The best running trails around Farnham

Great place to stay the night for the cycle tourist looking for a roof with character. This community run venue is not for profit with proceeds all going back into keeping it running. https://puttenhambarn.uk On the North Downs Way, there’s secure bike storage, a peaceful garden and for those looking for a good beer, it’s also only a stone’s throw from the Good Intent.

Be aware of foxglove, there is a lot of it in this area. Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a beautiful and common plant, often found in gardens and woodlands. However, despite its charm, it is highly poisonous and poses significant dangers to humans and animals if ingested. Here's a breakdown of the dangers: 1. Highly Toxic Components: * All parts of the foxglove plant – including the leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds – contain potent cardiac glycosides, such as digitoxin and digitalis. These compounds directly affect the heart. 2. Impact on the Heart: * The primary danger of foxglove poisoning lies in its effect on the cardiovascular system. The cardiac glycosides can disrupt the heart's electrical and muscular functions, leading to: * Irregular or slow heartbeat (bradycardia or arrhythmias): This is a hallmark symptom and can be life-threatening. * Increased strength of heart contractions: While this is the basis for its use in regulated heart medications (like digoxin), an uncontrolled dose can be extremely dangerous. * Low blood pressure (shock): In severe cases, the heart may become unable to pump effectively, leading to collapse. 3. Other Symptoms of Poisoning: Beyond cardiac effects, foxglove poisoning can manifest with a range of other symptoms, including: * Gastrointestinal issues: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite. * Neurological effects: Headache, lethargy, confusion, disorientation, hallucinations (including seeing halos around objects, often yellow, green, or white), dizziness, tremors, stupor, seizures. * Visual disturbances: Blurred vision. * Skin irritation: Contact with the sap can cause skin irritation or rash, which may last for weeks. 4. How Poisoning Occurs: * Ingestion: The most common way poisoning occurs is by eating any part of the plant. This can happen accidentally, especially if leaves are mistaken for edible plants like comfrey. Sucking on the flowers or eating seeds can also lead to poisoning. * Contaminated Water: The toxins can leach into water, so even drinking water from a vase containing foxgloves can be a hazard, particularly for pets. * Handling: While less common for severe poisoning, toxins can be absorbed through the skin, especially if there are open cuts, or transferred to the mouth and eyes after handling the plant. It's always advisable to wear gloves when handling foxglove and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. * Misidentification: Deaths have occurred when foxglove was mistakenly harvested and consumed as an herbal remedy or food ingredient. 5. Severity and Outlook: * The severity of poisoning depends on the amount of plant ingested and how quickly medical attention is sought. * Symptoms can develop within minutes to hours. * While poisonings are rare, they can be severe and may require hospitalisation for 1 to 3 days. * In extreme cases, foxglove poisoning can be fatal due to refractory ventricular fibrillation or cardiac arrest. Important Note: If you suspect anyone (human or animal) has ingested foxglove, seek immediate medical help or contact poison control. Do NOT induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by a medical professional.

This path is generally pretty quiet and really flat.

Alice Holt Forest is an area of predominantly coniferous woodland. There is a selection of cycle and walking trails as well as a café. It's all managed by Forestry England.

Excellent Bunkhouse on the borders of Surrey and Hampshire. https://puttenhambarn.uk Puttenham Barn Bunkhouse offers simple overnight accommodation in south-east England in surroundings superb for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Our Barn provides reasonably priced wardened accommodation for up to 11 visitors - similar to, but more basic than a Youth Hostel. It inspires an imaginative vision with a strong environmental emphasis. It is run entirely by volunteers. We are located in west Surrey on the North Downs Way and Sustrans cycle route 22 between Guildford and Farnham, at a point not served by any Youth Hostels. If you’re on a pilgrimage between Winchester and Canterbury, then you walk right past our door. We are the perfect place for an overnight rest.

Lovely little village that has a single pub and not much else, other than the excellent Puttenham Barn youth hostel!

A resting place for weary legs, or those looking just to sit, relax and watch the world go by.

In case you're looking for a picnic spot, or just a place to sit and enjoy the peace and quiet of this restored heathland.