Start Waitrose side of Sunningdale Railway Station. Cross main road (but not railway line) to find small, slightly steep alley way inbetween railway line and fast food outlet. Walk straight up, join road straight ahead and continue past golf course main entrance gates on left untill road ends.
Continue across Sunningdale Golf Course. The path is easily navigated and after taking left at first split, is on dirt track. Only two main crosses of fairways. Check to make sure no Championships are taking place though, as I think they will have temporary access restrictions in place.
After crossing fairways & up incline you get to nice viewpoint looking south, with North Downs in distance. Keep eye on scrub land for deer. After easy down, enter woodlands & keep left, follow path untill comes out at road. Can get muddy before road as path becomes drainage after wet days.
Option here to follow road left or, as this route, cross fast traffic road and take road opposite straight on. No pavement on road but verge is OK to walk. Have seen deer in large estate on right. This road is a popular bicycle road race route - but a steward is usually about to warn you if a race is on.
After under bridge for M3 take next left and find Church just past small school. Usually take detour around here. Round back is nice seat & although can still hear hum from M3, is a quite peaceful spot. After sit down continue along small road, then find footpath on left into small woods at road turning.
After wood of Silver Birch come to Valley End. Despite being right next to M3 fairly peaceful spot. Has had a bit of a face-lift recently, with new horse freindly tracks laid down making easier walking, elimitating some of the mud. After crossing light but fast traffic road enter Chobham Common.
After crossing heathland on narrow path enter woods with path dissecting two types of woods, which makes nice contrast. Have come across baby deer and mother along here. Look out for seat just before road and if worked up a hunger can stop for packed lunch.
Bridleway after road is a bit restrictive & gets muddy so could take footpath next to house instead (see OS Map). After bridleway (or alt. route) now on wide, sandy but firm walking track which skirts edges of the Common until leaving it. Turn right at house, cross road and grass to find footpath.
After nice 'n' narrow section, only accessible by walking, find small footbridge over stream on left, before equestrian centre. Cross small field then over stile back onto a track & sharp left past house. Pass horses in fields either side. Cross open field (not to close to garden-dogs!) & into woods left after stile.
Bee Garden? Chobham Common was once part of Chertsey Abbey and the monks used the Common to keep bees. You can see their descendants (the bees - not the monks) in the heather on the main part of the Common. See David McDowall's 'West Surrey - Walks into History'.
After exiting woods take road left then turn off right before house and enter coniferous woods to practice your best Saving Private Ryan army moves. Carefull navigating, ignore the straight paths that criss cross this bit and find main track left then onto main Common heath land.
Sandy tracks make walking a bit slow, but with woods to right and view across Common heather should take mind off the extra effort. Slight incline up brings you to high point overlooking Common. Not much of a view unless you barge in on CCMFA. You can get a better view bit later on...
Head down highpoint toward carpark but at bottom cut back sharp left to make across main part of Common. Before getting into open heath land turn off right, then head up short climb, with steps and a bit enclosed, and at top turn left. This section, running parallel with road, gives best views across Common.
Cross road (with sporadic but fast traffic) onto Staple Hill patch of land and then subway under M3, then another sporadic but fast traffic road onto last part of Common. This part is a favourite for dog walkers. Can detour to Memorial Cross or take in vista of last part of walk. Sporadic trees.
Exit Common here, can see the train you was supposed to catch pass by in opposite direction just before exit. Onto road with pavement across bridge, if fighting for your right.. to walk.. can take Footpath behind houses, or if don't want to take in the dank, use main road back to Railway Station.
At crossroads are a few coffee shops & eateries, and a pub around corner. If walking in the winter months - and so ending before dark, Waitrose should still be open. Toilets at station may be locked, so make use of open air facilities before leaving Common. Station served from Waterloo or Reading.
