Forest bathing at Bookham Commons

Bookham Commons is a National Trust site of oak woods, grassland and ponds near Great Bookham, mentioned in the Domesday Book and now a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is one of the best woods in England for purple emperor butterflies, and the ponds hold plenty of birdlife; there is a hide at the upper eastern pond. People have used the commons since the Stone Age, and it was saved with the help of local people.

This is one of the easiest woods in Surrey to reach without a car: Bookham station is right beside the commons. The bridlepaths are surfaced, wide and mainly level, and the bird hide is accessible by wheelchair and mobility scooter, so it suits people who want to walk slowly without steep ground. The oak woods are quiet once you leave the car parks, and summer is the time to look for purple emperors.