About the area.

The Surrey Hills  https://www.surreyhills.org/ is a 422 km2 area of outstanding natural beauty, which principally covers parts of the North Downs and Greensand Ridge in Surrey, England.  The AONB was designated in 1958 and adjoins the Kent Downs to the East and the South Downs National Park in the South West.  The highest summit of the Surrey Hills is at Leith Hill Leith Hill Tower and Countryside | National Trust where you can see London to the north and Brighton to the south.
Closer to home the high point of Pitch Hill about 20 minutes walk from the Old Stables, and pictured above, is a dramatic summit atop a narrow sandstone spur that affords breathtaking views over the village of Ewhurst, as well as the Weald and the South Downs. The spot has extra significance for Beatles' fans as George Harrison's famous song 'Here Comes the Sun' was apparently inspired by the hilltop.

LOCAL ACTIVITIES 

The Old Stables is an ideal location to explore the The Surrey Hills which has three long-distance walks running through it: the North Downs Way, the Greensand Way and the Pilgrims' Way.  Whether walking or cycling is your passion you won’t need to walk far from the house to explore all three walks. 

The Surrey Hills are home to an incredible community of artisans who keep both traditional as well as modern artisan skills alive.  A few to visit locally are The Silent Pool Distillers Story, Albury Organic Vineyard, and not far from the home Permanent Works - Surrey Hills Arts

For golf enthusiasts or those looking for a spa treatment Cranleigh Golf and Country Club is five minutes drive from the house. For Coarse fishing Willingshurst Fishery is 10 minutes away.

SPOT THE FILMING LOCATION!

The area has been the scene for many famous movies particularly Winterfold Woods behind the home and the pretty village of Shere.  You may recognise the opening words on this page from the movie ‘The Holiday’ which was filmed in Shere with the New Years Eve scene filmed in The White Horse pub.

Jurassic World - Dominion, released in 2022 has recently been filmed.  This film crew caused chaos when the filming finished as they tried to navigate 39 life size animatronic dinosaurs down the tight country lanes in huge lorries.  

Filming also took place in 2020 for Breeders, An Extra July and Silent Witness. 

Beauty and the Beast starring Emily Watson was filmed on Greensand Way with the opening shot taking place at Jelly’s Hollow. 

The Mummy with Tom Cruise was filmed on Winterfold and along with The Holiday - Bridget Jones Edge of Reason, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Wedding Date, The Last Weekend, Foyles War and The Mary Whitehouse Story were also filmed in Shere.

EXPLORE A LITTLE FURTHER 

There are a number of beautiful places to visit under an hour from the home including the stunning gardens of RHS Wisley https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley. and the idyllic grounds of Winkworth arboretum https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/winkworth-arboretum

If automotives and aeroplanes are your thing  (including seeing Concorde!)  then a visit is Brooklands Museum should be on your list Plan Your Visit | Brooklands Museum or if you’re into steam trains Dining Trains - Bluebell Railway in Sussex

For antique shops galore Petworth is about a 35 minute drive away and Dorking about 20 mins away. Lewes, about an hours drive away (and our favourite town), has a real bohemian vibe to it with funky furniture and antiques shops, boutiques and independent eateries.

For beaches, Brighton under an hour away is great for a day trip - make sure you visit the Lanes and North Laines.  West Wittering beaches are stunning if you want a walk on the beach without the hustle bustle of Brighton

EATING OUT 

The Surrey Hills are not short of restaurants and you don’t have to travel far to experience fine dining, Kingham’s in Shere is a quaint restaurant with beautiful food and excellent wines. .  The William Bray also in Shere serves very good pub food and is a cosy decorated inn and restaurant.  The Dabbling Duck has a great selection of breakfasts and lunches.

 The Hurtwood Inn in Peaslake, a lovely 30 minute walk from the house, has a fabulous Italian chef with a good selection of wines and beers.  

Cranleigh has a large number of eateries including Lemongrass Thai, The Curry Inn and Yangaz Bistro Grill.  The Richard Onslow serves food and has a huge selection of gins and local craft beers. For coffee, cake, salads, breakfasts and sandwiches try Kitchen at One Forty, Cromwell coffee house or Mann’s.

Guildford has a number of restaurants including the Ivy, Cote, Thai Terrace with lovely views across Guildford. Olivo’s authentic Italian food and our favorite La Cassita tapas. Guildford also has an amazing cheese shop/deli - Partisan.

EATING IN

Cranleigh has a vast array of shops including M&S, Rawlings butchers, Cranleigh Fish and For Earths Sake for the eco-conscious shopper. Market day is on Thursday in Cranleigh, just follow the crowds, where fresh fish, meats, deli food, bread and fruit and vegetables are ample. Another local artisan is Mandira’s at Silent Pool where you can buy beautiful fragrant curries to put in the oven https://www.mandiraskitchen.com/.