A printable version of these walks and many others can be found on the Library page.


YATELEY COMMON GR828591 (Ex 145)

Walk (1)

1. Go to the eastern end of the lay-by where there is a path, which starts at the MOD notice board warning:  "This is a MoD training area; do not touch suspicious objects". The area is, in fact, entirely safe and ideal for dog walkers. Walk ahead, going south, and take the 2nd track on the left; keep to the main track as it bears right. 

2. Come to a concrete driveway and turn left; you are now approaching the A30, but just before the gate turn right and go along the line of overhead cables. Where the path bears round to the right, just keep straight ahead for about 100m, when you will see a small track on the left which takes you through to the A30. Cross this busy road opposite the sign for Yateley Common, and enter a car park.

3. In the left-hand corner of the car park is an insignificant track which leads down to Gravel Pit Pond. Turn left to skate round the pond in a clockwise direction. The track arrives at a large grassy area. Ignore the 1st footpath on the left and take the 2nd.  If there's a bit of larch lap fencing on the right, then you're on the correct footpath; otherwise go back. At the crossing track, turn left, with ferns to the left, and silver birch to the right. Cross directly over a main track to the small track opposite, which leads directly to a main track, where you turn left.

4. Go past "The Hollies" and, at a fork, bear right on the waymarked BW. Stay on the main path,    bearing left at a fork. You now drop slowly down to the pond. Circumvent the pond in an anti-clockwise direction, rest for a while on the seat, donated by GE Oilfield Technology – I'm not aware of any drilling! At the muddy BW turn hard left and continue round the pond; at the wire fence bear right back onto the BW, then turn left to a junction of paths, where you can continue alongside the BW on a narrow footpath which runs in the same direction but, soon, you must re-join the BW and continue ahead as best you can.

5. Another track comes in from the left, and later, where the track divides, take the left-hand branch which runs close-by the A30 going west. At the crossing track turn left on the narrow, muddy BW, back to the lay-by.

YATELEY COMMON GR828591 (Ex 145)

Walk (2)

The walk is well away from the road and you'll meet very few people.

1. Go to the eastern end of the lay-by where there is a path, which starts at the MOD notice board warning:  "This is a MoD training area; do not touch suspicious objects". The area is, in fact, entirely safe and ideal for dog walkers. Walk ahead, going south, and take the 1st track on the left; keep to the main track as it bears left. 

2. Come to a concrete driveway and turn left; very shortly, and well ahead of the road, you turn right at the 1st gap in the hedge. Go over a track and go directly ahead on the wide grassy path. Follow the path as it bears hard right (another track comes in from the left here); go over the muddy dip, and cross another track. Continue ahead and soon go over yet another track, then, immediately, turn left on the narrow track. Bear right branch at a fork and follow the path through the gorse until you immerge on a wide path.  Turn right here, gently uphill, to reach the overhead cables where you turn hard right.

3.  This wide track passes a turning on the right, and at the next crossing track you turn right (there are two lone telegraph poles marking this path).   Go over a main track, where there's a horse jump. The path bears left through the heather as a path comes in from the right and then from the left. At the next crossing track, turn right. Turn right again, at the concrete driveway, and then go left at the 1st gap in the hedge. This path drops slowly down to the A30, which you reach by turning right at the next opportunity.  

YATELEY COMMON GR828591 (Ex 145)

Walk (3)

1.  Cross the A30 at a point directly opposite the MOD notice board, at the eastern end of the lay-by. Join the muddy BW for a few metres then, at the crossing track, turn right. Take the next turning left along the line of overhead cables. At the junction with the wooden pylons, bear left for a few metres, and then turn right on the "No Horses" footpath going west. You are walking parallel to the overhead cables as you go through the gorse. Bear left at a fork, and turn left at the main track for about 10 metres before turning right through the heather. At the next main track turn right, and then go straight over a crossing track which bears round to the right heading towards the overhead cables.

2. At a crossing track turn left and head down to the road. Cross over to join the BW on the opposite side where you are, once again, following the overhead cables. At the next crossing track turn right on a track which heads gently downhill through the gorse. Ignore a bearing off to the right and continue ahead on the lesser path which drops sharply down to a main track, where you turn right. Go past the houses and ignore the side turnings.  About 15 metres before the road turn right on the BW. Cross the road to Yateley Common and go past the pond, then bear left on the BW to go past Wyndhams Pool (the only pond on Yateley Common where fishing is permitted).

3. Beware, if you have a dog, of a type of blue-green algae on the water which is toxic to animals as well as the fish. Attempts are being made to control the algae using bales of straw which you may see floating on the water. Apart from this hazard, the area which overlooks the pond is ideal for summer picnics and, if you wish, you can start and end the walk here.

4. Carry on past the top of the pond for about 20 metres, and then bear right on the waymarked BW. Turn right at the crossing track, where you will see post No 4.  After about 50 metres, where the path bears right, you need to turn left on the narrow path, with a cleared area to the left and heather to the right. You are soon heading towards a cemetery, worth a visit, but you need to turn right at a point about 10 metres ahead of the main track.  Keep a sharp-eye out for a level track, on the left, which appears after about 300 metres, and follow it through the heather.  Soon the track is going through dense gorse and heading towards the overhead cables.

5. Go over a wide crossing track and continue through the gorse. In August, this area gives a beautiful display of flowering heather. At the T-junction turn left and go over the outward junction, but this time take the narrow path on the right, which runs parallel with the outward path and leads directly back to the lay-by.