Notes

Things to Do in Surrey by Group Holiday in Southbourne Dorset
The county of Surrey is situated in the south east of England and covers some 1500 square kilometres between London to the North and the protected countryside of the Surrey Hills to the south.

The Surrey Hills are an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Its rich heritage has inspired many famous writers, painters and musicians.

Surrey contains busy towns with excellent shopping facilities, historic market towns and a wealth of quintessentially English villages.

There are family activities and adventure parks such as Chessington World of Adventure, famous racecourses like Epsom, historic house like Hampton Court and gardens like Kew Gardens.

This is in addition to countryside with beautiful landscapes and views. Surrey is a county for everyone, with so much to see and do, choosing can be difficult!

Surrey is the most urbanised County in England but over 6,500 acres of countryside remain. As such, it's still England's most wooded county.

Visit Surrey Tourist Information centres for details of how to explore the beautiful countryside by Ranger guided walks, or via the Surrey Cycleway. The rivers Mole, Thames and Wey running through the County offer opportunities for fishing and boating.

Surrey is famous as the site of the signing of the Magna Carta. On 15th June 1215 King John met 25 barons, somewhere between Staines and Windsor. This meeting at Runnymede fields, resulted in the king attaching his seal to a document that became known as the Magna Carta.

Today you can visit Runnymede Meadow, Egham, to see the Magna Carta Memorial. It was erected by the American Bar Association to commemorate the sealing of the Magna Carta's 750th Anniversary. Here you will also see the Kennedy Memorial, the site was given to the people of America in memory of President John F Kennedy.

The town of Guilford offers some of the best shopping facilities in the south east. You can take a guided walk to learn about its history and fascinating buildings. The River Wey lends a tranquil feel to the middle of town and offers access to lovely countryside - a short walk along the towpath. The surrounding countryside offers a wealth of attractions, including stately homes like Clandon Park, and Hatchlands Park. There is also the River Wey and its Navigations - centred at Dapdune Wharf - and RHS Garden at Wisley.

Leatherhead is a distinctive, historic market town and is a gateway to the Surrey Hills. With nine business parks, it is also an important working destination, as well as being an excellent centre from which to explore the area. The Mole Gap Trail - one of many marked trails - takes visitors through the valley of the River Mole and links the towns of Leatherhead and Dorking.

Dorking nestles in the narrow valley between the Greensand Hills to the south and the chalk hills of the North Downs. One of Dorking's more famous residents was the composer Vaughn Williams. He was the first conductor of the Leith Hill Musical Festival. You can drop into the tourist information centre for details of this and other festivals and events in the area. The local countryside is well worth exploring. There are historic villages, each with its own charm, a wine estate, historic properties, and Bocketts Farm - a great family attraction.

Farnham is to be found in the south west of Surrey, it is a gracious country town with some of the finest Georgian architecture in the south. Its castle dates back to the 12th century. The town is the starting point for the North Downs Way.