Outwood Common comprises open common, woodland and fields, traversed by streams and dotted with more than 100 ponds here and there. A large proportion of the countryside in and around Outwood is part of the Harewoods Estate, which is managed by the National Trust. Some of the ancient oak trees in the wood are over 200 years old.
Banstead Woods
An ancient woodland thought to have been owned by Anne Boleyn, Banstead Woods was alluded to in the Domesday Book of 1086 and, in the medieval period, sheltered the royal deer. These days, it is local nature reserve and site of Special Scientific Interest, infamous for the swathes of vibrant bluebells that carpet the floor in the springtime.
Esher Common
Esher Common dates back at least 6,000 years to the early Bronze Age Neolithic period, with evidence of a settlement on Round Hill. ains several ponds and lakes, the largest of which is Black Pond, which was once a water supply for the nearby National Trust Claremont Landscape Garden.
Ashdown Forest – Chelwood Vachery Forest Garden
The Ashdown Forest is in East Sussex and it has some absolutely stunning locations to enjoy. Chelwood Vachery is an estate dating back to at least 1229. Its Forest Garden was created between 1910 and the 1930s.
Wisley Common
Wisley Common is managed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT). Along with Ockham common/Chatley Heath on the other side of the A3, it is a nationally important site for dragonflies and damselflies, with twenty species recorded. It also attracts many rare birds, including the hobby, which is one of the few creatures that can actually catch dragonflies. In the summer, the heath is awash with purple heather.
West End Common
West End Common is a 70.3-hectare (174-acre) Local Nature Reserve and part of Esher Commons, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The River Mole runs along one edge of the common, which also boasts six ponds and wet areas.
Sanderstead to Whyteleafe Countryside Area (SWCA) / Riddlesdown
On the border of Purley (London Borough of Croydon) and Whyteleafe (Tandridge, Surrey), the Sanderstead to Whyteleafe Countryside Area (SWCA) is a 200 acre area of chalk grass/downland, fields, woodland and scrub, which forms part of the North Downs.