A brisk walk can be a simple but effective way to improve your physical and mental health. Regular walking has been shown to increase heart health and reduce your chances of several serious conditions.
Getting outdoors and spending time in nature can also have a positive effect on your mood and help you relieve stress.
While you might be more inclined to stay indoors in the warm during winter, walking in the cold weather could be even more beneficial for your health.
According to Harvard University, the cold could improve your endurance, so you can walk for longer. It may also encourage the production of calorie-burning brown fat, so the health benefits of walking may even be more pronounced in the winter months.
The frost and low temperatures also transform the landscape and encourage new flora and fauna to come out, so you might have a difference experience even if you follow the same routes.
We are blessed to live in the beautiful Surrey countryside surrounded by amazing natural landscapes, so there are plenty of picturesque walks right on our doorstep.
Here are some of the best winter walks in Chobham and the surrounding area.
1. Chobham Common
You don’t need to travel far to find tranquil areas of countryside in Chobham. If you want a short, relatively easy walk with lots of opportunities for spotting wildlife and exploring different environments, Chobham Common nature reserve is perfect.
There is a lovely 5km circular walk starting at Staple Hill car park, just across the road from the entrance to Chobham Common. After crossing the road, you can follow the sand path over the flat portion of heathland. The path itself holds up well against the wet weather so it’s ideal for a winter walk.
Once you reach the end of the path, there is a small section of road that takes you into the pine forests before you reach another footpath across the wetlands for the final stretch.
This last portion of the walk can get a bit muddier so if you plan to do the full route, you may want to bring some wellies with you.
2. Chobham Water Meadows
Chobham Water Meadows is another excellent location right in the town centre. You can park in the public car park on the high street and follow the path from there.
The circular route starts towards the cricket ground before veering left past flower meadows on one side and horse paddocks on the other. The path leads to a small lane, which is wooded on both sides.
Follow this for a while and you’ll find a nice pond and a route by the paddocks where you might be able to spot some swallows and even a woodpecker. Eventually, you will come to a small footbridge where you can cross Mill Bourne.
From here, you can follow the stream back to where you started. The fertile banks are host to all manner of plants, attracting lots of insects.
You will finish back in the centre of Chobham so you can easily stop for a cup of coffee after your walk.
3. Pirbright and Hodge Brook
The small village of Pirbright is a short 15-minute drive from Chobham and it’s well worth a visit as it has some wonderful walking routes.
Starting from the village green, you can follow the route around the historic church and over a small stream onto a footpath. This scenic path makes up the first half of the route, finishing with a slight incline up Hazelacre Hill.
The second half of the walk takes you past some quaint cottages and along a section of pavement for a while, before you reach Brookwood Heath. You can then continue on and head back into the centre of Pirbright or explore the heath and attached cemetery.
Pirbright itself has lots of traditional pubs such as the White Hart and the Royal Oak where you can have a spot of lunch after your walk too.
4. Wellesley Woodlands
Wellesley Woodlands in Aldershot has several well-trodden walking routes, making it worth the 25-minute drive from Chobham for a day out.
The Chalk Farm Lake circular route is a brilliant short hike that offers lots of opportunities for spotting wildlife. The car park on Camp Farm Road is the best starting point for this walk.
More lakes, canals and footpaths are dotted around the woodlands too, so there is plenty to explore.
Wellesley Woodlands is a particularly good place to take your children or grandchildren as they often host events and there are wildlife spotting trails signposted around the area.
5. Frimley Lodge Park
Frimley Lodge Park is another expansive country park just 20 minutes from Chobham by car. If you want to take a longer walk, you may enjoy the 7.5km circular route that encompasses Mytchett Heath and Basingstoke Canal.
The path takes you through woodland areas, open fields, and alongside the canal. There are some nice cafes along the canal path where you can stop for some refreshments before continuing your walk.
Several footpaths then lead you through the heath and pine woodlands, but it may be useful to plan a route before you go as there are several different ways you can go.
After crossing a road and heading through some more forested areas, you emerge on the canal towpath again, which you can follow back to your starting destination.
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