Box Hill Circular via Mickleham Walk

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Walk Map

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13. Main Walk (17¼ km)

9. Main Walk, starting from Dorking (17 km)
1. Alternative Walk, via Norbury Park to Dorking (16¼ km)
35. Alternative Circular Walk, from Dorking (16 km)
2. Short Alt. Walk, finishing at Box Hill (13¼ km)

Walk Directions

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If you are doing the alternative start (from Dorking), start at §B.

1. Box Hill & Westhumble Station to Boxhurst (2¼ km)
• Go down Westhumble Street to the A24. Cross to the other side via the subway and turn left, then veer right onto a permissive path through Burford Meadow. Cross the River Mole on a footbridge and briefly join the North Downs Way (NDW). After a couple of flights of steps up the hillside fork right off the NDW onto a footpath along the southern slope of Box Hill. After it drops down and leaves the NT land turn sharp left onto a lane (Boxhill Road).
1. Leave the station through its small car park and turn right onto Westhumble Street. Go all the way along this narrow street, which has a pavement or a footway on one side or the other, passing the Stepping Stones pub towards the end. At the T-junction with the A24 go down the subway on the left, under the main road and turn left up the ramp on the other side.
2. At the top of the slope veer right onto a permissive path going down past a National Trust sign into Burford Meadow. Follow a clear path along this crescent-shaped patch of grassland, with the tree-lined River Mole just off to the left below the steeply wooded hillside of The Whites.
3. In 600m you reach a wooden footbridge where you cross the river. Unless you want to see the famous Stepping Stones? follow the main path away from the river, which in 150m merges with the path from the stones, the North Downs Way? (NDW).
   • If you want to see the stones turn right onto a path along the riverbank immediately after crossing the bridge, in 125m reaching the point where the NDW crosses the river via the stones. Turn left onto the NDW (away from the river) to rejoin the main route in a further 175m.
4. Shortly after the two paths merge you come to the first of several long flights of steps, the start of a sustained climb up the hillside. At the top of the first flight ignore a path off to the right with a pink waymarker for the NT's Riverside Walk and go all the way up the next flight. Shortly before the start of a few more steps, however, fork right at a three-way footpath signpost, leaving the NDW.
5. Follow this gently undulating woodland path for 750m, with occasional glimpses of the Mole Valley down to the right and later the grassy southern slopes of Box Hill up to the left. Eventually the path merges with a chalky path coming down from the left. Go through a wooden gate, briefly leaving the NT land, and follow the track as it curves down to the right. In 100m you come to a lane (Boxhill Road) and turn sharp left, almost doubling back.

Continue the directions at §C.

2. Dorking Stations to Boxhurst (2 km)
• From either Dorking (Main) or Deepdene make your way to the eastern end of the short street between them, Lincoln Road. Go under the railway bridge and take the path on the right alongside the railway, then turn left onto a footpath leading to Pixham via Pixholme Grove. Turn right and go along the road for 200m, then turn left into Leslie Road. In 200m bear left onto a footpath leading to the River Mole at Castle Mill. Cross the river and keep ahead across a meadow and then a field edge to Boxhill Road. Turn left and head north along this lane for 500m, where it splits into two driveways.

The directions below are for the most direct route from each station, but if you arrive at Dorking Deepdene and want to join a group at Dorking (Main), follow the signposted link route between the two stations: north on the A24 for 125m, then turn right into Station Approach.

1. Starting from Dorking (Main)

1. Outside the station do not go out along Station Approach but immediately turn left to go through a small car park. At the far end turn left onto a lane and go under a railway bridge.

2. Starting from Dorking Deepdene

1. From either platform, go down steps at the Guildford end to the A24 (if arriving from Redhill on Platform 2, turn right to go under the railway bridge). Go through an iron gate next to the Platform 1 exit and follow a narrow fenced path out to a lane. Turn right and go under a railway bridge carrying the Dorking–Horsham line.
3. On the other side of the bridge turn right onto a tarmac path parallel to the railway line, crossing Pipp Brook. At a path T-junction turn left onto a fenced path going between some scrubland and allotments. Carry on past a string of pastel-coloured cottages on Pixholme Grove, with a sports ground on the left. At the far end turn right and go along a road (Pixham Lane) for 200m.
4. After passing under a railway bridge carrying the North Downs line turn left into Leslie Road. In 200m, just after a slight right-hand bend, bear left onto a signposted footpath. Go through a metal kissing gate and follow the path gently downhill for 200m to a small parking area in front of Castle Mill.
5. Turn left onto a path between the house and its garage, with a footpath waymarker. Follow the path across the mill-stream and then the River Mole on a substantial footbridge. Go straight ahead on a path across a meadow, ignoring paths off to both sides.
6. In 100m go through a wooden gate and along the left-hand side of a field to another gate at the far end. Go down steps and turn left onto a lane (Boxhill Road), heading N past some buildings. Follow this quiet lane for 500m, going back under the railway and climbing gently. At the end keep right where a track branches off to the left (this is the outward route from Box Hill & Westhumble station).
3. Boxhurst to Headley Heath (2¾ km)
• At the end of the lane take a footpath passing to the right of a few properties, then turn right onto a permissive path slanting up the southern slope of Box Hill. At the top (re)join the North Downs Way (NDW), going down steps and turning left onto a bridleway. In 200m keep left where the NDW veers off to the right. Cross Boxhill Road and go all the way along Headley Heath Approach. At the far end turn right into a small car park for Headley Heath.
1. Where the lane splits into two driveways do not take either of them but bear right onto a narrow fenced footpath alongside the edge of the properties. At the end turn right as indicated, the start of a long permissive path slanting gently up the southern edge of the National Trust land at Box Hill.
2. After going through a gate there is open downland sloping up to your left, and after another gate near the top there are a few gaps in the hedge boundary with extensive views to the south (the village below is Brockham). Eventually you (re)join the North Downs Way? (NDW) on a path coming in from the left.
3. Immediately after the two paths merge you lose height by going down a fairly long flight of steps with a wooden handrail. Rather annoyingly you then have to turn left onto the bridleway at the bottom to go back up again. After climbing steadily for 200m keep left at a signposted path junction, leaving the NDW (which continues around the top of the old Brockham Quarry and Lime Works?).
4. The bridleway leads out to Boxhill Road. Cross over onto the private road opposite (Headley Heath Approach), signposted as the continuation of the bridleway. In 750m this lane merges with another from the right, after which you turn right into a small car park with an information panel about Headley Heath.
4. Headley Heath to Cockshott Wood (2¼ km)
• Follow the bridleway into the wooded heathland, heading north-east. Where the track swings sharply right after 400m, keep ahead on a woodland path. In 250m turn half-left at a six-way junction and follow a clear path across an open part of the heath to its north-western corner. Turn left onto a bridleway and follow it out of the heath and out to meet a lane by Cockshott Cottage. Cross the lane into Cockshott Wood car park.
1. Take the stony track from the back of the car park, which is also the continuation of the bridleway. In the first 200m through this wooded part of the heath ignore two tracks off to the left, then fork left at a Y-junction. Follow the bridleway across a small dip, curving round to the left.
2. After a short climb the bridleway swings sharply round to the right but you go straight ahead through a wooden horse barrier onto a narrow path. In 100m keep ahead at a path crossing. In a further 150m you reach a six-way path junction in a small clearing where you turn half-left onto a broad grassy track through the woodland.
3. In 200m you emerge into a more open part of the heath and continue on a clear grassy path ahead. In 250m it bends slightly left and starts to descend, with fine views ahead across a valley. In a further 400m follow the path down a flight of steps cut into the grassy bank and turn left at the bottom onto a stony track.
4. Follow the path round a left-hand bend, then veer right onto a waymarked bridleway climbing steeply up the hillside. It turns left halfway up and you go out through a gate at the top, leaving Headley Heath. Turn right onto a path heading NW, parallel with a lane.
5. This bridleway soon turns left and starts to descend, with open fields on both sides. At the bottom it swings right and goes past Cockshott Cottage onto a country lane, shown as Lodgebottom Road to the right and Headley Lane to the left. This lane is popular with speedy cyclists, so take care as you cross it and bear left into a small car park, with a NT sign for Cockshott Wood.
5. Cockshott Wood to the Running Horses pub (2½ km)
• Take the path from the back of the car park, running along the bottom of Cockshott Wood. In 200m turn right onto a path climbing up through the wood to the north-eastern end of The Gallops. Turn left and go all the way along this strip of grassland. At its westernmost point follow a path into the trees. In 100m bear left onto a byway (Stane Street), then in 75m turn right onto a footpath descending Mickleham Downs into the village. Cut through the churchyard to reach the Running Horses pub on Old London Road.
  
1. Ignore the continuation of the bridleway (a very steep climb up White Hill) and take the tree-lined path from the back of the car park, along the bottom of the wood. In 200m, shortly before the path veers left into a more heavily-wooded area, there are two unsignposted paths off to the right. Ignore a narrow path going into the same woodland area but take a faint path heading N up the centre of a semi-open valley dotted with mature beech trees.
2. The path soon becomes clearer as it winds its way uphill for 350m, eventually emerging onto the end of a 1 km long strip of open grassland. Turn left to head SW along The Gallops?, keeping to the left of a small clump of trees after 750m (where there is an “Archaeology on Mickleham Downs” information panel). At this point bear right and head for the far right-hand end of the grassland, where you go through a gap onto a path into the woodland.
3. In 100m go past a wooden barrier and bear left onto a byway, shown as Stane Street? on the OS map. In 25m ignore a narrow path off to the right, but in a further 50m turn right onto another narrow path; this is a public footpath but when last checked there was only an easily-missed dilapidated post with a yellow waymarker. This path winds its way down the hillside for 250m before merging with another footpath from the left.
   • If you miss the turning off the byway you would come to a major path crossing 150m further on, with a more clearly waymarked footpath off to the right; however, this descends very steeply in places before merging with the suggested route.
4. After the two footpaths merge carry on gently downhill, with an open field on the left. At the end go over a stile and keep ahead along a driveway, ignoring a footpath (with a Box Hill Hike waymarker) into the churchyard on your right.
5. At the end of the drive the suggested lunch pub is 75m off to the right along the the B2209 (Old London Road). The suggested route is to go through the lychgate and past the west door of St Michael & All Angels? (which is worth a visit), as the gate in the other corner is almost opposite the Running Horses? pub.

If you are doing the Alternative Walk (via Norbury Park), go to §I.


6. The Running Horses to Headley Lane (2½ km)
• From the pub go back through the churchyard and turn left onto a footpath behind the church, which in 125m comes to Dell Close. Turn right onto the lane and at the far end continue on a footpath curving round to the left to head north. Unless you want to detour to the King William Ⅳ pub (75m down to the left) keep ahead at a path crossing after 250m. In a further 200m turn right onto a footpath climbing steadily up Mickleham Downs. Veer right and left at the top to emerge near the western end of The Gallops. Go straight across to re-enter woodland on a path which curves round to the right to head south-west and leads to a footpath going steeply down White Hill. At the bottom cross Headley Lane into Whitehill car park, entering Box Hill Country Park.
1. From the pub return to the churchyard and make your way onto the path along its left-hand side. Ignore an old wooden gate on the left but turn left onto a grassy path 40m behind the church. Follow this footpath out of the churchyard and then between back gardens and paddocks for 125m to reach a lane (Dell Close).
2. Turn right onto the lane, soon passing Mickleham Village Hall and then a string of cottages. At the end continue on a fenced path curving round to the left at the foot of the wooded Mickleham Downs, with another wood on the left. In 250m you come to a signposted path crossing. Unless you want to visit the alternative lunch pub, keep ahead at the junction.

3. Detour to the King William Ⅳ (+150m)

1. Turn left onto the slightly awkward path, downhill. The pub is on the left-hand side after 75m. Return the same way and turn left at the crosspaths.
4. Go along the broad level path flanked by low brick and flint walls, heading N with views across the Mole valley. In 200m, just before the path meets a lane, turn right through a gap to the right of a metal fieldgate onto a signposted footpath.
5. Follow the woodland path for 600m as it climbs steadily up Mickleham Downs, later with a wire fence on the left. At the top of the hill keep right where the main path turns half-left with the fence. The path soon comes to a T-junction with a broad track (Stane Street again). Turn right briefly onto the track, then almost immediately turn left onto a path heading SE.
6. After emerging from the trees keep ahead on a grassy path, at first with trees on your left. Where these end carry on in the same direction, crossing over your outward route and now with the full length of The Gallops visible off to the left. On the far side follow the path into the trees, curving round to the right to head SW.
7. In 250m, shortly after passing a prominent beech tree, keep left at a little triangle of paths to end up on a broad path heading SE. This soon turns right and comes out into the open, with a fine view across the valley to Juniper Top in the main part of Box Hill Country Park.

   You now essentially follow the revised route of Walk 1–49 (in reverse) all the way to the Box Hill Visitor Centre.

8. Continue on the path, heading SW down White Hill. In 150m it bends left and goes steeply down a long flight of steps to Headley Lane. This lane is popular with speedy cyclists, so take care as you cross it into Whitehill car park, entering Box Hill Country Park.
7. Headley Lane to the Box Hill Visitor Centre (3 km)
• Inside the Country Park fork left onto a path climbing steadily up Juniper Top. Continue along a woodland track heading south to Flint Hill, then turn left onto a bridleway and follow this out to Zig Zag Road. Turn right to go along the roadside path for 150m, then veer left to join first the NDW and then a permissive path along the open downland to the Salomons Memorial. Take the path behind this viewpoint to go alongside Zig Zag Road to the NT Visitor Centre.
  
1. Take the main path from the back of the car park, then almost immediately fork left through a wooden side gate onto a path slanting up the side of the valley. It soon opens out onto the broad grassy spur of Juniper Top, with increasingly fine views behind you as you climb.
2. Where the path levels out on a grassy plateau, keep right. In the top right-hand corner go through a wooden side gate next to a fieldgate onto a track. Follow the main track S for 800m, ignoring several turnings to the left.
3. The track eventually comes to a Y-junction, with a blue-topped bridleway post on the right. Fork left, then in 25m turn left at a path crossing onto the bridleway coming up from Juniper Bottom, joining the NT's Happy Valley Walk.
4. The bridleway gradually curves round to the right. In 300m there is a boundary fence on the left and the path eventually comes out onto a lane (Zig Zag Road), with a Smith & Western restaurant ahead. Cross the road and turn right onto the roadside path.
5. Although you could simply follow this path to the viewpoint, the suggested route is to turn left after 150m, at a footpath signpost by the 30mph road signs. Follow the short path through the trees and turn right at a T-junction onto the waymarked North Downs Way? (NDW), parallel to the road again. The path soon goes through a gate onto an open stretch of downland, with a fine view to the left.
6. Once again you could simply stay on this path, but the suggested route is to veer left after 75m onto a grassy path slanting down the hillside (where another link path comes in from the right, and 50m before the NDW goes back into the trees through another gate).
7. The path merges with a chalky path and levels out. In around 200m it goes through a gate in the tree boundary ahead, merges with the NDW from the right and comes to the famous viewpoint at the Salomons Memorial?.
8. With your back to the view, turn left onto the tarmac path behind the memorial. This curves round to the right and continues alongside Zig Zag Road. Ignore a path on the left leading to Swiss Cottage? to reach a large picnic area in front of a couple of buildings. The NT Café is at the back of the Gift Shop in the first building, with a Servery for light refreshments in the second.
   
8. The Visitor Centre to Box Hill & Westhumble Station (2 km)
• Go past the old fort behind the Servery and cut through a belt of trees to come to the clifftop path above The Whites. Turn right and go down the Burford Spur, at some point veering left to come out onto Old London Road. Turn left to go past the Burford Bridge Hotel and continue alongside the A24, crossing the River Mole on Burford Bridge. Take the subway beneath the main road and turn right into Westhumble Street, passing the Stepping Stones pub on the way to the station.
1. Go around the side of the Servery and cut through a small car park to the old Box Hill Fort?. Continue past its right-hand side and veer left through an opening in the stone wall. Go over the grass rampart onto a short path through the belt of trees ahead to a path T-junction at the top of the steeply wooded hillside of The Whites.
2. Turn right and follow the chalky path along the top of the hillside. After going through a wooden fieldgate the downland opens up and the descent becomes steeper. The suggested route down the Burford Spur is to fork left where the path splits, then stay on the main path to come out onto Old London Road opposite the entrance to a large public car park. Unless you want to visit Ryka's Café (in the car park) turn left onto the road.
   • For a slightly shorter (but more precipitous) descent you could take one of the side paths on the left which meet the road closer to the large roundabout.
3. On the road you pass the Burford Bridge Hotel and keep left at the roundabout. After crossing the River Mole on a footway alongside the A24 go down a subway ramp and under this busy main road. On the other side go up the ramp on the left to a road junction and turn right into Westhumble Street.
4. You soon reach the Stepping Stones pub on the left, a convenient refreshment stop. The station is a further 300m along this narrow street, but there is a pavement or a footway on one side or the other. Before the road rises to cross the railway bridge, bear left into the station car park. Cross the station footbridge to Platform 1 for trains to London.
9. The Running Horses to Box Hill & Westhumble Station (3½ km)
• … Cross the lane and follow the footpath out to the A24. Cross the dual carriageway and take the lane opposite, crossing the River Mole. Turn left onto a bridleway, soon entering Norbury Park. Fork left onto a permissive path which curves round to the left, crosses the railway and later merges with another path from the right. Follow this path near the bottom edge of the wood for just over 1 km, then fork left at a Y-junction. Unless you want to take a slightly longer (but more interesting) route alongside the river (starting by going down a steep flight of steps), stay on the main path as it swings right and continue along the right-hand side of a large field to a gate in its top corner. Join the Mole Gap Trail (MGT) on an enclosed path leading out to a road, with Box Hill & Westhumble station ahead on the left.
  • If finishing the walk here, cross the railway bridge and turn right onto a fenced path leading down to the station forecourt.
1. …
2. Cross the lane onto the continuation of the footpath. In 100m keep left at a path junction and go out between houses to the A24 (Mickleham Bypass). Cross this busy dual carriageway with great care. Turn left briefly onto the walkway on the far side, then turn right onto the narrow lane opposite Old London Road to cross the River Mole.
3. In 50m turn left onto a signposted bridleway, soon entering the woodland of Norbury Park. Where the bridleway veers up to the right keep left on a permissive path, between wooden horse barriers. The path curves gently round to the left as it follows the course of the River Mole.
4. In 400m you cross over the railway line where it emerges from a tunnel and crosses the river. In a further 250m the path swings up to the right. At the top of the slope go past another wooden barrier and bear left onto a broad woodland path.
5. Follow this path near the bottom edge of the wood for just over 1 km, ignoring a couple of paths into the farm fields on your left and some narrow paths up into the wooded hillside. Eventually you come to a Y-junction and fork left downhill, staying near the edge of the wood. In 100m the path swings right where another path comes in from the left; at this junction there is a flight of steps descending the wooded hillside ahead.

The slightly longer riverside route in [?] (starting down these steep steps) is more interesting but you might have to divert around a flooded inlet. If you do not want to risk missing a train, take the straightforward direct route.

6. Direct route

1. Stay on the main path as it swings right. After descending for 250m go through a gate and keep ahead on a grassy path near the right-hand side of a large field, gradually approaching the railway embankment.
2. In the top corner of the field go through a gate and follow a narrow enclosed path parallel to the railway, now on the Mole Gap Trail? (MGT). The path comes out at a road junction, with Westhumble Street to the left and three lanes off to the right.

7. Riverside route (+150m)

1. Leave the main path and go down this long flight of steps. At the bottom follow a woodland path alongside the River Mole and through a gate into a large field.
2. Continue on a grassy path, still alongside the river. In 175m you come to the first arm of an ox-bow lake?, with steps on both banks and stone blocks to get across the (sometimes flooded) inlet.
   • In extreme circumstances you might have to skirt around the inlet and make your way across the field to the exit in the top corner.
3. If possible, carry on alongside the river. After passing the second inlet veer right to join a grassy path coming from a footbridge across the river, alongside the railway embankment.
4. …

If you are doing the full Alternative Walk to Dorking, skip to the next section.

8. Finishing at Box Hill & Westhumble Station

1. Turn left onto the road bridge to cross the railway, then immediately turn right onto a fenced path. This leads to steps down to the station forecourt. For trains to London you need to go back across the tracks on the station footbridge to Platform 1.
   • The nearest refreshment place is the Stepping Stones pub, 300m away along Westhumble Street. From the car park exit there is a pavement or a footway on one side or the other all the way to the pub. Return the same way.
10. Box Hill & Westhumble Station to Denbies Wine Estate (exit) (1¾ • 2¼ km)
• Go along Chapel Lane for 200m and turn left onto a footpath which crosses Adlers Lane, staying on the MGT. Continue across the NDW into Denbies Wine Estate and keep ahead along the right of way for 300m to a path crossing with a bridleway.
  • To visit the café in the Visitor Centre turn left onto the bridleway and go around the front of the building to the main entrance. Return the same way and turn left at the path crossing.
  Carry on across the vineyard on the MGT. On the far side go up a short slope to a path junction.
1. Take the leftmost of the three lanes on the right (Chapel Lane), not the one under the prominent Leladene? archway (with blue plaque). There is a pavement on the left-hand side of Chapel Lane for a short distance, then a walkway set back from the lane.
2. In 125m you cross a private road (Pilgrims Way) and now have an awkward 25m along the narrow Chapel Lane before you turn left onto a signposted (but easily-missed) footpath, staying on the MGT. Follow this fenced path down between houses to a residential street (Adlers Lane) and cross over onto the continuation of the footpath, slightly to the right.
3. In 200m go across a strip of grassland flanked by two metal kissing gates into a wide belt of trees. Go straight across the NDW to emerge into the extensive Denbies Wine Estate. Keep ahead on the right of way, a broad grassy track between the vines. In 300m you come to a signposted path crossing with a public bridleway.

If you do not want to visit the café in the Visitor Centre (perhaps because you are planning to go via Dorking town centre for refreshments), take the broad track straight ahead and skip the directions below.

4. Detour to Denbies Visitor Centre (+½ km)

1. To break for refreshments turn left onto the bridleway, passing the Vineyard Hotel. At the end of the buildings turn left through a gate and go past the Farm Shop and Plant Centre to the main entrance at the front of the Visitor Centre; the informal Conservatory Restaurant is behind the shop.
2. To resume the walk turn right out of the Visitor Centre to return to the path crossing: past the Farm Shop and back along the track. Unless you want to retrace your steps back to Box Hill & Westhumble station, turn left at the crossing onto a broad track, signposted as a public footpath.
5. The broad track soon starts to climb gently. At the top of a low rise keep ahead where the track swings off to the right. Go down a broad grassy slope and in 200m leave the vineyard on a path between hedges, now climbing again. At the top you come to a little triangle of paths, with a footpath signpost offering a choice of routes: direct to the Railway Station or via the Town Centre.
11. Denbies Wine Estate to Dorking Stations (1¼ • 2 • 2½ km)
• To head directly to Dorking's main station turn left at the path junction and follow the footpath out to Calvert Road. Turn right onto Chichester Road to reach the A24 opposite the station car park. For a safe route to the station go down the main road for 250m (crossing Ashcombe Road at the traffic lights) and take the subway to Station Approach.
  • Alternatively, keep right at the path junction and go along Yew Tree Road to the A2003. Turn left briefly onto the road, then in 125m turn right onto a footpath leading across the North Downs railway line to Meadowbank Recreation Ground. There is a café 250m ahead by the football stadium. Unless you want to make an out-and-back detour up Mill Lane to find more refreshment places on the High Street, take the path alongside Pipp Brook past the old mill pond. At the far end continue along London Road to the A24 and cross over at the pedestrian lights, with Dorking Deepdene station ahead. For Dorking (Main) station turn left briefly onto the A24 and fork right into Station Approach.
    

At the triangular path junction outside the vineyard the MGT splits into two branches. If you want a choice of refreshment places you will need to take the longer route via the town centre in [?].

1. Direct route to Dorking (Main) Station (1¼ km)

1. Turn left at the path junction onto a path through a belt of trees, with an open space on the right. In 400m veer left by a footpath signpost to continue on a narrow fenced path going gently downhill, with a view across the vineyard.
2. In 150m go through a wooden barrier and bear left onto a residential street (Calvert Road). In a further 150m, with a cul-de-sac ahead, turn right into another residential street (Chichester Road). At the far end bear right to continue on a cycleway alongside the A24.

   There is a gap in the belt of trees on the other side of this busy dual carriageway which would let you cut through the station car park, but the route described below is safer and not much longer.

3. For the suggested route carry on along the cycleway, crossing Chichester Close and then Ashcombe Road at the traffic lights. Opposite the station access road go down steps and through the pedestrian subway. On the other side of the main road go up the steps ahead and along Station Approach to Dorking (Main) station. Trains to London can depart from any of the three platforms, so you might have to cross the station footbridge to Platforms 2 or 3.

2. Route via Meadowbank / Town Centre (2 • 2½ km).

1. Keep right at the path junction and continue along a residential street (Yew Tree Road) to its junction with the A2003 (Ashcombe Road). Turn left onto the road, away from a mini-roundabout, and cross over when possible.
2. In 125m turn right onto a narrow path between houses #62 & #64, with an inconspicuous sign for the town centre. Follow this footpath past playing fields and over the North Downs railway line into the north-western corner of Meadowbank Recreation Ground.
3. Keep ahead on the tarmac path, gently downhill. In 250m you pass Café Connect, Meadowbank on the right, a possible refreshment place. A little further on you reach a footbridge across Pipp Brook.

If you do not want to investigate other places on Dorking's High Street, turn left onto the tarmac path alongside the stream and skip the directions below.

4. High Street extension (+~½ km)

1. For the High Street, cross the footbridge and go up Mill Lane (or bear left after 25m onto a tarmac path and go up the parallel Ansell Road instead). The High Street is 200m away, with the White Horse inn directly opposite Mill Lane.
2. There are many more refreshment places nearby, especially off to the right where the High Street splits into South Street and West Street. You could then use the map to reach the station via main roads but it is nicer to return to Meadowbank via any signposted route in order to take the path alongside Pipp Brook.
   
5. Follow the path alongside the stream, later passing a lake (the old millpond) on your left. At the far end keep ahead on London Road to reach its junction with the A24. Cross over this dual carriageway at the pedestrian lights on the left, with one of the entrances to Dorking Deepdene station ahead. Unless you want to take a train on the North Downs line, turn left.
   • If you do want this line the steps on this side of the railway bridge lead to Platform 2, for trains towards Guildford. For trains to Redhill (where you could change for London) go under the bridge and up another flight of steps to Platform 1. There is no footbridge between the two platforms.
6. For direct trains to London go under the railway bridge and continue alongside the A24. In 125m fork right into Station Approach, passing the Lincoln Arms Hotel on the way to Dorking (Main) station. Trains to London can depart from any of the three platforms, so you might have to cross the station footbridge to Platforms 2 or 3.

Walk Notes

1. The Stepping Stones might have been installed by a 19^thC landowner to facilitate access to his orchard on the level ground at the foot of Box Hill. The current stones were laid in 1946, the originals having been destroyed in World War Ⅱ as an anti-invasion measure.
2. The North Downs Way runs for 246 km along the length of the North Downs (with two sections at its eastern end), from Farnham in Surrey to Dover in Kent.
3. Brockham Quarry and Lime Works was a major industrial site in Victorian times. Chalk was extracted from the quarry until 1936 and burnt in kilns to produce quicklime, used in the manufacture of mortar and fertiliser.
4. As the name implies, The Gallops was used for leisure riding and for exercising horses racing at Epsom (which were stabled at the Running Horses pub in Mickleham).
5. Stane Street is the modern name given to the 1^stC Roman Road between London and Chichester, a distance of around 90 km (its original Roman name is unknown). ‘Stane’ is an old English spelling of ‘stone’ and was often used to signify a paved trackway.
6. St Michael and All Angels, Mickleham dates from Saxon and Norman times but most of the original features were lost in an 1842 renovation. It has a ‘weeping chancel’, one which is out of alignment with the nave.
7. The Running Horses pub was renamed after the two horses which tied in the “Dead Heat Derby” of 1828, Colonel and Cadland. They are pictured on opposite sides of the inn sign.
8. The Salomons Memorial commemorates Leopold Salomons of Norbury Park, who bought Box Hill when it was offered for sale in 1912 and donated it to the National Trust two years later.
9. The television pioneer John Logie Baird lived in Swiss Cottage from 1929–32 and conducted some of his early experiments there.
10. Box Hill Fort was one of a chain of mobilisation centres built to defend London at the end of the 19^thC, but the idea was soon abandoned. It has now been colonized by several species of bats.
11. An ox-bow lake is a shallow horseshoe-shaped depression on the floodplain beside a river, formed when one of its meanders has been cut off.
12. The Mole Gap Trail is a short ‘Rail to Ramble’ route of about 10 km between Dorking and Leatherhead stations, with a longer branch at its southern end going through Dorking town centre. It is waymarked with metal direction signs designed to look handwritten.
13. The Leladene archway was built by the owner of a house on Camilla Drive after his wife Lela died in 1922, but the blue plaque commemorates the English novelist Fanny Burney (1752-1840). After the success of her romantic novel Camilla in 1796 she was able to move into a new house designed by her émigré French husband, General Alexandre d'Arblay, and lived in the village for five years.

» Last updated: December 30, 2025

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