FAQ
There’s lots to do and even more to see in the Hurtwood.
Take family, friends, a picnic, a camera, binoculars, the dog, a good book or just yourself and a bit of time
There are splendid views from Pitch Hill, Holmbury Hill and Winterfold ridge – on a good day you really can see the sea.
Read these short FAQ to help enjoy your visit.
If you would like to run an event on the Hurtwood, permission is needed due to increasing visitor numbers and the need to avoid multiple events running together.
An application form can be downloaded here
The majority of the Hurtwood lies on a peaty soil which allows fires to spread underground. This means that even though you may have been careful and put your fire out, it can still be alight underground and spread without your knowing.
Friends of the Hurtwood are responsible for litter and fly tip in car parks and other parts of the Hurtwood. This costs time and money to remove, especially if asbestos is involved. If safe to do so, please take a note of car details/numbers of anyone seen dumping on the Hurtwood and inform the Ranger.
This would not allow horseboxes to use the car parks
Litter bins tend to create more rubbish, especially when wild animals disperse it. We would like everyone to take their rubbish home with them.
– Use the Hurtwood respectfully; follow the Country Code
– Donate to Friends of the Hurtwood
-Encourage your friends and other users to donate too
– Join other volunteers promoting Friends of the Hurtwood in car park blitzes and local events
Please contact the Ranger or any of the Management Committee if you’d like to volunteer.
We don’t encourage or discourage bikers, but we do encourage them to behave responsibly when they’re here. We’re pioneering a new approach – closely monitored at local and national levels – to manage biker activity and bring it under better control.
This involves engaging bikers, and encouraging them to help manage conflict with other users as well as wear and tear they’ve caused on trails. Many regular bikers donate and have also become Friends of the Hurtwood.
The Hurtwood is Common land, but common land doesn’t mean it’s public land, nor that anyone can do anything on it. Historically local people (commoners) had recognised rights of usage, such as cutting wood and turf or grazing sheep.
The Hurtwood is actively managed by landowners as forestry estate. There is a continuous programme of thinning and felling trees; coppiced trees are cut on rotation and will re-grow.
Some trees and scrub are also cut to protect ancient monuments and open up views.
Areas of significant damage by heavy plant on the main trails will be reinstated by the landowners’ contractors when work is finished.
We advise all visitors to heed site notices and to be especially careful when using any trails near forestry operations as heavy plant and machinery may be in use.
All our ponds are man-made and lined with clay. Due to convection currents continually moving the clay around, this makes the water look cloudy.
There is youth hostel which allows camping on its ground right next to the Hurtwood.
This would cause too many vehicles to park in local villages, due to the lack of roadside parking restrictions.
Like any beauty spot, you’ll see more people at the weekends and school holidays, but even then there are still many quiet areas. It’s still possible to walk or ride on the Hurtwood at any time and not see anyone at all.
