Surrey Hills National Landscape

Surrey Hills
National Landscape
Residential roads in Dorking, bordering vineyards on the side of the North Downs
Location of the National Landscape in England
LocationSurrey, England
Coordinates51°15′01″N 0°19′27″W / 51.2503°N 0.3243°W / 51.2503; -0.3243
Area422 km2 (163 sq mi)
DesignatedMay 1958
Websitesurreyhills.org

The Surrey Hills National Landscape is a 422 km2 (163 sq mi) National Landscape in Surrey, England. It comprises around one quarter of the land area of the county and principally covers parts of the North Downs and Greensand Ridge.[1][2] It was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in May 1958[3] and was redesignated as a National Landscape in 2023. The Surrey Hills National Landscape borders the Kent Downs AONB to the east and the South Downs National Park to the south west.

Geography

Surrey Hills National Landscape is located in Surrey
Box Hill
Box Hill
Leith Hill
Leith Hill
Botley Hill
Botley
Hill
Hog's Back
Hog's Back
Gibbet Hill
Gibbet Hill
Holmbury Hill
Holmbury Hill
Colley Hill
Colley
Hill
Newlands Corner
Newlands
Corner
Peaks of the Surrey Hills AONB

The highest summit of the Surrey Hills National Landscape, Leith Hill near Coldharbour, is 294 metres (965 ft) above sea level. It is part of the Greensand Ridge, which traverses the National Landscape from west to east, and is the second highest point in south-east England (Walbury Hill at 297 metres or 974 feet above sea level is the highest).

Blackheath Common is also part of the area.

The northern ridge of the hills, predominantly formed by chalk, is separated from the southern ridges, which are predominantly greensand, by the Vale of Holmesdale, which continues into Kent. The North Downs provide a haven for rare plants and insects. Parts of the area are owned and managed by the National Trust, including Ranmore Common, Leith Hill and Box Hill.

Principal summits

The following hills within the National Landscape have at least 30 metres of topographic prominence:

Hill Elevation Prominence Grid reference
Leith Hill 294 m (965 ft) 247 m TQ139431
Gibbet Hill 272 m (892 ft) 128 m SU899359
Holmbury Hill 261 m (856 ft) 107 m TQ103429
Pitch Hill 257 m (843 ft) 85 m TQ082423
The Warren 251 m (823 ft) 33 m TQ076424
Winders Hill 236 m (774 ft) 47 m TQ354540
Reigate Hill 234.7 m (770 ft) 100.1 m TQ255520
Dunley Hill 227 m (745 ft) 110 m TQ104490
Box Hill 224 m (735 ft) 53 m TQ204517
Hascombe Hill 198.4 m (651 ft) 111 m TQ010389
Breakneck Hill 189 m (620 ft) 62 m SU997385
Hydon's Ball 181 m (594 ft) 48 m SU977396
St Martha's Hill 175 m (574 ft) 58 m TQ027483
Rutton Hill 167 m (548 ft) 37 m SU909376
Crooksbury Hill 163 m (535 ft) 87 m SU878459
Longmoor 161 m (528 ft) 51 m TQ138477
Sandhills 155 m (509 ft) 51 m SU939383
Hog's Back 153.9 m (505 ft) 56.3 m SU950483
Yewtree Nob 139.6 m (458 ft) 31 m TQ007412
The Terrace 136 m (446 ft) 30 m TQ174489
Bury Hill 127 m (417 ft) 39 m TQ155484
The Devil's Jumps 121 m (397 ft) 34 m SU869395

The summit of Botley Hill (270 m) lies just outside the National Landscape.

Other designations

Chiddingfold Forest, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), lies within the area.

Surrey Hills National Landscape is surrounded by an Area of Great Landscape Value, which covers a further eight percent of the county.[4]

Walking

The Surrey Hills area has three long-distance walks running through it: the North Downs Way, the Greensand Way and the Pilgrims' Way.

References

  1. ^ Findlater G (2009). "The State of the Surrey Hills AONB". Surrey Hills AONB. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  2. ^ McKernan P (2007). "The cultural heritage of woodlands in the Surrey Hills AONB" (PDF). The cultural heritage of woodlands in the South East. Forestry Commission. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  3. ^ "Outstanding beauty area to be preserved". Surrey Advertiser. No. 11776. 17 May 1958. p. 7.
  4. ^ Rob Fairbanks (2008). "Area of Great Landscape Value Designation". Surrey Hills AONB. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
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