Children will enjoy the brass rubbings on this walk.
In late summer, heather blooms across the heath
The Basics
Time: 35 minutes
Distance: 2km / 1.25 miles
Terrain: Mostly flat and even paths with a few short sections on less even paths.
Pushchair: This walk is suitable for all terrain pushchairs.
Dogs: Dogs are welcome on this walk.
Refreshments: The Cricketers is just across the road from the common.
Toilets: There are no public toilets.
Public Transport: On Mondays and Wednesdays The Hartley Witney Community Bus stops at The Casa Hotel which is a few minutes walk to the car park at the start of this walk.
Parking: Free car park at Wyndhams Pool off Cricket Hill Lane (Postcode: GU46 6BB - W3W: ///evaporate.renews.ratty)
There is a large pond near the car park, usually covered in lily pads
Yateley Common is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and comprises a large pond, heathland covered in gorse and heather and oak and birch woodland. Hampshire Countryside Services have created a nature trail for children that includes a series of brass rubbing plates depicting the flora and fauna of the site.
The Route
Leave the car park with the pond down to your left and pass the information board to your right. When you reach a row of houses, continue straight on through the bollards. At a cross path, you will see your first brass rubbing, the heather. Continue straight on.
The next brass rubbing post you will find is the nightjar, veer right here, up the hill.
Turn left at the next cross path and look out for the snake brass plate.
At the next fork, bear right, and this is also where you will see the dragonfly. The path will now bring you into a small wooded area.
At the centre of this, underneath a holly bush, you will spot the toadstool. Keep left as you walk through the trees and when you reach the top, turn left back out towards the heath.
At a telegraph pole, you will find the gorse plate. With the telegraph pole to your right, continue straight.
At the next junction, turn left, following the purple arrow and you will see the Dartford warbler. Go down the hill and at the cross paths at the bottom, turn right.
Along this path, you will see the bat. Keep left after the bat and ignore a bridle way going off to the right. Go left again at the next fork. The path will shortly curve round to your left. Keep on left and the path will bring you down hill to Wyndham’s Pond again.
Download a copy of the brass rubbing template made by Hampshire Countryside Service.
The Cricketers pub, with a large beer garden, is located just off Cricket Hill Lane, the road you joined the car park from.
Gain access to the member's only area of our website where you will find the complete A-Z library of all our PDF files. This includes over 220 self-guided walks ready to print or download, as well as various children's activity sheets. You will also find a digital membership card, giving you access to our current discounts.
Did you know?
Yateley Common is a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its importance to wildlife including Dartford warblers, nightingales, viviparous lizards and the downy emerald dragonfly. You can read more here about some of the plants and animals that thrive in this habitat.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…you could extend it by walking to Blackbushe Airport
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