Finchampstead Ridges is a tranquil common which was shaped during the Ice Age. It is characterised by its very acidic soils which were carried from further north, creating the ideal environment for heather and bracken and trees.

The Ridges offer attractive panoramas over Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey. Overlooking the River Blackwater, the area is a haven for wildlife and nature. There are also numerous walks for the more intrepid visitor.

Heather once carpeted the hills around the Ridges. But trees such as birch and pine, which have been attracted to the area's acidic soils, have destroyed some of these heather habitats.

Sixty acres of this ridge are owned and preserved by the National Trust.