Walks you can reach from Cobham & Stoke d'Abernon 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: Beautiful Arts and Crafts creation of Mary Watts (1h45 in).

Watts Gallery (1h45 in)

St Catherine's Chapel Ruins (30m in)

Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

1 lunch spot: Watts Gallery café (1h45 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).

Hidden valleys, pretty woodland, gentle pasture, North Downs escarpment with extensive views and vineyard.

Polesden Lacey (National Trust)

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

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

Pine forest, North Downs views and bluebell woods, past Old Simm's Copse, Ranmore Common and the Denbies Wine Estate.

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

Woodland: three fifths under tree cover.

Denbies Hillside (National Trust; 3h in)

Old Simm's Copse: A tucked-away North Downs woodland renowned for its spring bluebell display.

Denbies Wine Estate: England's largest vineyard, spread across the chalk slopes near Dorking.

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

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

Bluebell woods, pine forest and North Downs views, past Old Simm's Copse, West Horsley Place and Effingham Forest.

Woodland: two thirds under tree cover.

Abinger Roughs and Netley Park (National Trust; 3h15 in)

Old Simm's Copse: A tucked-away North Downs woodland renowned for its spring bluebell display.

West Horsley Place: A historic country house and cultural venue used as Button House in the BBC comedy Ghosts.

Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Best in April to early May; steep descent to Abinger Roughs.

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

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.

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

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

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

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: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

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.

Time: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Steep hill climbs.

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

Reverse direction: Walking Post (inc. GPX).

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

Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.

Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Can be muddy.

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

Similar walk: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

A gorgeous, gentle route; The scenery is stunning. A gentle, mostly flat riverside route along the towpath of the River Wey and Godalming Navigations. On rough paths in places, with a few muddy parts and a sandy and eroded section near Guildford that needs care. Part runs along an old railway line. Mostly follows the towpath of the River Wey and Godalming Navigations; part runs along the old railway line and much of the path is National Trust land. Narrow boats, locks and a pillbox along the way.

Waterway: four fifths along the River Wey.

Time: 4h (2h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

Lunch: A pub/restaurant with a children's playground roughly half way; note some venues have reported closures.

Warnings: The towpath at Guildford between the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and the rowing club has been closed since 2019 due to a collapsed footbridge, with an unsigned diversion via the A281 and Shalford Road; the diversion includes steep steps and a narrow gate. The approach to Guildford station is traffic-heavy with awkward crossings. A sandy, eroded section near Guildford needs care.

Walk details: Blackwater Valley Nature Walks (tips, photos, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).

Similar walk: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Reverse direction: Wey Valley Community Rail Partnership (PDF).

Historic Lovelace bridges and towers; nine flint bridges, Horsley Towers, the Lovelace Mausoleum, beautiful woodland.

Woodland: three fifths under tree cover.

Lovelace Bridges: Nine surviving flint-and-brick bridges built across a wooded Surrey estate in the 1860s.

Horsley Towers: A Gothic Victorian mansion built in 1820, former home of the Earl of Lovelace.

Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Dorking Arch spans a busy road with no pavement; take care.

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

Urban streets, open common, wooded paths, golf fairways, parkland and quiet roads.

Time: 4h (2h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Can be muddy.

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

Heathland, commons, mixed woodland, river valley, grassy rides, muddy bridleways and open views.

Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

Warnings: Can be muddy.

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