Where to go · Surrey
Forest bathing at Hindhead Commons and the Devil’s Punch Bowl
A deep heathland valley at Hindhead, with ancient woodland in its folds and wide views from Gibbet Hill.
The Devil's Punch Bowl is a great hollow in the hills at Hindhead, part of the National Trust's Hindhead Commons. Most of it is open heath, but there is ancient woodland in the valley and on the slopes, and waymarked trails cross both. Gibbet Hill, the second highest point in Surrey, looks out over the bowl.
The car park and café sit at the top of the valley. A short all-weather loop leads to a sandstone viewing platform, and the Highcombe hike drops into ancient woodland and open heath. For quiet, go down into the bowl, where the trees close in. Many paths into the valley are very steep and the Greensand Way is hilly and uneven, so allow time for the climb back.
Practical
- Managed by
- National Trust
- Parking
- Pay to park (JustPark app); National Trust members free
- Terrain
- Heath with ancient woodland; very steep paths into the valley, a short all-weather loop at the top
- Nearest station
- Haslemere, about 3 miles
- Facilities
- Café, toilets including accessible and Changing Places toilets; all-terrain wheelchair to borrow
- Opening and entry
- Open access, free to walk
- Official page
- nationaltrust.org.uk
Last updated 4 November 2026. Paths, parking and access can change, so check before you visit. Spotted something out of date? Please let us know.
Guides nearby
Three guides within 15 miles of Hindhead Commons and the Devil’s Punch Bowl
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Joanna Bristow-Watkins
Harmony in Nature CIC
Shere, Surrey
UnclaimedTrained by The Forest Bathing Institute
Corporate and team daysPrivate and one-to-onePublic group sessions+2 more
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Katie Robinson
Harmony in Nature CIC
Shere, Surrey
UnclaimedTrained by The Forest Bathing Institute
Corporate and team daysPrivate and one-to-onePublic group sessions+2 more
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Lisa Duncan
HINOKI Forest Bathing
Abinger Hammer, Surrey
UnclaimedTrained by The Forest Bathing Institute
Corporate and team daysPrivate and one-to-onePublic group sessions+1 more
More woodlands in Surrey
All venues in Surrey
Bookham CommonsOak woods and ponds next to Bookham station, with wide level paths
Box HillAncient box woodland on the North Downs above the River Mole
Leith HillWoods and heath around Surrey's highest point, with a spring rhododendron woodPhotos: Bookham Commons, Peter Trimming (CC BY-SA 2.0); Box Hill, John P Reeves (CC BY-SA 2.0); Leith Hill, Colin Smith (CC BY-SA 2.0).