Walks near Guildford by train
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Guildford and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Guildford.
Gomshall Circular via Shere (Surrey)
15 minutes direct from Guildford.
Highly recommended
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
Abinger Roughs and Netley Park (National Trust)
Saint James's Church: see the remains of where a devout anchorite was encased within the church walls (30m in).
Shere (45m in)
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
7 lunch spots: Shere (30m in) — the Dabbling Duck Café (excellent), Hillys Tea Shop, the William Bray, or the White Horse; plus the Drummond Arms (1h in), Mandira's Kitchen at Silent Pool (1h15 in), or Carb Up and Go (1h45 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Compasses Inn, or the Gomshall Mill
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Penshurst Circular via Chiddingstone (Kent)
1 hour from Guildford, with one change.
Highly recommended: Stately home.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Chiddingstone Village (National Trust; 45m in)
Penshurst Place (2h in)
Chiddingstone (National Trust; 45m in)
Penshurst (2h in)
Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
4 lunch spots: Chiddingstone (45m in) — the Tulip Tree, or the Castle Inn; Penshurst (2h in) — the Leicester Arms Pub, or Penshurst Place café
1 end-of-walk reward: the Little Brown Jug
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Milford to Haslemere (Surrey)
15 minutes direct from Guildford.
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.
The Sailor's Stone (National Trust; 3h15 in)
Devil's Punch Bowl (National Trust)
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
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.
Dorking to Box Hill & Westhumble (Surrey)
15 minutes direct from Guildford.
Highly recommended: Vineyard, wooded hills, chalk downland, open grassland. Very beautiful. Magnificent views at Box Hill. Begins fairly quiet, but anticipate a constant Londoner horde near Box Hill itself.
Hilly: two fifths on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Woodland: half under tree cover.
Salomons Memorial Viewpoint (3h45 in)
Box Hill Café & Visitor Centre (National Trust; 3h45 in)
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: Mickleham (2h15 in) — the King William IV (excellent; reservations recommended), or the Running Horses
2 end-of-walk rewards: Box Hill Café & Visitor Centre, or the Stepping Stones
Warnings: Relatively busy. Can be muddy.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Farnham to Blackwater (Surrey)
30 minutes direct from Guildford.
Highly recommended: Deer park, heathland, MOD training area, Iron Age hillfort, reservoirs, stream valleys, woodland, nature reserve, wet meadows, lakeside sandy shores and common.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Time: 7h30 (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)
1 lunch spot: the Foresters (2h15 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Crown and Cushion
Warnings: MOD closures apply.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Farnham to Godalming (Surrey)
30 minutes direct from Guildford.
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 (1h30 in).
Godalming: attractive market town (5h45 in).
Time: 7h30 (6h walking, 1h30 lunch)
1 lunch spot: the Barley Mow, Tilford Green (2h15 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).
Bentley to Farnham (Hampshire)
30 minutes from Guildford, with one change.
Highly recommended: Ancient forests, heathland ridges, Scots pine, heather, large ponds with swimming, remote commons and quiet woodland paths and lanes.
Woodland: half under tree cover.
The Devil's Jumps
Time: 8h30 (6h30 walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)
1 lunch spot: the Bel & The Dragon (3h15 in)
Warnings: MOD closures apply.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Reverse direction: Blackwater Valley Nature Walks.
Mortimer to Bramley (Berkshire)
1 hour from Guildford, with one change.
Highly recommended: Little known but quietly wonderful. Beautiful rather than spectacular, in a humble English village pathways sort of manner. Mostly secluded.
Remnants of Calleva Atrebatum: includes ruins ofthe original walls, and a large amphitheatre where gladiatorial combats entertained up to 7,000 people at a time (1h15 in).
St Mary the Virgin Church: on the site of a Roman temple (2h15 in).
Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
1 lunch spot: the Calleva Arms (1h45 in; excellent)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Bramley Inn
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Similar walk: Reading to Basingstoke Community Rail Partnership.
Henley-on-Thames to Pangbourne (Oxfordshire)
1 hour from Guildford, with one change.
Highly recommended: Thames riverside, ancient streets, broad valleys, beech woods, fields, small villages, alpaca farm and toll bridge.
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
1 lunch spot: the Red Lion (1h45 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Greyhound
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Pangbourne to Goring & Streatley (Berkshire)
1 hour from Guildford, with one change.
Highly recommended: Woods, hilly, river and quaint village.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
3 lunch spots: Streatley (2h in) — Pierreponts, or the Swan at Streatley and the Coppa Club; plus the Bull (2h in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Miller of Mansfield, or the Catherine Wheel
Warnings: Relatively busy.
Source: Trains2Green.
Leigh to Penshurst (Kent)
1 hour from Guildford, with one change.
Highly recommended: Parkland, river valley, gentle farmland slopes, vineyard, woods and hamlet lanes.
Penshurst (1h in)
Chiddingstone Village (National Trust; 3h in)
Chiddingstone (National Trust; 3h in)
Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: the Leicester Arms (1h in), or the Rock (2h in)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Source: A variant of Leigh and Penshurst (Saturday Walkers Club).
Box Hill & Westhumble Circular via Mickleham (Surrey)
30 minutes from Guildford, with one change.
Recommended: Hills and woodland.
Hilly: a third on high ground, rising above the surrounding land.
Woodland: half under tree cover.
Box Hill Café (National Trust; 1h45 in)
Time: 4h (2h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: Mickleham (45m in) — the King William IV (excellent; reservations recommended), or the Running Horses
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).