Warning: Steep and Uneven Paths!

…but it is not an easy walk and involves steep hills, so this walk isn’t for everyone and should not be chosen without careful thought.

 

 

 

 

The Walk to Combe Bottom 

Trying to locate the quarry myself was the really exciting part, and actually took me two visits.

But for anyone without the luxury of time, here are the directions. 

 

 

From West Hanger Car Park there are two ways to walk down the hill to Combe Bottom but be warned, the hill is very steep – it’s not called West Hanger for nothing…

 

 

 

 

Route 1:  Along the Road

Walk out of the car park to the road. Turn right onto Staple Lane and then right again onto Combe Lane.

Follow Combe Lane down the hill, around a sharp bend to the right and you will come to this sign on the left.

 

 

Please be careful – there is no pavement and cars and cyclist use the road too. 

 

 

 

 

 

Route 2:  Straight Down West Hanger

Leave the car park by the path on the left and walk into the woods. 

 

 

 

 

After a short walk through the woods, you meet a trail running to your right.

 

 

 

 

Be careful – the trail is very steep and uneven

 

 

 

 

and the path may be used by mountain bikers.

 

 

 

 

Near the bottom of the hill you will see the road. 

 

 

 

 

This is Combe Lane and it runs along the bottom of the hill. 

 

 

 

 

Cross the road and walk a short way to the left, until you see the Combe Bottom sign on your right. 

Again, please be careful – there is no pavement and cars and cyclist use the road too. 

 

 

 

Finding the Holloway

From the Combe Bottom sign, follow the wild path for five to ten minutes, under trees,

 

 

 

 

through brambles patches

 

 

 

 

 

and into a holloway.

 

 

 

 

 

If it isn’t too overgrown, you might be able to spot the pillbox on your right. 

 

 

 

 

The route to the quarry is near the end of the holloway, up the steep bank on your left. 

 

 

 

 

If you reach this sign and the end of the holloway, you have gone too far.

 

 

 

 

 

To the Quarry!

You should now be standing on top of the steep bank with the holloway behind you.

You will notice a second holloway in front of you, which seems to run parallel to the first.

Believe it or not, this is the path to the quarry!

 

Follow this to the left until you come to a fallen tree blocking the way.

This is the entrance to the lowest part of the quarry. 

 

 

 

A Neolithic Quarry

The only information I can find about this quarry is that it dates back to the Stone Age, or Neolithic period, and was used to quarry flint. 

 

 

 

Today it is a huge, bowl-shaped hole in the hillside with steep sides.

 

 

 

 

 

Flint Tools

As you walk back up to West Hanger car park, and pause for the odd rest or two, keep an eye out for flints lying around or amongst the roots of trees.

You may spot a flint tool!

Have a look at the Wessex Archaeology website for details of the types of flint to look out for. 

 

Combe Bottom

Combe Bottom is part of the enchanting Shere Woodlands and sits at the bottom of West Hanger hill.

 

 

 

There is not much to see unless you would like to find the quarry. 

 

 

Nearest Town: Shere, near Guildford, Surrey Hills
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU5 9TE

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket or use one of the picnic tables. There is also a mobile cafe that visits (please see their website for details). 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Definitely not! 

Parking: West Hanger Car Park.
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies, dragonflies and other insects.

Information Written: August 2023

 

Shere Woodlands

The woods have a wild and enchanted feel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pools of water collect amongst the beech tree roots

 

 

 

 

hidden pathways lead you to secret dens

 

 

 

 

and the trees seem almost alive.

 

 

 

 

 

This is a special spot for us and we often come here to tell fairy tales about the creatures who might live here. 

 

 

 

 

The View

If you follow a path through the woods, you eventually come to a bench that looks out over the hills.

It is a wonderful spot to watch the sunset.

 

 

 

Combe Bottom

You can also walk down the hill to Combe Bottom 

 

 

 

 

a Stone Age quarry and a World War 2 pillbox…but be warned, this isn’t called West Hanger for nothing.

 

 

 

 

The path down are very steep

 

 

 

 

and uneven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From West Hanger Car Park

From the car park there are two paths into the woods.

The path on the left goes into the woods and is flat but bumpy, although I had no problems with an all terrain buggy.

 

 

The path to the right is the North Downs Way and is wider and smoother, although it was still rutted and muddy in places.

 

 

 

Both paths join up just before the view point.

 

 

Nearest Town: Shere, near Guildford, Surrey Hills
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU5 9TE

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket or use one of the picnic tables. There is also a mobile cafe that visits (see the website for details). 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: We used a buggy on the paths on top of the hill but the paths down the hill are much too steep. 

Parking: West Hanger car park
Cost of Parking: Free.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies, dragonflies and other insects.

Information Written: August 2016
Information Checked: August 2023

 

St Martha’s Hill and Colyers Hanger

Accessible only on foot, St Martha’s Hill has been a place of worship since Norman times and its beautiful views makes it easy to see why.  

 

 

 

At the very top is St Martha-on-the-Hill church.

 

 

 

 

 

The Paths

The paths to the top of the hill are sandy, steep and uneven in places.

It took us about 20 minutes to reach the top at a child’s pace.

 

 

 

The Other Trails

There are other trails shown on the information board and in the car park, one of which is easy access. 

 

Nearest Town: Chilworth, near Guildford
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: GU4 8PZ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: About two hours.
Buggies: I wouldn’t bring one as there are uneven paths and sandy slopes, which can be steep. 

Parking: There are two car parks, one at Halfpenny Lane (GU4 8PZ) and another on Guildford Lane (GU5 9BQ).
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, reptiles butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: July 2022

 

The Natural Play Trail

The Natural Play Trail include things like:

• a tree to climb through
• a see saw made of planks and logs
• a fort with tunnels
• log balance beams
• ropes to climb on
• logs to edge along
• areas to build dens
• areas to climb trees

 

 

Box Hill

As well as the Natural Play Trail, Box Hill also has picturesque views, mini-beasts, a cafe, Visitor Centre and Discovery Zone. 

 

 

 

Box Hill Fort

The Box Hill Fort was one of a series of forts built in the 1890s to enable London to defend itself from invasion. It was used again during WW2. 

 

 

 

The Stepping Stones

The River Mole flows along the foot of Box Hill and can be crossed by jumping between the famous Stepping Stones. 

 

 

 

To find the Stepping Stones you can either walk down the hill or drive to the Stepping Stones car park (see below).  

 

 

 

From April to June the air is heavy with the unmistakable scent of wild garlic.

 

Nearest Town: Dorking
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcodes: Box Hill: KT20 7LB – note that his does not seem to work for all sat navs so follow signs once you start to see them. The Stepping Stones: RH5 6AE – keep an eye out for the car park as it is easy to miss. 

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, shop, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: The paths around the car parks are surfaced and buggy-friendly. The paths along the play trail are muddy and uneven in places but I used an all terrain buggy without any issues. 

Parking: There are different car parks to choose from –  a couple on top of Box Hill (KT20 7LB – can be unreliable so follow signs as soon as you see them) and another by the Stepping Stones (RH5 6AE). They all become very busy and are often full by mid-morning. 
Cost of Parking: Free for National Trust members; from £1.50 per hour for non-members.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies and other insects.

First Visit: June 2018
Last Visit: June 2021

 

The Stepping Stones

Each stepping stone is big enough to make me feel confident about crossing and, as there are 17 stones, it also feels like an achievement, especially if the stones are already wet!

 

 

Bear in mind that you may not be crossing alone – some children cross confidently and others refuse and are either carried over or kept back. 

 

 

 

On Top of Box Hill

The Stepping Stones are at the foot of Box Hill. At the top there is lots more to do, including the Natural Play Trail, a fort, a cafe and fabulous views. 

 

The Natural Play Trail

Scattered throughout the woods on top of Box Hill are natural play areas that form the Box Hill Natural Play Trail. It has balance courses and a seesaw

 

 

 

ropes and a tunnel.

 

 

 

 

It’s a fantastic way to liven up a walk in the woods. 

 

 

 

 

Box Hill

At the top of Box Hill there are several viewing points, a cafe, Visitor Centre and Discovery Zone but this was shut when I visited. 

 

Nearest Town: Dorking
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcodes: Box Hill: KT20 7LB – note that his does not seem to work for all sat navs so follow signs once you start to see them. The Stepping Stones: RH5 6AE – keep an eye out for the car park as it is easy to miss. 

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic, try one of the nearby pubs or go to the top of Box Hill and try the cafe.
Facilities: None at the Stepping Stones. On top of Box Hill there are facilities – cafe, snacks, ice cream, shop, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: The paths around the stepping stones are muddy but fairly flat and I used a buggy without any problems but did not take it over the river. Clearly, jumping between stepping stones with a buggy would be tricky! 

Parking: Car park by the Stepping Stones (RH5 6AE – keep an eye out for signs as this is easy to miss). All Box Hill car parks become very busy and are often full by mid-morning. 
Cost of Parking: Free for National Trust members; from £1.50 per hour for non-members.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: June 2018
Information Checked: June 2021

 

At the Top of Box Hill

The Natural Play Trail

Scattered throughout the woods on top of Box Hill are natural play areas that form the Box Hill Natural Play Trail. It has balance courses

 

 

 

a seesaw

 

 

 

 

ropes and

 

 

 

 

a tunnel.

 

 

 

 

It’s a fantastic way to liven up a walk in the woods. 

 

 

 

 

Box Hill

At the top of Box Hill there are several viewing points, a cafe, Visitor Centre and Discovery Zone but this was shut when I visited. 

 

 

 

Box Hill Fort

Box Hill Fort was part of a series of forts built in the 1890s to enable London to defend itself from invasion. It was used again during WW2. 

 

 

 

At the Bottom of Box Hill

The Stepping Stones

The River Mole flows along the foot of Box Hill and can be crossed by jumping between the famous Box Hill Stepping Stones. 

 

 

 

From here you can either continue on up Box Hill or stop and have a paddle or pond dip in the river. 

 

 

 

From April to June the air is heavy with the unmistakable scent of wild garlic.

 

Nearest Town: Dorking
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcodes: Box Hill: KT20 7LB – note that his does not seem to work for all sat navs so follow signs once you start to see them. The Stepping Stones: RH5 6AE – keep an eye out for the car park as it is easy to miss. 

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Eat at the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, shop, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic areas. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: The paths around the car parks are surfaced and buggy-friendly. The paths along the play trail are muddy and uneven in places but I used an all terrain buggy without any issues. 

Parking: There are different car parks to choose from –  a couple on top of Box Hill (KT20 7LB – can be unreliable so follow signs as soon as you see them) and another by the Stepping Stones (RH5 6AE). They all become very busy and are often full by mid-morning. 
Cost of Parking: Free for National Trust members; from £1.50 per hour for non-members.

Wildlife You Might See: Birds, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: June 2018
Information Checked: June 2021

Nearest Town: Leatherhead
County: Surrey
Nearest Postcode: KT18 6NN

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: There is a snack van or bring a blanket and a picnic.
Facilities: Snack van.

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a medium sized car park. 
Cost of Parking: Various charges but free to National Trust members.

Wildlife You Might See: Deer, dragonflies, grasshoppers, butterflies and other insects.

Information Written: October 2017