Venture into the Lost World of Thursley Common, Thursley
There is something primeval about Thursley Common. With carnivorous plants, peat bogs and dragons (lizards or dragonflies – take your pick!), it is a breathtaking National Nature Reserve with a wonderful, fresh atmosphere and a range of habitats, including areas of peat bogs, heathland, woodland, and ponds.
The Thursley Common Fire
At the end of May 2020, a fire tore through the boardwalk area of Thursley Common. Lots of trees and vegetation were lost and so was the boardwalk, with its Dragonfly Trail.
This is a picture of Moat Pond before the fire.
This is a picture of Moat Pond after the fire.
Happily, the Dragonfly Trail has been rebuilt!
Moat Pond
We start our visits at Moat Pond, with its pine scent and marauding ducks.
In the autumn it is surrounded by fungus – we spotted 50 different types last autumn! (I’m sure it goes without saying but we never touch fungus, we just look at it).
The Dragonfly Trail
This leads you along the boardwalk and over the peat bogs.
Along the way you can spot lots of insects and lizards
The Trails
When we want a short visit we walk around Moat Pond and watch the wildlife from one of the many little beach-like areas.
If we are after a longer walk, we venture along one of the marked trails.
The Wildlife
Thursley Common teems with nature and you can almost always see something wonderful.
From spring to autumn, you can see animals on every visit, including animals such as dragonflies, lizards, caterpillars, birds, and spiders.
On one visit there were thousands of tiny toads hopping across the paths in every direction.
The Lizards
The lizards are easiest to see when warming themselves on the boardwalk during sunny days.
Can You Spot the Lizards?
To ready your eyes for lizard spotting, have a look at the photo of a log below. There are three lizards hiding on it – how many can you spot?
Answers highlighted below!
Two are hiding here:
And another here:
Thor’s Den
There is nearby a play area called Thor’s Den on the edge of Thursley Common. You can walk there from Moat Pond but it is quite far so you may prefer to drive (GU8 6QD).
Visit the Thursley Common website
Further Information
Nearest Town: Thursley, near Farnham
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU8 6LW
Opens: Daily
Cost: Free
Where to Eat: Bring a blanket and a picnic.
Facilities: None
How Long We Spent There: Up to 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly – we use an all terrain buggy as some areas are sandy and there are roots along some of the paths.
Parking: There are lots of places to park along the road and a few car parks. We use the Moat Pond car park (GU8 6LW) as it is closest to Moat Pond.
Cost of Parking: Free but a donation using a parking app is suggested.
Wildlife You Might See: Toads, frogs, wood ants, dragonflies, lizards, caterpillars, birds, spiders, grasshoppers and ducks.
Information Written: July 2019
Information Checked: October 2024
Ratings
Our visit to Thursley Common National Nature Reserve is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.
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