Find a Secret Orchard at Normandy Common, Guildford

Normandy Common

Normandy Common is a wooded area with an orchid meadow, pond, orchard, woods, various sports areas, and a small adventure play area.

There is a map in each of the car parks that shows you where everything is. The three main areas we visit are below but there are other little areas you can discover for yourself!

The Stream and Pond

The stream flows through the play area next to the car park on the main road. It can flow quite quickly in wet weather and sometimes there are ducks on it. 

The pond is in the woods at the end of the stream on the other side of the road. 

To find the pond, cross Hunts Hill Road (the road the car parks are on). There is a footpath and bridge immediately on your left, which takes you into the woods and then onto Normandy Pond. 

The Wispy Woods

We call the wooded area between the cricket pitch and the orchard the Wispy Woods because some of its enormous and feathery fir trees. 

It’s a smallish patch of mature woodland with a wild feel.

The Secret Orchard

This is a Traditional Orchard, a conservation area that is being preserved as a habitat for plants and animals. It is planted in grassland and managed in an organic way. 

The boards say, “All wildlife and visitors can enjoy a variety of true and traditional fruit flavours.”

 We visited in September and found pear, apple, plum, and cherry trees. 

We also saw a mulberry bush, which I knew from the nursery rhyme but had never actually seen. 

Finding the Woods and Orchard

Leave the play area and walk over the football pitch towards the red bin. Walk over the bridge and onto the cricket ground until you reach the cricket building.

Walk across the car park to the woods and take the footpath marked as a Permissive Horse Ride.

Follow this path until you come to the entrance to the Wispy Woods on the left.

To reach the orchard, keep following this path beyond the woods, ignoring any side paths. 

There is a large bend to the right and then a smaller bend to the left and the orchard is up a slight hill and on the right. It is about a five minute walk from the Wispy Woods.

The orchard and woods are clearly marked on the car park maps. If it is your first visit, then consider taking a photo of the map with you. 

The Adventure Play Area

Large trees surround Normandy Common Play Area, making it a shady, peaceful place to play. 

The equipment includes:

• a slide
• various climbing frames
• swings
• toddler swings
• a swinging basket

• a seesaw
• a ground level trampoline
• a zip wire
• scramble nets
• a climbing wall and balance beams that together make an obstacle course.

Sports Facilities

There are also plenty of places to play sports:

• a table tennis table (bring your own bats!)
• a street snooker wall and court (a cross between football and snooker)
• tennis courts
• a football pitch
• a cricket ground.

Nearest Town: Normandy, Near Guildford and Aldershot
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU3 2DB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic.
Facilities: None but there some picnic tables.

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Generally buggy friendly but some of the paths can be narrow.

Parking: There are two play area car parks on Hunts Hill Road. The first is on the corner with the main road (GU3 2DB). The other is further down Hunts Hill Road (GU3 2DB).
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies, insects, slow worms, snakes, lizards, stag beetles, glow worms, newts, frogs, kingfishers and dragonflies.

Information Written: July 2016
Information Checked: January 2024