Hankley Common
Farnham
Please note, the car park for this route will be closed from 7th September - 25th September 2026
Children will enjoy an outstanding pub play area and watching a round of golf!
Hankley Common Golf Course makes and unusual and attractive landscape for much of this walk
The Basics
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Distance: 5.5 km / 3.4 miles
Terrain: Sandy heathland paths, mostly flat with a couple of very short climbs, much of the walk is within a golf course.
Pushchairs: Although there are no barriers to pushchairs on this route, our personal recommendation is that the sandy paths would make it hard going.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome on this walk and at the pub. We would recommend using leads throughout this walk due to the golf course, and the fact the common is an important site for nesting birds.
Refreshments: The Duke of Cambridge is located half way around the walk and has an outstanding kid’s play area in the garden.
Toilets: Toilets available for pub customers only.
Public Transport: There is no public transport to this location.
Parking: Hankley Common upper car park, off Houndown Lane. Please note this car park can be closed when the area is being used for military training, including 7th September - 25th September 2026 (Postcode: GU8 6LW - W3W: ///headliner.ethic.granted)
We absolutely love the play area at The Duke of Cambridge
Hankley Common is a large tract of heathland that is nationally important as nesting site for birds and a breeding site for reptiles. In late summer, the whole area glows purple with heather. The heath also has some man-made features, including a fine golf course and The Atlantic Wall, a relic from when the area was used by troops training for the D-Day landings. Halfway around the route, you can stop at the Duke of Cambridge pub, where children will particularly enjoy the play area.
The Route
Leave the car park and turn left up the paved access road. After the road starts to drop down, it will take a large bend to your left. On your right will be a couple of paths leading into the trees. At the time of writing, the path that you want to take is to the right of a set of Portaloos, but as I am unsure whether this is a temporary landmark, I will also add that the path is directly opposite a small white Esso gas line marker, 14.8. Follow the sandy path, The Greensand Way, and it will climb slightly until you reach a sandy junction at the top of the hill where a number of paths meet.
There are two bridle way finger posts, one to your left and one to your right. Take the path that is ahead of you and just to the left of the right-hand finger post. This path is also just to the right of a green forestry operations sign (this may also be a temporary landmark) and at the start of the path is wooden post marked ‘101’. Just a few metres along this path, if you look out to your left, you should see the remnants of The Atlantic Wall which you could take a detour to explore. This was a concrete replica built by Canadian troops to practice methods of breaching the enemy defences in preparation for the D-Day landings. You can still see the places where explosives were used to blast through the structure. Back on the path continue straight towards the golf course.
When you reach the golf course, keep going straight ahead on the sandy path in the same direction. At a cross path, continue straight, following the Greensand Way. After the cross path, you will walk under a patch of trees and then the path will fork. Take the left fork. As you approach the clubhouse at the end of the course, continue in the same direction onto the track.
Keep going past Tilford Lodges and towards the road if you want to visit the Duke Of Cambridge pub. The walk, however, will continue by turning right into the golf club car park. Cross the car park and then join the sandy path on the opposite side beside a large black map. Continue straight along this path that borders the left edge of the course. At Stockbridge Pond, continue in the same direction with the pond directly to your left. At the end of the pond, turn right, just after a little parking area for fishermen. The path will bend round over a stream. Just after the stream, fork left, going up the sandy hill. After a sign about Hankley Common military presence, there will be a three way public bridleway finger post. Take the one forking off to your right through the trees.
(Step 5 may seem complicated, but essentially, you just need to follow the blue arrows until step 6). You will soon come out from under the trees and the path will split again. Take the left fork in the direction of the blue and pink arrows. Continue across the common and ignore a pubic bridleway leading off to the right. At the next marker post, follow the blue arrow to the left. Then after a few metres, when the path splits again, follow the bridle way post to your right. Follow the blue arrows on the posts when the path curves around to your right. Once again, at the next post follow the blue arrows pointing left, staying on the flatter path. At the next junction, follow the blue arrows and bear right. Veer off to the left at the next junction and then at the next fork, keep left, always following the blue arrows. The path will rise and then fall and at the bottom of the fall, you will find a pretty pine forest ahead of you and a junction.
Turn right, passing some Portaloos (possibly temporary). Keep bearing left as the path curves around, and at the next meeting of paths, continue straight in the same direction, ignoring any paths forking off. You will then reach the tarmac military access road where you started. Turn left to retrace your steps back to the car park.
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Did you know?
Hankley Common is often used as a filming location and has featured in a number of James Bond films, as well as Marvel blockbuster, Black Widow and both the Wicked films.
If you enjoyed this walk…
… try this nearby one at Thursley Common - the longer route even skirts along the bottom of Hankley Common.
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