Walks you can reach from Waterloo by train

Beginner-friendly: No coast or river to follow, but pretty straightforward long lines nonetheless, and Watt’s Chapel provides a lovely reward for reaching the midpoint of the circuit. The lunch stop is a simple café in the vicinity of Watt’s Chapel, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.

Watts Chapel: A spectacular Arts and Crafts memorial chapel decorated by Mary Watts.

Watts Gallery

St Catherine's Chapel Ruins

Guildford

Time: 3h30–7h

1 lunch spot: Watts Gallery café (1h30–3h in)

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Withies Inn, Ye Olde Ship Inn, the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Similar walk: Walking Post (inc. GPX).

Beginner-friendly: A gigantic well-signposted park. It’s completely fine to deviate from the suggested route — explore as you like! The lunch stop is a simple café, so no messing around with booking a table in advance.

Windsor Great Park

Windsor Castle

Windsor

Time: 5h–9h30

3 lunch spots: Windsor Great Park (2h30–5h in) — the King And Castle, or Savill Garden Visitor Centre Cafe; plus Water Lilies at Windsor Great Park (3h–5h30 in)

3 end-of-walk rewards: the Two Brewers Pub, the Prince Harry, or the Royal Windsor

Source: Trains2Green.

Highly recommended: Vineyard, wooded hills, chalk downland, open grassland, Mole valley views and North Downs.

Hilly: two fifths on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.

Woodland: half under tree cover.

Time: 4h–8h30

3 lunch spots: Mickleham (2h30–4h30 in) — the Running Horses, or the King William IV; plus Wild About Coffee at Norbury Park (1h30–3h in)

2 end-of-walk rewards: Box Hill Café, or the Stepping Stones

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Source: Trains2Green.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Highly recommended: River valley, forest tracks, sandy bridleways, open parkland, country houses and wooded valleys.

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

Mother Ludlam's Cave: Sandstone cave associated with local folklore.

Time: 6h–12h

1 lunch spot: the Barley Mow, Tilford Green (2h30–4h30 in)

5 end-of-walk rewards: the Cyder House Inn, the Rose and Crown, the Richmond Arms, the Fox & Finch, or the Star

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club and Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Highly recommended: Remote heathland, pretty lakes, sandy bridleways, ancient woodland, heather and gorse commons and a dramatic natural amphitheatre.

Woodland: a third under tree cover.

Devil's Punch Bowl

Time: 4h30–9h30

Lunch: Nowhere to eat en route — pack lunch!

1 end-of-walk reward: the Harper's Steakhouse

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Recommended: Hills and woodland.

Hilly: a third on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.

Woodland: half under tree cover.

Time: 2h30–5h

2 lunch spots: Mickleham (30m–1h30 in) — the Running Horses, or the King William IV

3 end-of-walk rewards: Box Hill Café, Ryka's Café, or the Stepping Stones

Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).

Mixed National Trust woodland, heathland with bracken, gorse, heather and bilberry, hilltop plateau, open views, rhododendron tunnels and undulating bridleways.

Time: 4h30

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Restored landscaped gardens, rhododendron woods, surfaced parkland paths, open fields with Downs views, wooded valley trails, village green and town centre.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Surrey churches and North Downs views, past Guildford Castle, St Martha's Church and Albury village.

Woodland: three fifths under tree cover.

Guildford Castle: A Norman castle whose surviving keep and grounds sit above Guildford's cobbled High Street.

St Martha's Church: A Grade II-listed hilltop church atop St Martha's Hill with sweeping views over the Surrey Hills.

Guildford

Time: 4h–8h

Warnings: Steep ascent out of Guildford; steep descent to Albury.

Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).

Sandy ridges, downland escarpments, wooded sections, open downland, quiet valley and Surrey Hills AONB.

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Time: 3h–5h30

Warnings: Can be muddy.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Similar walk: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Hilly North Downs walk over sandy heathland commons with ferns, ponds and hilltop panoramas.

Woodland: half under tree cover.

Watts Gallery & Chapel: Arts and Crafts gallery and memorial chapel dedicated to Victorian artist G.F. Watts.

St John the Baptist Church: Historic parish church.

Puttenham Common: Heathland common with ponds and ferns.

Crooksbury Hill: Pine-clad hilltop with panoramic views toward the South Downs.

Mother Ludlam's Cave: Sandstone cave associated with local folklore.

Time: 5h30–10h30

Warnings: Steep inclines in places. Can be muddy.

Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).

Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.

Reverse direction: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

North Downs ridge, escarpments, bluebell woods, downland slopes, upland country with long views, wooded stretches and estate grounds.

Warnings: Steep hill climbs.

Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Reverse direction: Walking Post (inc. GPX).