{"id":37336,"date":"2026-05-15T15:38:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T15:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/37336\/"},"modified":"2026-05-15T15:38:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T15:38:14","slug":"the-stunning-nature-walk-an-hour-from-london-named-one-of-britains-best-paths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/37336\/","title":{"rendered":"The stunning nature walk an hour from London named one of Britain’s best paths"},"content":{"rendered":"

The unique nature reserve recovered from a devastating fire in 2020<\/p>\n

15:53, 15 May 2026Updated 15:58, 15 May 2026<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The boardwalk was restored after a devastating fire(Image: Alex Manders via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

An expansive nature reserve just beyond London’s boundaries has celebrated for its meandering boardwalk and breathtaking views – and you can get there in just over an hour from London.<\/p>\n

Thursley Common, a sprawling nature reserve in Surrey, was named ‘Britain’s best path’ back in 2024 by walking charity The Ramblers, and it’s clear to see why. Just over an hour’s drive from central London, the common spans approximately 350 hectares in South West Surrey, comprising heathland, ponds and woodland.<\/p>\n

It earned its accolade thanks to its boardwalk and enchanting pathway that snakes through the common, from which visitors can watch wildlife<\/a> and absorb the scenery. What makes this walk even more special is that the site has only recently recovered from a catastrophic fire in 2020 which consumed a third of the area and devastated an estimated 200-300 animal and plant species.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The boardwalk is the perfect place to stroll and take in nature(Image: Alex Manders via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

In May 2020, local residents were evacuated as flames began spreading swiftly across the terrain. Massive columns of smoke were visible for miles around and nearby roads were closed.<\/p>\n

Following this incident, the Friends of Thursley Common have emphasised the fire hazard and made abundantly clear that barbecues must not be used, while smoking is prohibited, reports Surrey Live<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Early<\/p>\n

The nature reserve has an otherworldly quality(Image: Maurice Ford via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Numerous walking routes cover the common, offering Londoners the perfect escape from the city with opportunities to spot foxes, deer, birds of prey and lizards. Parking is available at the Moat car park and within Thursley Village. Beyond walkers, the location proves popular with horse riders and cyclists, while the Friends of Thursley Common organise activities to entertain children.<\/p>\n

Stay up to date about London’s hottest events, latest restaurant openings, and best deals with our Going Out Out newsletter. Sign up HERE!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The unique nature reserve recovered from a devastating fire in 2020 15:53, 15 May 2026Updated 15:58, 15 May…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":37337,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[13,1784,528,4334,247],"class_list":{"0":"post-37336","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-britain","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-days-out","10":"tag-environment","11":"tag-places","12":"tag-things-to-do"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/116579343026414518","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37336"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37336\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}