National Trust - Hindhead Commons and the Devil's Punch Bowl Cafe — Attraction in Waverley

Where do I begin... National 'rip off' trust all over. £4 to park, Then £13 for two teas and two sandwiches which.... see my photos. Are pretty awful.

After trying to work out the procedure of payment and food collection which... with there being no sign, was confusing. (Order on the left kiosk BTW. Again. See pics) I was still surprised to see that there was no menu either. Cue a rather bored worker reading out a lifeless menu through a plastic box which you can barely hear. To the point you dare not ask again what the 1st thing was. Then stand and wait another 10 minutes contemplating how good this food and tea must be for the price, for some more, really bad service, and allow extra time for various people coming back into the line to complain that they had the wrong coffee, food or that they were still waiting on their original order. After looking with unamusement at what my £13 got me i then spent a much longer time trying to find a single bin close to the park benches. Again. I have kindly provided a photo of my unamused self, carrying....a tea bag. (We found 1 bin) We then decided to go to the lookout spot and admired the very broken telescope.

I believe the outdoors should be enjoyed by all. And should not break the bank in doing so. Or at least shouldn't fund National Trusts piggy banks just so they can carry on ripping people off, making bad decisions and saying that they care about the land. They are there to make money. And now I would argue that yes its nice to not have bins scattered around everywhere also, but unlike some people, they won't roam around looking for bins. So at least at the picnic tables... make it a bit easier!

Now considering I was there with just a pal, and not including fuel which is obviously not for debate... that was £17 total for us to visit the area for a nice wee walk. I feel awful for the family of 6 who all ordered food and coffee.... thats suddenly not a very cheap day out.

Visit the area, bring your own tea, coffee and sandwiches. Swallow the £4 parking if you can and frankly don't give national trust another spare penny.

Also, take home your...

Large area to explore with different mapped walks for all abilities. A stone path allows ease of access for wheelchairs and cycling is both on and off road. There are some challenging gradients on other routes so beware! Large expanse of views and benches placed to stop and sit and admire. The tea room is a lovely place to have a cuppa, sandwich, soup and toastie. Gluten free options and vegan available. There is also a book library area within the cafe. It's run by the national trust and remember you have to pay for parking if you are not a member. and you can buy it at the shop or though the pay points or app. If you fancy a short stroll or a longer route the options are there and displayed on boards and leaflets. It has a toilet block accessed through the cafe when open and then behind when it's closed. It's a great place for dogs to roam and a few local antique shops just a few.minuites walk away. There are horse trails and cyclists though! Well worth a visit and an opportunity to learn about its name and the old roads that...

Had a truly lovely walk with Shadow through the stunning trails of Hindhead. The autumn colours were awe-inspiring, fiery reds, golden yellows, and that crisp woodland magic that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a storybook. The Exmoor ponies were a gentle delight, grazing peacefully and adding to the charm of the landscape.

A highlight was chatting with an elderly couple along the way, one of those unexpected, heartwarming moments that makes a walk feel like a shared experience. And at the end, Shadow earned a round of applause for sitting so beautifully while I took a photo. A proud moment for us both!

The only downside was the café not being dog-friendly, which felt out of step with the rest of the site’s welcoming atmosphere. Everything else, from the trails to the signage, was wonderfully inclusive, so it was a shame not to be able to enjoy a cuppa with Shadow by my side.

Still, a beautiful day out that I’d happily recommend, with paws crossed that the café policy might...