The Surrey Hills
The Surrey Hills are a nationally important landscape. It was one of the first areas in England to be designated an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty'. This designation recognised the beauty of the landscape and ensures that it is properly conserved and managed for future generations to enjoy. It is the most wooded of the country's protected landscapes and one of the most varied.
The Surrey Hills are in fact several landscape types. The pages in this part of the web site provide an introduction to the variety and diversity of the landscape that is wrapped around Dorking. The Surrey Hills includes living and working communities and there are picturesque and thriving village communities that lie within the landscape. These are worthy of a visit in their own right.
Above all, the Surrey Hills welcomes visitors. Huge areas are open for the public to enjoy. This is the result of an extensive network of rights of way that lead walkers out into the hills around Dorking. It is also because much of the Surrey Hills are owned or managed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust, The National Trust, The Woodland Trust and other conservation bodies who not only care the land sensitively, but encourage public access.
However, there is much more to a visit to this area than the landscape alone. You will suggestions for visits and attractions that are as diverse as Chessington World of Adventures on the one hand, one of the country's leading theme parks, to a visit to Britain's largest vineyard at Denbies Wine Estate.
