Walks

Postcode:  RH20 2EL

Duration: Half day walk.

Leader: Richard Morris

Directions: Take A283 to Pulborough. 2 miles south of Pulborough turn right into RSPB Reserve car park.

Habitat: Firm paths throughout, with hides and lookouts over flooded brooks (2 mile walk).

Attractions: Birds vary through year, with ducks and waders, migrant warblers, nightingales, woodpeckers and occasional raptors.

Amenities: Toilets in RSPB Information Centre. Bring lunch or use café.

Info: https://rspb.org.uk/pulboroughbrooks

OS: TQ 084514

Postcode KT24 6EP

Duration:  Half day walk

Leader:  Sara Shepley

Directions:  Take A246 from Guildford. At West Horsley roundabout turn right. Use the Shere Road car park on left after ¾ mile.

Habitat:  Easy walking conditions (2 miles), but can be muddy.

Attractions:  Good for fungi in autumn and butterflies in summer

Amenities:  No facilities on site

Information:  Surrey Wildlife Trust

ME12 3RN

Duration:  All day walk, bring lunch.  It is essential to pre-book a place on this trip by emailing me in advance at walks@rspbguildford.org.uk with your car registration number.  Tickets for entry will either be £5 per person if we have over 12 people, or £6.50 if we have over 6.  Payment preferably by card on the entrance gate on the day.  Please arrange to car share where possible.  We will meet at 10am in the main car park for the walk, but give yourselves time to arrive before this to do some birding along the entrance track.  (Reserve is open from 9am).  You can pull over to watch the birds but stay in your vehicles.

Leader:  Malcolm Toyer

Directions:  Take the A3 and join the M25 southbound, then join the M26 and M20.  At junction 7 of the M20 take the A249 exit to Maidstone merging onto the A249 to Sittingbourne and Sheerness.  Stay on the Sheppey crossing bridge (A249) and then take the second exit at the first roundabout and the third exit at the next roundabout onto The Sheppey Way.  Then turn left into the reserve.

Habitat:  Marshland with trails, hides and viewing screens overlooking the Swale Estuary.  Flat well surfaced paths.

Attractions:  Large range of waders, wildfowl and raptors.  Birding starts with a slow drive along the entrance track of almost 2 miles after the Gate Hut where you can pause to pull over and look, (but please don’t get out of the car). Bittern, Bearded Reedling and Marsh Harrier possible.  Brown Hare also present in addition to the birds.  Good site for Owls in winter with four species regularly present.

Amenities:  Toilets in the car park

Information:  https://www.elmleynaturereserve.co.uk

OS: SZ 766984
Post Code: PO20 8AT

Duration:  All day walk, bring lunch to have mid-day

Leader:  John Curtin

Directions:
Take A286 from Chichester to West Wittering, then turn right to Beach. Meet in far car park at entrance to East Head. Car park charge currently £2.50 booked in advance with JustPark

Habitat:
Regular early winter site. If early high tide, start with Lagoons then East Head. If early low tide, start at East Head.  Flat paths, on beach, sand dunes and footpath.

Attractions:
Sanderling, other waders, sea birds and ducks. Chance of snow bunting in winter.

Amenities:
Toilet facilities at car park.

Information:  https://www.westwitteringestate.co.uk

OS: SU 717029
Post Code: PO9 1RD (Ship Inn)

Duration:  All day walk

Leader:  Geoff Keen

Directions:
Turn off A27 onto Langstone Road and left into Ship Inn car park just before Langstone Bridge, for initial stop and toilets. Waders can often be seen on the mud here and all along the walk from there towards the seawall

Then drive over the bridge and turn right after 300 yards by the second petrol station signed Nature Reserve (brown sign) to small car park near oysterbeds. Alternatively turn left directly opposite this car park and find a space by the houses if the Nature Reserve car park is busy.

Habitat:
Firm paths at both sites, but can be muddy if wet.  Expanses of mud in estuary, views of the sea in Langstone Harbour, oysterbeds with lagoons.  Mill pond and open fields, woodland and scrub.

Attractions:
Winter wader flocks at high tide roost, sea ducks, grebes, geese and gulls, egret roost.

Amenities:
No facilities at The Oysterbeds but there are public toilets on the road outside the Ship Inn (see above).

GU10 2QB

Duration:  Half day walk

Leader:  Margo Scott

Directions:
Take A287 south from Farnham towards Hindhead.  After Millbridge and Frensham Green turn right into Bacon Lane signposted Frensham Pond Hotel.  Turn left into Country Park Visitor Centre after ¾ mile. Car parking charge applies payment by RingGo or card. Advance booking via RingGo advisable.

Habitat:
Circular path around the pond through woodland and heathland, generally easy walking but can be muddy in winter

Attractions:
Possibilities of wildfowl and water birds, woodland and heathland species.

Amenities:  Toilet block and coffee kiosk in car park

Information: Waverley Borough Council

OS: TQ 011527
Post Code: GU4 7ND

Duration:  Half day walk

Leader:  Steve Casson

Directions:  From Clay Lane turn down Bowers Lane and left again. Car park on right past allotments, with sign for Nature Reserve.

Habitat:  Flat two miles on paths with one small hill. Varied habitat including lake, marsh, riverside, fields and hedgerows. Can be muddy on towpath.

Attractions:  Winter ducks, thrushes, finches: summer migrants include breeding tern, reed and sedge warbler. Kingfisher.

Amenities:  No facilities.

OS: TR 041702

Post Code: ME12 4RJ

Duration:  All day walk

Leader:  Geoff Keen

Directions:  Take A249(T) onto Isle of Sheppey, then B2231 to Leysdown-on-sea. Meet at shore-side car park (what3words ///obtain.agreement.nails) to view sea, before moving on to park near sea wall further down the road (note the road is rough and there is a walk to reach the shore line from the parking area).

Later transfer to Capel Fleet raptor view point. Go back through Leysdown and look for signs to the Harty Ferry Inn (post code ME12 4BG). Turning from the main road onto the Harty Ferry Road, look for the raised area next to a right hand bend – there is parking on the left.

In the past we have gone on to Elmley reserve after this if they have availability but this would be optional.

Habitat:  Sea shore and salt marsh, arable fields rough grassland and hedgerows.  Raised viewing point to watch passing raptors.

Mostly standing to view, can be very cold in winter. May include a walk to Shellness which can be muddy.  All day event, bring lunch.

Attractions:  Winter flocks of waders, ducks and geese. Good area for raptors.

Amenities:  No facilities on marshes – public toilets at Leysdown.

OS: SU 806628

Postcode:  RG40 3TF

Duration: Half day walk.

Leader: Malcolm

Directions: From A31 take A331 and then A30 towards Basingstoke. At roundabout, take B3272 through Yateley to Eversley, where turn right to Finchampstead by cricket ground. After ⅔ mile turn sharp right into small hidden road. Moor Green Lakes car park is ½ mile on the right.

Habitat: Good walking conditions on paths along River Blackwater, but can be wet and muddy.

Attractions: Birds in winter include ducks such as goosander, thrushes and finches, possibly barn owl and raptors.

Amenities: No facilities, but pubs nearby for lunch afterwards.

Please bring appropriate clothing and footwear for conditions on the day which can be subject to change at any time. You will be expected to use the walk in such a way as not to place yourselves or others at risk