitate parking.

4 degrees, Light rain

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 588Kb

Farnham Heath Trail Map

Contact Farnham Heath

RSPB Farnham Heath, The Reeds Rd, Farnham GU10 2DL
farnham.heath@rspb.org.uk
01252 795632

What will you see?

Our star species

Crossbill

Listen for crossbills calls or for the sound of pinecones being ripped apart!

Nightjar

Linger until dusk to encounter this amazing bird between May and July.

Tree pipit

You could see the display flight of the male tree pipit.

Dartford warbler

You can easily spot Dartford warblers here.

Woodlark

Though it is of fairly unassuming appearance, the woodlark has a gorgeous, fluty song.

Sheets of bluebells among the chestnut coppice. The chirping of field crickets can be heard at various places on the eastern side of the heath. The calls of our early breeding birds are filling the air, particularly the 'lulu' call of the woodlark.

The heather is in full bloom and buzzing with thousands of invertebrates feeding on the rich supply of nectar. At night the heath comes to life, with churring nightjars and many species of bat, all searching for moths to snack on. On cooler days adders, sand and common lizards are often seen basking in a sunny spot.

Fungi is abundant, appearing all around the reserve. It is a great time to wander around and learn about the many weird and wonderful species.

Flocks of fieldfare and crossbills are regularly seen and heard around the reserve. Siskin are also a regular winter visitor. Winter walks at Farnham are a delight, especially the view out over the Surrey Hills, this can be enjoyed from the highest point of the reserve.

About Farnham Heath

Habitat

Our key feature of the site is our 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. The heather supports a huge variety of species including nightjar, Dartford warber, stonechat, tree pipit and woodlark.

A key feature of heathland is poor acidic sandy soils, with lots of areas of bare ground, these areas are important for many species of reptile, including sand lizards and adders which can be seen on the reserve as well as invertebrates such as the green tiger beetle.

Acid grassland habitat is vital for a rare and endangered species that can be heard chirping throughout April to July. The field cricket is only found on eight sites in the UK and we are very lucky to have them here at Farnham.

Woodland and coppice habitat supports a vast array of species including visiting siskins, breeding bullfinches, crossbill and redstart. Not forgetting many invertebrates including the beautiful white admiral which can be spotted near the coppice.

Conservation

Historically, heathlands would have been maintained by human and animal interaction. It was a vital resource for our ancestors, who found a use for almost everything. Heather was cut for bedding, medicines and soaps. Turf was dug and removed for fuel, bracken was taken to be used in glass making. Many animals would have also been put onto the heath to graze. All of these actions created an array of micro habitats allowing specialist heathland species to flourish.

These traditional practices have been lost as technology has progressed, leading to the decline of heathlands, which have been destroyed through neglect or in the case of Farnham Heath transformed entirely for an alternate use. Farnham Heath became a plantation in order to meet demands for timber. As the conifers grew the heather was out shadowed and all of the heathland species moved on.

Since acquiring Farnham Heath in 2002, we have been reverting it back to heathland, this has been a huge success. The management now focusses on maintaining the habitat. Removing the scrub, grazing the land and mimicking the practices of our ancestors in order maintain this fragile and beautiful landscape. The retained woodland and coppice is excellent for many species of wildlife including butterflies, bats and badgers!

Partners

RSPB Farnham Heath has developed into a fantastic home for nature, helped by the tremendous support of many individuals, groups and organisations. In addition to RSPB members and supporters, local community members and a tireless team of volunteers, we would particularly like to thank the following organisations for their financial support:

Barclays
Biffa Award through the Landfill Community Fund
British Gas
HSBC
Natural England through Defra
RBS Lombard
SITA Trust through the Landfill Community Fund
Surrey Hills AONB
Vodafone

Site information

Farnham Heath is part of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and an example of heathland restoration in progress.

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

We run a programme of guided walks to introduce people to the heath and it's wildlife. Please see events pages on the website for more information.

Leisure activities

You can choose from three nature trails, waymarked with orange, purple or green arrows.

The 'Orange' route is a short loop (c1 km – allow 30 minutes), mostly fairly level and surfaced for much of its length. There is one short gradient and it can get muddy in wet weather. It has been used by wheelchair users with a helper.
The 'Purple' route is slightly longer (c.1.75 km – allow 45 minutes), and gives more opportunities to enjoy the heath. It is partly surfaced but there are stretches with lots of tree roots and some soft ground in wet weather. Has been used by visitors with electric buggies and by parents with robust pushchairs.
The 'Green' route is the longest (c3 km long – allow 90 minutes) and takes you through acid grassland, bluebell woods and heath. There are some muddy patches in wet weather as well as some steep inclines but the view from the top is worth it!