Sir Robert Hunter Trail - a dramatic walk on Hindhead Common

This event had been held twice, in 1995 and 1996, using actors with support from The National Trust and Haslemere Museum, to bring the history of the Common and its surrounding area dramatically to life.

We have repeated the event since then using actors from Headley Theatre Club: Sun 29th Aug 2010, Sun 28th Aug 2011, Sun 19th May 2013, Sun 29th Sept 2013, Sat 30th Sept 2017, Sat 28th Sept 2019, Sun 12th Sept 2021, Sun 16th July 2023, Sun 14th July 2024 – see photos.  On Sun 6th July 2025 it was abandoned due to bad weather.

There is also a book Sir Robert Hunter's Dramatic Walks telling the history of the Hindhead Common and some of the characters involved, and including scripts of our Drammatic Walks around both Hindhead Common annd Waggoners Wells so you can follow them for yourselves.

Next walk … To be announced

Contact me for further information

The cast includes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Flora Thompson; John Tyndall; Jonathan Hutchinson; Whitaker Wright; sundry broomsquires, highwaymen, murderers; and of course Sir Robert Hunter himself, resident of nearby Haslemere and key founder of The National Trust in 1895.

Suitable for schools/groups or the casual rambler - most of the trail accessible to wheelchairs (and detours available where not).

Press report, 1st May 1995 — Real-life Drama . . .
Some said they'd not seen so many people all together on Hindhead Common since the A3 protest — others thought it was an A3 protest — but in fact it was the hugely successful inauguration of the Sir Robert Hunter Trail on Hindhead Common yesterday (Sunday 30th April).
Estimates vary, and nobody really counted, but probably some 300 people gathered by the Devil's Punchbowl Hotel at the start of the walk. Sir Robert Hunter arrived in person, and led the cavalcade on a tour of the common, stopping at a number of points to tell the assembled company a little of the history of the area and the personalities who frequented it. Sometimes this was supplemented by a dramatic scene acted out in front of the crowd by a small troupe of actors, including several local National Trust Wardens and the curator of the Haslemere Museum.
Perhaps the most impressive scene was one in which two highwaymen on horses suddenly sprang from a side track and held up some unfortunate travellers.
The walkers met in turn Mr & Mrs Tyndall, Sir Jonathan & Mrs Hutchinson, Lord Tennyson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a pair of broomsquires complete with besoms, and of course the unfortunate sailor and his villainous murderers.

Historical background on Sir Robert Hunter – National Trust's acquisition of Hindhead – Home page