Dan posted an update
a year ago (edited)
Hankley Common, south-west of Elstead, Surrey.
Late March 2025
I found Hankley Common and its neighbour, Thursley National Nature Reserve, on Google Maps and thought they looked like promising spots.
Hankley Common is surrounded by villages and roads, all offering free on-road parking. It’s also home to the Kettlebury Hill trig point. I managed to grab the last parking space along Tilford Road, which runs along the western boundary from north to south. These parking spots provide easy and direct access to the common.
With a couple of hours of daylight left, I set off to find a camping spot. For the first hour, the common felt empty, so I walked further in to explore the wooded areas. However, about an hour before sunset, dog walkers started appearing and I realized the area wasn’t as secluded as I had hoped.
The common has a network of well-maintained tracks, along with plenty of smaller paths winding through the heathland and woodlands. Even in the forested areas, I was never far from a path.
Hankley is also used for military training, and there are warning signs about touching suspicious objects. I’m not sure how often it’s closed to the public, but I did come across old bullet casings, tear gas canisters, glow sticks, and other military remnants.
As the rain set in, I had to make a quick decision on where to camp. I chose a small cluster of trees in the heathland, aiming to be as far from a path as possible. However, once I’d set up, I realized I was still relatively close to a main track. Despite that, I had an undisturbed night.
In hindsight, I should have headed to Thursley Reserve instead. From the map, it has fewer paths and seems to offer larger, more secluded areas for wild camping.
Coordinates:
GPS: SU 88343 39888
Google Maps: 51°09’05.4″N 0°44’17.4″W
What3words: boasted.squirted.corner
Getting there:
I drove to Hankley Common and chose to park along Tilford Road, almost directly opposite AnA’s Pet ‘n’ Tack. This road runs north to south along the western boundary of the common. There’s a section here with space for about 10-15 vehicles (see other images for a photo of these spots). I arrived around 16:00, and it was already full and I was lucky to grab the last space.
Sandy Lane, which branches off Tilford Road, also appears to have parking, though I’m unsure if it’s public or restricted. The same goes for other nearby roads – I don’t know whether they allow parking or if they’re private.
For those looking at alternative parking, Thursley Road, along the southern perimeter, has a free public car park. According to Google reviews, it’s a small, unsurfaced lot that can get muddy and busy. I’m unsure if there are any restrictions or whether leaving a vehicle unattended overnight would be safe.
I also considered parking along Old Portsmouth Road, just before it joins the A3. There seem to be some on-road spaces, but again, I can’t say for sure whether it’s safe for overnight parking or if there are any restrictions.
There are three commons and nature reserves next to each other and they are surrounded by several villages and built-up areas. These areas – mainly to the north and east – offer plenty of options for free on-road parking.
Heads up:
Not much to add here that I haven’t already mentioned. The military uses Hankley Common, so it’s worth checking if it’s open before visiting. If it’s closed, there’s still Thursley Nature Reserve and Witley and Milford Commons to explore.
The army left quite a bit of used paraphernalia scattered around the forest after training exercises, with warning signs advising against touching these objects.
However, that was nothing compared to the sheer amount of plastic bags full of dog poo left behind by dog walkers. They were everywhere – along the paths, in the forested areas and even piled up around bins.
Dog poo means dogs, and that means dog owners. There were a lot of them just before dusk. When I first arrived, the common seemed empty, but as I got closer to the center, they suddenly appeared.
I also saw a few dog walkers in the early morning as I was leaving. Good mobile phone and internet connection.
#wildcamp #tentcamp #surrey #hankleycommon #trigpoint
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A couple of signs advising against touch suspicious objects and some other information about the military on the common.
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These are the parking spots I used which are along Tilford Road directly opposite AnA’s Pet ‘n’ Tack.
