Walks from Guildford
MapBeautiful walks starting or ending at Guildford Station.
Alternatively, view walks near Guildford by train.
Guildford Circular via Compton
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.
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).
Guildford Circular via Chantries Hill
Highly recommended: Hilly Surrey Hills AONB, River Wey Navigation, wooded escarpment, heathland, bluebell and beech woods, sandy soils and pretty villages.
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
St Martha's Church: A Grade II-listed hilltop church atop St Martha's Hill with sweeping views over the Surrey Hills.
Time: 4h30–9h30
1 lunch spot: the Percy Arms (2h–4h30 in)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Source: Trains2Green.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Guildford Circular via Newlands Corner
Circular over the chalk downland of Pewley Down and the North Downs, with wide valley views, the Pilgrims' Way and the Wey Navigation. Rich in birdlife and orchids.
Newlands Corner: A North Downs viewpoint and visitor centre with a café overlooking the Tillingbourne valley.
St Martha's Church: A Grade II-listed hilltop church atop St Martha's Hill with sweeping views over the Surrey Hills.
The Wey Navigation: A National Trust-owned navigable canalisation of the River Wey through Guildford and Godalming.
Lunch: Takeaway café and a second café at Newlands Corner, with public toilets, roughly midway.
Walk details: Blackwater Valley Nature Walks (tips, photos, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Guildford Circular via Loseley Park
North Downs Way and River Wey riverside paths, the Loseley estate lakes, the Watts Gallery and St Catherine's Chapel ruins above the Wey Navigation.
Loseley Lakes: Restored lakes on the Loseley estate south of Guildford.
Watts Gallery - Artists' Village: A gallery and arts complex dedicated to the Victorian artist G.F. Watts near Compton.
St Catherine's Lock: A lock on the River Wey Navigation below the ruins of St Catherine's Chapel.
The North Downs Way: A National Trail following the chalk ridge of the North Downs with panoramic views.
Walk details: Surrey Hills National Landscape (turn-by-turn directions).
Guildford Circular via Stoke Lock
Flat circular along the River Wey and Wey Navigation, past the 1653 Stoke Lock, a reed-fringed lake, marshland boardwalk and Stoke Park.
The Wey Navigation: A National Trust-owned navigable canalisation of the River Wey through Guildford and Godalming.
Lunch: Refreshments at the Guildford Spectrum leisure centre on the route.
Warnings: Several road crossings; follow the signed safe points.
Walk details: Blackwater Valley Nature Walks (tips, photos, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Guildford Circular via Albury Park
North Downs chalk ridge, Greensand hills, mixed woodland, heathland, parkland, river valleys, water meadows and industrial ruins.
Time: 6h
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Guildford to Chilworth
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: 4h–8h
Warnings: Steep ascent out of Guildford; steep descent to Albury.
Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).
Guildford to Gomshall
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).
Guildford to Farnham
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.
Guildford to Horsley
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).
Gomshall to Guildford
Fields, wooded valley, pine woods, heathland common, stud farms and canal and riverside path into a historic town.
Woodland: two fifths under tree cover.
Time: 4h–8h30
4 lunch spots: Shere (30m–1h in) — the Dabbling Duck Café (excellent), Hillys Tea Shop, or the William Bray; plus the William IV (1h–2h in)
3 end-of-walk rewards: the Britannia, the White House, or the George Abbot
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walks: the Saturday Walkers Club, Surrey Hills National Landscape and Blackwater Valley Nature Walks.
Godalming to Guildford
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: 2h30–4h30
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).
Reverse direction: Wey Valley Community Rail Partnership (PDF).