St Catherine’s Hill

St Catherine’s Hill used to be called Drakehull (or Dragon Hill) and is  a sacred site that dates back thousands of years to the Stone Age.

 

 

 

In the 14th century a chapel was built here, which now lies in ruins.

 

 

 

 

 

Sacred Spring

At the bottom of St Catherine’s Hill by the River Wey is a sacred spring that was believed to cure sore eyes. 

 

 

 

 

Next to it is a little plaque and a poem:

“Your upward path, my downward flow

Are fixed by law divine,

My task is to refresh your soul,

Yours to discover mine”

 

 

River Wey Navigations 

The River Wey flows past St Catherine’s Hill.

 

 

 

 

You can follow the River Wey Navigations footpath along the river (if you are looking at the river then follow the path to the right)

 

 

 

and on to St Catherine’s Lock.  

 

 

 

 

 

St Catherine’s Lock

When at the lock, you can either turn around and go back to the car park the same way you have come or cross the river 

 

 

 

and follow the footpath back to Shalford Park,

 

 

 

 

passing St Mary’s Church, Shalford.

 

 

 

 

 

This route is wilder than the path along the river, with obstacles like fallen trees

 

 

 

 

and streams. 

 

 

 

 

 

Finding St Catherine’s Hill

As you leave Shalford Park car park, head to the line of trees on your right

 

 

 

 

and follow the footpath that leads through the trees and on to the River Wey.

 

 

 

 

Once at the river, cross the bridge

 

 

 

 

 

walk past the spring and up Ferry Lane to the main road.

 

 

 

 

St Catherine’s Hill is on your left and will take you up to the church.

 

Nearest Town: Guildford 
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU3 1LJ is the nearest postcode but parking is on the other side of the River Wey at GU4 8AA.

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket.
Facilities: None.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Generally buggy friendly but some of the paths can be narrow.

Parking: There is a car park at Shalford Park (GU4 8AA).
Cost of Parking: £4 per day. 

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks and other birds, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: July 2022

 

The Play Area

The play equipment is for children to the age of 14 years and includes:

• toddler swings
• swings
• a sand pit
• mushrooms you can jump on
• flowers you can talk into
• a dragon to climb
• a helter-skelter slide with easy to climb steps
• a multiplay with a slide, easy to climb steps, a ladder and a net
• another multiplay with a slide, easy to climb steps and a frog-studded climbing wall
• a rope climbing frame
• a tyre climbing frame
• a trampoline
• a spinner
• a short obstacle course
• a roundabout
• a rocking horse
• springers
• a seesaw springer
• a water play area.

 

Sports Facilities

There is equipment around the field that includes:

• an obstacle course
• a basket swing
• a multi-gym with spinning and swinging equipment
• a basketball net
• football goals
• cricket nets. 

There are also tennis courts you can prebook by visiting the Sunningdale parish website.

 

The Woods and Stream

Along the edge of the field is a little stream and a footpath that leads over a bridge (or a log if you are feeling brave!) into a small wooded area.

If you follow this path you will eventually come to Sunningdale High Street.

 

Refreshments

There is a small refreshments kiosk with a sheltered picnic area and various seating areas scattered around the grounds.

 

The Library

A container library visits ons one days during the week.

Please see the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s Sunningdale Container Library website for further details.

Nearest Town: Sunningdale, near Ascot
County: Berkshire
Nearest Postcode: SL5 0QS

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or buy food from the cafe.
Facilities: Cafe, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic area, snacks, ice creams.

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Car park by the play area.
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: April 2017
Information Checked: August 2023

 

Juniper Adventure Play Trail

This adventure play area has:

• a wooden multi-play with a tunnel slide, cargo net, ladder and bridge
• two log cabin climbing frames
• an obstacle course with ropes, logs, bridges, and cargo nets
• a zip wire and
• picnic tables.

 

From the Visitor Centre, the play trail is either a 5 minute drive or a 15 minute walk uphill.

 

 

The Assault Course

Suitable for those over 1.4m tall only, the assault course is hidden in the woods to the right of the adventure play trail and has 12 obstacles and a 250m run.

 

 

 

Queen Elizabeth Country Park

Queen Elizabeth Country Park has lots of activities to try, including walking, cycling and mountain biking trails, orienteering trails and nature areas.

 

 

 

It has a Visitor Centre, shop, cafe and a kiosk.

 

 

 

 

There is even a brick pizza oven you can hire next to the adventure play area!

 

 

 

 

Butser Hill

Queen Elizabeth Country Park is at the bottom of Butser Hill National Nature Reserve.

 

 

 

 

Butser Hill is is one of the highest points in Hampshire with beautiful views towards the Isle of Wight and the South Downs. It is also an ideal spot for kite flying.

 

 

 

The Dragon of Butser Hill

There is a Hampshire County Council Story Trail called “The Dragon of Butser Hill” that tells you a story about knights, damsels, giants and dragons as it winds around the hilltop.

 

Nearest Town: Horndean, Near Petersfield
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: PO8 0QE

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe, hire a barbecue or pizza oven, bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe offering snacks and ice cream, a kiosk at the adventure play trail, shop, toilets and accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There are several different car parks to choose from. 
Cost of Parking: From £2 per hour.

Wildlife You Might See: Insects, butterflies, ducks, geese and birds.

Information Written: July 2016
Information Checked: February 2023

 

Juniper Adventure Play Trail

This is the Queen Elizabeth Country Park Adventure Play area and has:

• a wooden multi-play with a tunnel slide, cargo net, ladder and bridge
• two log cabin climbing frames
• an obstacle course with ropes, logs, bridges, and cargo nets
• a zip wire and
• picnic tables.

 

From the Visitor Centre, the play trail is either a 5 minute drive or a 15 minute walk uphill.

 

 

 

 

The Assault Course

Suitable for those over 1.4m tall only, the assault course is hidden in the woods to the right of the adventure play trail and has 12 obstacles and a 250m run.

 

 

 

Dog Activity Course

Near to the Juniper Adventure Play Trail is the Forts and Fleets Dog Activity Course.

It is 200 metres long and has 8 obstacles designed for dogs. 

 

 

 

Butser Hill

Queen Elizabeth Country Park is at the bottom of Butser Hill National Nature Reserve.

 

 

 

Butser Hill is is one of the highest points in Hampshire with beautiful views towards the Isle of Wight and the South Downs. It is also an ideal spot for kite flying.

 

 

 

The Dragon of Butser Hill

There is a Hampshire County Council Story Trail called “The Dragon of Butser Hill” that tells you a story about knights, damsels, giants and dragons as it winds around the hilltop.

 

 

 

Other Activities

There are lots of other activities at Queen Elizabeth Country Park, including walking, cycling and mountain biking trails, picnic and BBQ areas, orienteering trails and nature areas.

 

 

It has a Visitor Centre, shop, cafe and a kiosk.

 

 

 

 

There is even a brick pizza oven you can hire!

 

 

 

 

 

Little Squirrels

The country park runs Little Squirrels, a nature club for the under 5s during term time, which offers hands on nature play sessions.

 

Nearest Town: Horndean, Near Petersfield
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: PO8 0QE

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe, hire a barbecue or pizza oven, bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe offering snacks and ice cream, a kiosk at the adventure play trail, shop, toilets and accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There are several different car parks to choose from. 
Cost of Parking: From £2 per hour.

Wildlife You Might See: Insects, butterflies, ducks, geese and birds.

Information Written: July 2016
Information Checked: February 2023

 

 

Butser Hill

The trail leads you around the top of Butser Hill National Nature Reserve, which is one of the highest points in Hampshire with beautiful views towards the Isle of Wight and the South Downs. It is also an ideal spot for kite flying.

 

 

Reaching the Top

You can either walk up the hill from Queen Elizabeth Country Park or drive up from the A3. We considered walking but the Visitor’s Centre staff advised against taking a buggy.

 

 

The Paths

It only took us fifteen minutes to walk to the top at a slow pace. We did not find the hill steep to climb and my toddler walked with me.

The hill is covered in rough, clumpy grass but there were paths mown through it.

 

Queen Elizabeth Country Park

From Butser Hill you can easily reach Queen Elizabeth Country Park by car, where there is a cafe, play areas for a range of ages, orienteering trails and picnic areas.

They also host family friendly events, which are listed on the Queen Elizabeth Country Park website.

 

Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails

*These are walks with interactive stories to read along the way, as told by a cute character called the Story Snail.

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and is divided into numbered story sections that you read out as you reach number markers along the trail.

 

 

Find a Pack

To follow the Story Trail you need a free pack that you can either borrow from a specified place (with a Hampshire Library card and a £20 returnable deposit) or download a story trail from the internet in written or audio form. Each pack has a map to follow and the trail itself is marked with arrows and/or pictures of the Story Snail.

Nearest Town: Horndean
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU32 1QR

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: We used an all terrain buggy without any problems.

Parking: Near the top of Butser Hill is a pay and display car park with lots of spaces.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour

Wildlife You Might See: Sheep, butterflies and birds, maybe even a dragon if you are lucky!

Information Written: June 2017

 

Butser Hill

At the very top of the hill is a wide open space with grazing sheep, an Ordnance Survey triangulation point and a large aerial mast and station (although you cannot go inside).

 

 

Queen Elizabeth Country Park

At the bottom of the hill is Queen Elizabeth Country Park, which has play areas, orienteering trails, nature spots and picnic and BBQ areas.

 

 

 

Reaching the Top

You can either walk up Butser Hill from Queen Elizabeth Country Park or drive up from the A3.

I considered walking but the Visitors’ Centre staff advised against taking a buggy on the walk.

 

 

From the Car Park

It only took us fifteen minutes to walk from the car park on Butser Hill to the top of the hill (at a toddler’s pace).

The paths were covered in rough, clumpy grass but there were paths mown through it. 

 

 

Beware the Dragon 

The Butser Hill Story Trail runs around the top of the hill.

It is called “The Dragon of Butser Hill” and tells you a story about knights, damsels, giants and dragons as it winds around the hilltop.

 

 

Hampshire CC’s Story Trails

This is one of Hampshire County Council’s Story Trails.

These are walks with interactive stories to read along the way, which are told by a cute character called the Story Snail.

 

 

 

 

Each Story Trail is about one mile long and divided into numbered sections. Numbered markers prompt you to read the sections of the story along the trail

 

 

 

Find a Story Pack

To follow the Story Trail you need a free pack that you can either borrow from a specified place (with a Hampshire Library card and a £20 returnable deposit) or download a copy of a story trail from the internet in written or audio form.

Each pack has a map to follow and the trail itself is marked with arrows and/or pictures of the Story Snail.

 

Nearest Town: Horndean
County: Hampshire
Nearest Postcode: GU32 1QR

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 1.5 hours
Buggies: We used an all terrain buggy without any problems.

Parking: Near the top of Butser Hill is a pay and display car park with lots of spaces.
Cost of Parking: From £1.80 per hour

Wildlife You Might See: Sheep, butterflies and birds, maybe even a dragon if you are very lucky!

Information Written: February 2017