Our quest to explore sites protected by the National Trust continued last weekend with a visit to Abinger Roughs. Charles Darwin, the famous naturalist and geologist, walked on the Roughs while staying at Abinger Hall in the 1870s.
Located in Surrey, Abinger Roughs is a hidden area of woodland with ancient trees and grasslands. We’d not visited before so it was wonderful to spot a rabbit and a pheasant before we’d even entered the car park!
The woodland is full of ancient trees with some gnarled Oaks up to three hundred years old. It was the perfect place to blow away those cobwebs after a week indoors!
We saw an ancient Oak which at first glance looked like it had uprooted itself but it hadn’t. Part of its trunk was hollow but it remained strong – the shape of it’s branches made it a great tree for climbing. It was too big for POD but we saw another family having the best time there.
It had been incredibly wet for a few days so we stuck to the pathways, admired the views and took in those fabulous woodland smells. POD took the opportunity to jump in and out of many muddy puddles.
Our three year old adventurer also enjoyed running along ahead. The photograph below encapsulates everything we love about the countryside!
The strange look on POD’s face was the result of asking her if she’d seen an elephant. She had her back to me and asking that question was an attempt to get her to turn round. It worked but she was then on the lookout for the elephant!
Abinger Roughs provides a great habitat for birds including great and lesser spotted woodpeckers, nuthatch, tree creeper and the wood warbler. We heard many a bird but saw very few – no doubt staying away from our rather excitable toddler!
We were so busy enjoying our walk, we completely missed the granite memorial for Samuel Wilberforce, the Bishop of Winchester. Known as ‘Soapy Sam’, Wilberforce was thrown from his horse in 1873 and the memorial marks the spot where he fell.
We did see one of the WW2 pill boxes. These formed a stop line during the war to protect London from invasion. We must have a look at these and nearby Netley Park.
There’s also a natural play area at Abinger Roughs which will be a great place for POD to play once it’s dry. It’s a lovely area to have a picnic too – Daddy was delighted at the thought. Or perhaps he was thinking about our roast lunch!
Linking up with #HDYGG at Mammasaurus and #CountryKids at Coombe Mill.
How do you find the time to visit all of these amazing places? This looks lovely too!
Working from home all week makes you crave fresh air! That helps plus seeing POD outdoors and capturing it on camera 🙂
Love NT places, always a joy to visit, whether natural landscape such as beaches and forests, or stately homes and gardens. Our children always love them, still do as teens.
They’re just wonderful aren’t they Jo. We have so many near us and we’ve not even seen all of them yet. Hopeful we can get our toddler in some stately homes this year – rather than just the gardens!
Oooo blue skies! YEAH! Great tat you made it out as a family, something we haven’t managed for weeks now sadly. I juts love PODs face looking out for an elephant – such a fab expression.
Adding Abinger Roughs to my long list of ‘must go to places’.
And helllllloooo daddy 😉
Thanks for joining in again and sharing you,as ever, beautiful photos x
So great to see sunshine and smell a damp woodland! You must get out in the fresh air even if it’s just for a short time, does wonders 🙂
Beautiful photos, absolutely stunning. Time outside is so precious at the moment, mostly it’s just wet and muddy and only my crazy 16 yr old running addict goes out!
Thank you very much. It’s so good to get outdoors, we try to at the weekend – unless it’s pouring!
So lovely to finally spot some sunshine in a post, everything is so dominated by rain at the moment 🙁 Love the picture of POD as she looks down at her feet, whilst walking through the puddle – talented lady. x
We timed it so well – gorgeous sunshine then 15 minutes are being back in the car it poured again! POD’s done so well not to end up in a boggy puddle in her lovely coat 🙂
Beautiful photos and do I detect a hint of sunshine? I love a brisk day out followed by a roast dinner
Was really great Jen – lovely walk then yummy roast chicken. We timed it perfectly too, it rained all afternoon 🙂
amazing. love the moss covered trees and trunks. happy weekend!
Thank you, love a good tree! Happy weekend too 🙂
Your picture of this oak is amazing.
I love the look of oak trees… I dream about having them in my own garden one day
Thank you very much, they’re wonderful trees aren’t they. Be lovely to have one in the garden 🙂
Blue skies, mud and wellies! Sounds perfect, there’s nothing quite like the great outdoors especially when there are trees to climb 🙂 x
Very true Lori – was a fabulous walk, just before the rain came!
Ohhh it looks gorgeous! Never heard of it before will have to investigate one day 😉 x
Fabulous hidden woods but easy to find on sat nav! We couldn’t have asked for better weather either, albeit short lived!
Really enjoying the posts you’ve been doing recently of your days out, such gorgeous pictures!
Thank you Kate – we love getting out and taking oodles of photos 🙂
Aw lovely day out by the looks of it x
Lovely walk thanks Cass 🙂
Always enjoy your posts but most of all love your pictures.
Free fresh air is the best way to spend time with the family isnt it?
And POD looks very cute and stylish as usual! x
Thank you so much. Really love getting fresh air, always gives you a little burst of energy. POD is doing well not to fall in the mud at the moment!
Woooowwwww! This place looks fabulous. We’d love a stomp around there 🙂
Great place Steph, was a fabulous walk topped off afterwards with a huge roast!
Pod really looks like she is having a fun time. And you got sunshine! x
I know sunshine, amazing! It didn’t last sadly but it was lovely while it did. POD had a great time 🙂
Never been here looks great! Beautiful photos
It’s wonderful – was such a lovely sunny walk (then it rained again!)
Oh those oak trees were made for climbing. Classic look on Pod’s face when you said there was an elephant about – don’t blame her looking at you like that 🙂 Wonderful photos.
Thank you Kriss. So many trees for climbing but wonderful to walk in. It’s been so wet, it’s great to have a walk in the sunshine with brilliant blue skies 🙂
Beautiful place and photos, and I love that Oak tree. Laughed at POD’s face there, too! x
Thank you Jocelyn. Was such a beautiful walk in the sunshine. That face is just priceless!
Fresh air, nature and history – I would love this place. Love the expression on your daughter’s face – brilliant!
It’s a fabulous place Sam, we’ll have to explore the other parts – does look fascinating. POD’s face was just a picture – literally!
I can relate to working from home and craving some fresh air, with all the recent rain it’s been a struggle to manage it some days. Gorgeous photos as usual and a picturesque place to explore and a chance for POD to enjoy some puddle splashing, nice to see see Daddy enjoying the adventure too. Thanks for linking up and sharing with Country Kids.
Thank you Fiona. It’s so true craving fresh air – it’s great to get outdoors. Lots of puddle splashing and bog jumping, all part of the fun 🙂
What a beautiful place and how handsome is Daddy looking in his winter wear 😉
Thank you Debra 🙂
Beautiful photos, as usual, Charly. I especially like the one of good looking PODfather, of course!
Thank you Susie – no bias with the dapper PODfather 🙂
Gorgeous photos as always. How lovely to see all that wildlife too x
Thank you Karen – great to see the wildlife. It’s great living in the country 🙂
Beautiful photos, as always. I particularly like POD’s quizzacle look at the mention of an elephant, don’t be silly mummy! We have NT Scotland membership (lifetime, when we thought we’d be around to use it…!), and everytime I read these posts I wish we’d used it more, but there’s time… We’ll make the most of it when we move home (whenever that might be!).
Thank you Sara. POD wasn’t impressed with the elephant comment! You have lots of time to use your NT membership – at some point 🙂
How are you doing the slide show at the top?
I love your photos and Pod’s coat is adorable!!
Thank you Kara. The slideshow is a theme option rather than me being clever 🙂
Lovely woodland. The oak trees look amazing!
Thank you very much 🙂
I love that little purple coat of PODS…. another wonderful place you have visited, and I love old oak trees, gnarldy and magical. X
They really are fabulous aren’t they – it was a great walk. And the coat has remained ship shape too 🙂
What a lovely place to visit and full of history, we get the boy to spot zooter from jungle junction to get him to appreciate the woods so great minds #CountryKids
It was a fabulous place to visit, such a good day too. Can’t wait to return again 🙂
You guys are such great adventurers I love it!
You’re too kind thank you. Do love to get out and explore though, it’s good fun 🙂
What a beautiful place to visit – you have some amazing photos in this post!
We used to be National Trust members but where we live in the Midlands is a bit sparse of places to go, and unfortunately we couldn’t afford to stay on as members just for the sake of visiting places whilst on holiday – it is cheaper just to pay the one or two entrance fees each year.
Thank you very much Zoe. It’s a shame you’re not with the NT anymore but it’s only really worth it if you have places locally. We’re lucky we have lots nearby – we couldn’t be without it 🙂
You know you’ve got me hooked as soon as I see a tree! Beautiful photo’s as ever and I love the odd people shot too 🙂
Thank you Iona – I thought you’d like to see some tree action!
Looks like a really lovely place to visit. Love the tree photos.
Thank you Laura – was a great place to visit 🙂
I adore those ancient oaks – what stories they could tell!
They’re wonderful aren’t they – beautiful trees 🙂
Beautiful! I love the look on PODs face when you mentioned elephants, what a great place for a woodland walk x
Thank you – she loved me saying there was an elephant. Not! Lovely walk though 🙂
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