South London into Surrey can feel like an area where it’s difficult to breathe. We’re so lucky having open space nearby. As it’s a gloriously sunny day we headed to the Banstead Woods Narnia Trail.
Banstead Woods Narnia Trail has been in the woods for a couple of months now. For now it’s a pleasant enough walk without any tricky bits. I’d even stick my neck out and say it’s buggy-friendly too. As long as you’re happy dealing with mud.
Banstead Woods has many different routes around it, but you can’t miss Lucy Pevensie and the lamp post if you enter the woods from the Holly Lane car park. Keep walking and you’ll get there.
You’ll also spot some cute wooden carved signs which point out things that could be spotted around the woods, and are apparently good for nature rubbing (we’ll do that next time).
There are only three carvings at the moment on the Banstead Woods Narnia Trail. Let me try and describe the route we took…
After getting to the Lucy Lamppost, walk down the track to the side of the woods, out in the fields. In August the main thing to do here is foraging. We headed through the gate at the end of this field, through the bluebell woods (the bluebells long-gone). We walked up to the area I call the ‘train track’. In my head, it probably has never ever been a train track, it’s just very straight, defined and disused train track-like.
We walked along there back to the big slope which leads back to the car park. Turning right there we headed to the top of the hill and made our way as far as the little pond.
Once there, we turned back towards the bluebell woods, or at least in a direction that felt like it was. Eventually we made it back to the train track, when lo and behold! There was the wardrobe complete with wooden clothes inside. You can walk through it and it’s fabulous!
H was being pretty grumpy around now as she moans if she walks too much. Having said that, we found plenty of sticks which double up as Harry Potter wands so she just expelliarmus’d us a few times.
After walking through the bluebell woods we hit a single track, a bit more foraging and a giant great big Aslan at the end! By then we were near the car park again on the big slope.
So that’s the long way to do it. The short(er) way would be to walk up the slope a fraction and turn at Aslan. Walk through the bluebell woods and follow the track which goes diagonally across them, then train track and down.
The Banstead Woods Narnia Trail is fun. I’m hoping we’ll get more of these wooden sculptures, after all, the woods need a Mr Tumnus.
The wood carvings are by Ella Tree Pirate. To visit Banstead Woods costs nothing, with free parking on Holly Lane in the big car park. Rumour has it that Anne Boleyn once owned Banstead Woods. Maybe one day she’ll make an appearance? (in wood, of course)
Oh this looks great. It’s so good how people come up with these ideas which really help kids kids moving in woods and parks. My brother is not far from there so I will suggest it to him. #CountryKids
It’s really cute isn’t it? It’s a good all-ages activity too, they’ve really brightened up the area. I think they should devise a few trails now to really make it great! Thanks for commenting!
I’d love to go to Narnia. It sounds like a lovely place to visit, although probably not wheelchair friendly, I can do bumps but not mud 🙁 I love the idea of a big wooden wardrobe with wooden clothes. I remember as a kid rummaging through my mum’s old wardrobes (Which were incredibly huge, and not only because I was a kid) but I never found Narnia.
#countrykids
Now that’s how ghostly rumours start, I just had a little shiver at the thought of Anne Boleyn in the woods! The trail sounds perfect for an afternoon out and a lovely change from the Gruffalo which is everywhere. Narnia is such an amazing story and really lends itself to a trail. I keep looking for new ideas for my Welly Walk. I think a Narnia trail might just be the answer! H is rocking that Coombe Mill hat, I love seeing it in all your photos.
Nice trail and it looks like thats less than an hour drive from Kensignton, so pinning it for our next daytrips! Thanks for sharing! #countrykids
Ooh love the carvings. I always think these themed trails are a great idea to keep kidmore interested in a walk countrykids
I love the idea of a Narnia trail but I’m surprised at how few carvings there are. I had a quick look as we’re in neighbouring Hampshire but it’s just that little bit too far for a day trip #CountryKids
I’d love to go and see this, the idea of a Narnia trail woudl really appeal o my kids as they adore the books. Mich x #CountryKids
I love the lamp post and the Aslan sculpture. A Narnia trail sounds like fun and it sounds like you had a lovely walk 🙂 #countrykids
How lovely! The Narnia wardrobe with the wooden clothes inside sounds amazing, I can imagine it is a great place to explore, especially with children #countrykids
Love it when things like this pop up – especially with one of my favourite stories.
We went today as it had been recommended and we are not that far away, I must say at this time of year it is definitely not buggy or push chair friendly, the mud just bogs you down, as an aside if you have children that would be problematic to take out of a push chair and put them in again turn back on the route after the wardrobe as the entrance gate to the meadow is not push chair friendly and I had to lift it over. Apart from that the carvings are superb.