Surrey Hills holiday cottage, England
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
If guests arrive by car we encourage them to leave it behind when here and explore the area on foot or by cycling. It is possible to arrive on bicycle by taking a train from London Waterloo or Victoria to the mainline station at Dorking and then hopping on bus. You may also take the train to Gomshall on the Guildford/Redhill/Reading line.
During their stay, we encourage our guest to 'Enjoy a Car Free Day' in the local area and to shop local, eat local and make the most of the many attractions on our doorstep.
Being based in the heart of the Surrey Hills area of outstanding natural beauty, we believe that it is important to look after our surroundings. We care passionately about our cottage, as others have done before us, and are wish to take care of it for future generations. We care about our environment and we are committed to working in a sustainable way and take care to reduce, re-use and recycle at all times. We encourage our guests to join us in recycling paper, plastics, glass and to compost their food waste.
We are fitting low energy bulbs wherever practicable (reducing our carbon impact). We are replacing electrical appliances when required with ‘A’ rated or higher appliances and aim to purchase durable long-lasting goods. We are currently looking into insulation in the cottage to make it more energy efficient.
Guildford has two park and ride bus facilities which all provide regular parking into the town centre shops and visitor attractions to relieve traffic in the city. There are also regular buses from the village.
Community
Local builders and craftsmen were used to build the cottage and continue to be employed when work is required. We support our local community
Whenever possible we use home grown or local seasonal produce for our own needs and provide guests with information on local farm shops and farmers markets so that they can enjoy discovering the local specialties. Locally made ice creams, locally grown watercress and fresh trout from the chalk streams close by; lavender products grown nearby to pamper you or take home as gifts; small studios producing arts and crafts, local theatres and events; we encourage you to enjoy the locality and can offer advice on where to visit.
We encourage our guests to support the hundreds of small businesses in the region by promoting and supporting our local shops and restaurants.
Our guest guide highlights local businesses and attractions which share our values. We are pleased to support our 2 village pubs. The Kings Head, just 2 doors down offer great food and a cozy family atmosphere. The Royal Oak, about ½ mile in the other direction also offers great food and surroundings. There are many other great pubs to explore in the area.
Guildford has a market on Fridays and Saturdays, and the old market town of Dorking has a market on Fridays where the local farmers and many other locals sell their wares.
Close by in Abinger is a farm shop which has been growing watercress, this uniquely English product since 1854. It is grown in natural spring water, which provides all the necessary nutrients without the aid of fertilisers or insecticides. They also have an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruit, locally produced breads, cakes and pies alongside jams and chutneys. Fresh meat from a local butcher is delivered six days a week. A selection of English wines, beers from Surrey and Sussex and cider from Herefordshire are all stocked.
In close by Forest Green there is another farm shop which also offers ethically reared meat with real flavour. Traditional, rare breeds, extensive rearing and ‘good old fashioned’ husbandry creates a meat that ‘tastes like it used to’. Also all the accoutrements you could possibly need: pies, cheese, jams, chutneys, charcuterie, fruit, vegetables, cakes, bacon, sausages, eggs and British beer. What they cannot make they buy from within a 30 miles radius.
Landscape
The Surrey Hills AONB is a great location to explore on foot or by bicycle. Hurtwood Common, Lieth Hill and the North Downs Way are just steps away from the front door.
The Hurtwood is privately owned and managed by Hurtwood Control and is open for the public to enjoy. It is ideal for hiking and cycling. Step out the front door, and take the path just to the right. At the top of Holmbury Hill you reach a fort which s designated as iron age, built between 150 - 50 BC. From this vantage point you can enjoy panoramic views over Surrey and Sussex towards the coast.
The Rhododendron wood and the tower on Leith hill are wonderful places to walk to from the cottage. Leith Hill Tower was built in 1766 by Richard Hull. It is the highest point in Surrey at 1000 feet at the top of the tower. From here you may be able to glimpse the English Channel to the south. The potter Josiah Wedgwood, son of the founder of the Wedgwood china company, moved to Leith Hill with his family in 1847. The woodland garden was planted with rhododendrons in the late nineteenth century by his wife Caroline. The Rhododendron Wood is a fabulous place to visit in May when all the bushes are in flower and the perfumes are wonderful.
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. The North Downs lie within two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs. The North Downs Way National Trail runs along the North Downs from Farnham to Dover passing along just north of Shere and Gomshall.
We provide maps and Ordnance Survey maps of the area showing the paths, including the local places to eat. We keep a good stock of leaflets from the local tourist office in Guildford.
1of10
