recommended route
Haslemere to Black Down circular
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Steven Peacock
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Photo: Steven Peacock, Community
A great little circular from the town of Haslemere up to Black Down with its spectacular heathland views. 11 kilometres and about 320 metres of ascent - allow 2.75 to 3.75 hours
moderate
Distance 11 km
3:02 h
254 m
253 m
282 m
133 m
Black Down has truly stunning panoramas in all directions and is an absolute must-do on a sunny day with blue skies.
This route starts and finishes in Haslemere which is a pleasant town with convenient road and rail access and which offers many cafe/pub options for before or after the walk. Unfortunately there is no parking area at the actual start of the walk, so you have to park in one of the town's official car parks nearby, or roadside in the town centre if it's not too busy.
There is an alternative start to the loop with a parking area at waypoint 12 (National Trust, Black Downs parking area, free), but starting here means the Black Downs' views come very early in the walk rather than as a mid-walk "summit" and 'reward'!
Geology for Walkers
On the Black Downs you find yourself walking over sandy trails; this is because the underlying rock is sandstone - part of the Greensand Group of Lower Cretaceous age (just over 100 million years old). It was originally deposited as sandy sediments just offshore, when the UK was about where the northern Mediterranean is now.
'Geology for Walkers' is due to be published later in 2020.
This route starts and finishes in Haslemere which is a pleasant town with convenient road and rail access and which offers many cafe/pub options for before or after the walk. Unfortunately there is no parking area at the actual start of the walk, so you have to park in one of the town's official car parks nearby, or roadside in the town centre if it's not too busy.
There is an alternative start to the loop with a parking area at waypoint 12 (National Trust, Black Downs parking area, free), but starting here means the Black Downs' views come very early in the walk rather than as a mid-walk "summit" and 'reward'!
Geology for Walkers
On the Black Downs you find yourself walking over sandy trails; this is because the underlying rock is sandstone - part of the Greensand Group of Lower Cretaceous age (just over 100 million years old). It was originally deposited as sandy sediments just offshore, when the UK was about where the northern Mediterranean is now.
'Geology for Walkers' is due to be published later in 2020.
Difficulty
moderate
Technique
Stamina
Highest point
282 m
Lowest point
133 m
Track types
Show elevation profileStart
Coordinates:
OS Grid
SU 90588 32702
DD
51.086494, -0.707999
DMS
51°05'11.4"N 0°42'28.8"W
UTM
30U 660520 5661942
w3w
///unwound.permanent.reversed
Note
all notes on protected areas
Coordinates
OS Grid
SU 90588 32702
DD
51.086494, -0.707999
DMS
51°05'11.4"N 0°42'28.8"W
UTM
30U 660520 5661942
w3w
///unwound.permanent.reversed
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Reviews
Difficulty
moderate
Distance
11 km
Duration
3:02 h
Ascent
254 m
Descent
253 m
Highest point
282 m
Lowest point
133 m
Statistics
2D
3D
Maps and trails
- Waypoints
- Waypoints
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
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