We’re lucky to have so many National Trust sites to visit in Surrey. From Winkworth Arboretum and Claremont to Polesden Lacey and Hatchlands Park, we’ve seen quite a few now. But there are many, many more to explore and of course re-visit.
With POD at home one day during the week we try to get out and discover new places. This time was the turn of Witley and Milford Commons, described as a rich and varied landscape buzzing with wildlife.
It’s designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
When we arrived we were met with heathland views of burnt orange. The bridlepath was also littered with patches of lush green moss.
Having spotted some interesting looking trees, including one that resembled a duck, we headed towards the secluded woodland glades. You could already sense there was something special about these Commons.
Majestic trees that seemed hundreds of years old wore coats of moss and algae. Quite a breathtaking sight at times. You could almost imagine you were part of a fairy tale and the trees danced after dark!
POD found the excess water squelching underfoot highly entertaining. As was finding sticks of varying sizes and placing them in pools of water.
Although we’d missed it en route, the rain returned shortly afterwards. Little drops closely followed by a huge downpour. Our exploring cut short, we rushed back to the car only for the sun to appear!
It’s said on a late spring evening you might hear the song of a nightingale at the Commons. And during the warmer months they’re alive with bird song from Tree pipits and Woodlarks. We’ll most certainly be back, hopefully next time with a picnic!
Wow you really do have some amazing places to visit nearby don’t you?!
There do seem to be a lot of places to go within about 15 minutes drive of home 🙂
It looks like a great place to visit, great photos as well. Nothing better when your little, than squeltching in your wellies, quiet good fun when your big as well!!
Thank you very much – we love a bit of squelching!
Gorgeous, we have the sea here, but I grew up surrounded by woodland and I miss it! There;s here lovely coat again too! lol xx
There’s something rather wonderful about the woodland isn’t there. How fabulous to be by the sea 🙂
Wow, the trees do look magical! What a lovely place to visit!
Thank you Michelle – great place. Wish we’d been able to stay longer 🙂
Looks beautiful, lucky she had those wellies on.
It was super wet – hardly surprising after all the rain. Wonderful though 🙂
Lovely photo’s as ever-especially the trees. You know how much I love my trees 🙂
Thank you very much – thought you’d like this one 🙂
Oh I love trees, and it looks like you found some real beauties 🙂
Thank you Amanda – they were fabulous. Such a shame we couldn’t stay longer 🙂
Oh Charley, your photos are always amazing.
Also, I really love POD’s coat – wonder if it’s available for 31 year olds?
Oh thank you so much, that’s very kind. POD’s coat is from Monsoon so you never know 🙂
Love the colour of all that moss. Looks like a lovely place and I’m glad the rain managed to hold off for most of your visit. The orange heathland is really beautiful, great photos as always 🙂
Thank you Gemma – it was great there. Such a contrast with the different landscapes too. Be so lovely to spend more time having a nose around 🙂
Those trees – wondrous. Love a day trip and this looks a fab one.
Thank you Abby – they were superb 🙂
those moss covered trees!!! love. and her coat… beautiful
Thank you Claudia – fabulous trees and new coat 🙂
Loving the slide show , need to get out and about more just the weather is so poor .x
Thank you Hannah. We have so little time so do try at the weekend or Monday – if it’s raining it’s so much harder 🙂
aww lovely pics! this is the sort of thing we love to do too! x
Thank you Fritha – so nice to do when you can. Fresh air works wonders 🙂
gorgeous I ove the pic of the girl walking away
Thank you 🙂
You cannot beat mossy trees! Lovely photos as always.
I nearly ventured out to a National Trust place the other morning but the heavens opened and I chickened out. Hopefully I’ll get there this week – you should be in charge of their blogger PR, you are always there and singing their praises!
Thanks for joining in again and sharing xxx
Thank you Annie and for hosting. We were so close to getting really drenched the other day. I do love the National Trust, I’d be quite happy exploring, taking photos and reviewing :))
What amazing looking trees. I would be waiting for a mouth to appear and utter some ancient words of wisdom at me LOL.
Hehe very funny – it almost felt like that. Amazing trees though 🙂
Those trees are fantastic! My girls would’ve loved bouncing around those mud puddles too – which is all we see lately. It looks like a wonderful place, and I bet the birds make it even better!
It’s a really great place Kathleen, wish we could have stayed longer and walked further. I can’t wait to have a proper nose around and see it in Spring time 🙂
Ooooh take me with you next time!
Hehe it’s great isn’t it 🙂
So many beautiful photos, I’m amazed at how vibrant the green looks in these at this time of year. Very lush!
Thank you Jenni – very kind! It’s amazing all the lush green, presume from all that rain 🙂
I love the ancient trees and descriptions of burnt orange heathlands, sounds like a great day exploring. Perfect to entertain little ones x
Thank you Lori – they’re fabulous trees 🙂
What a wonderful vicharious thrill! I used to love walking through the woods – but it’s something I just can’t do anymore. Getting to follow your little cherub is just he icing on the cake 🙂
Thank you so much Vicky, a wonderful thing to say 🙂
Some fabulous photos. The country girl in me is desperate to find some new places to explore, town life is v convenient but I miss the wide open spaces!
Thank you. I know that feeling we did 20 years in London before we moved to Surrey 🙂
This looks so pretty and your photos are gorgeous. I just love the colour of your little girls coat against the greens.
Thank you Emma, that’s really kind of you. POD is loving her new coat 🙂
I LOVE places like this. Bizarrely I always link moss with magic! When there is lovely, spongey moss on the ground, I imagine it must have been like this for thousands of years.
It’s funny isn’t it – really did feel like a magical wonderland that had been there forever! I like that idea, as well as the trees coming to life at night 🙂
oh that looks like such a gorgeous place to visit… those algae covered trees are amazing! x
Those trees are amazing. Even before I read your words, I thought how fairy tale they looked, and Pod has her lovely new purple coat on! X
Such wonderful pictures and your words really paint a vivid picture
Loving the purple coat 🙂 Those squat trees are fabulous! Lovely photos as always xx #CountryKids
Sounds like you were unlucky to have to cut your visit short, a beautiful read and matching photos. I love the way Pod busies herself with the sticks and puzzles while you admire the wider landscape. Harmony together! Thanks for joining me with another great Surry surprise on Country Kids
Oh that’s a bit more rural than you normally go for, I know you like your NT places and gardens. Wonderful colours on the tress and Pod looks fab exploring in her pretty coat.
Nipping over from Country Kids
We gave up NT Membership in favour of EH this year but I’m missing it already. Looks like you had a great trip out.
#countrykids
I adore your photos of the mossy trees. Another wonderful NT location worth a visit.
Gorgeous photos, and I do love those tree shots. Looks like a successful exploratory trip 🙂 #CountryKids
Loving that stunning photo of the tree!!! We love the National Trust too, although after joining discovered there aren’t as many really close by but we still go and have a great time. #CountryKids
That looks beautiful! We love the National Trust. x
Some amazing trees there, what a great place to go.
Love old trees too, especially the weirder it looks 🙂
I love those trees. So fascinating to see all the nooks and cranies and branches on a tree.
[…] visited a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest – the Majestic Witley and Milford Commons. Managed by the National Trust, it’s described as a rich and varied landscape buzzing with […]
Lovely photos, the trees look amazing! 🙂
beautiful!! xx
Wow! That looks a fab place to visit! Such beautiful scenery x
[…] We’re lucky we have so many National Trust sites so close to us. Recently we’ve checked out Abinger Roughs, Clandon Park and Witley & Milford Commons. […]
[…] explore varied landscapes like the Majestic Commons too – some of the oldest trees I’ve ever seen. We did have to make a run for it when the […]