The Top 4 Best Surrey Hills Walks and Hikes
5 Minute Read
This guide covers the top 4 best Surrey Hills walks. The Surrey Hills are an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the south of England. They are located 1.5 hours from central London and are reachable from many towns and villages in Surrey and Sussex.
There are many fantastic trails to follow which take in the rolling hills of the English countryside. Most paths are well maintained and easy to follow. The trails are suitable for all ages and most fitness levels with access for walkers, cyclists, and even mountain-bikers.
These are all loop trails allowing you to start and finish your walk in the same place. I’ve spent the last 3 months exploring the area to create this list of the best Surrey Hills walks:
- Ranmore Circular
- Box Hill Hike
- St Martha’s Hill and Newlands Corner
- Leith Hill
See also:
How to Walk the River Wey in Surrey
How to Walk The Saturn Trail in Surrey
10 Beginner’s Hiking Tips
1. Ranmore Circular
This 9km walk takes you through quaint forests, rolling hills, and even rows of English vineyards! The trail is very peaceful and there’s a section that crosses cattle grazing fields and passes through a woodland.
This walk will take 1.5 – 2 hours to complete depending on your walking speed. The best views are from Ranmore Common so be sure to rest here for some lunch or a snack to take it all in. See the route map here.
If you’re taking the train, the walk starts conveniently from Box Hill and Westhumble train station which operates on national rail lines. If you’re driving, park in the Crabtree Lane Carpark slightly further up the trail, rather than the station car park to avoid getting a fine.
2. Box Hill Hike
The most famous, and arguably the best, walk in the Surrey Hills. So although that means great views, it also means busy walking paths.
As always, I’d encourage you to explore more of the area than the main park and Box Hill viewpoint. A short walk from the thronged visitor’s centre there are plenty of empty woodland trails to explore alone.
There’s an excellent 12km hike that takes in the highlights of the Box Hill area. It takes about 3 hours and is the most challenging of all the walks I’ve done in the Surrey Hills.
There are sections where you have to scramble up and down steep slopes with many steps between the hills. So make sure to pack a good day bag and wear a suitable pair of shoes to conquer the terrain!
It’s easy to get around by following the National Trust signs labelled “Box Hill Hike” with a red arrow to point you in the right direction. Alternatively you can follow this route map.
It’s more interesting than just standing at the main Box Hill View Point. Plus, it’s challenging like a hike yet it’s still easy to reach from London.
You can either take a train to Box Hill and Westhumble to start your walk or drive to one of the many parking spots in the area. The main parking is at the NT Box Hill Member’s Car Park.
3. St Martha’s Hill and Newlands Corner
Both of these spots have fantastic views, particularly St Martha’s Hill. St Martha’s is a small parish church perched on a hill-top clearing. You get incredible views from the churchyard facing out over the valley below.
Newlands Corner is also a lovely spot. Unfortunately, it happens to be a car park. This is a real shame as I don’t think a carpark needs such fine views! In any case it’s a great point to start your walk from and there are quieter places for views away from the parking area.
There’s a 10km walk that goes via the Pilgrim’s Way and Silent Pool. The walk takes around 2 hours and, other than some steps at Silent Pool, remains high, along the ridge, for the majority. See the route map here.
There are a few places you can park. The Silent Pool or Newlands Corner car parks are both popular. There are also two car parks by St Martha’s Hill so it shouldn’t be a problem finding a space!
4. Leith Hill
Along the southern edge of the Surrey Hills is another incredible viewpoint at Leith Hill. At its summit stands the Leith Hill Tower overlooking fields sloping away to the south and thick woodland to the north.
It’s possible to park at Starveall Corner for a short walk to the tower where there’s a park and some picnic tables. However, I recommend parking at Friday Street and going for a loop walk through Abinger Common, up to Leith Hill then round Coldharbour. This route passes through wonderful oak and ash forests, and via stretches of lowland river including the Tillingbourne Waterfall.
This is a 15 km walk and will take 3.5 – 4 hours. It’s steep in parts but mostly easy terrain. There are lots of different routes to take and it can be confusing. Some sections are without signposts and cut across smaller paths that are easy to miss. To make sure you don’t get lost follow this route map.
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