Surrey Hills National Landscape

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.

Surrey Hills National Landscape
Residential roads in Dorking, bordering vineyards on the side of the North Downs
Location of the National Landscape in England
Location	Surrey, England
Coordinates	51.2503°N 0.3243°W / 51.2503; -0.3243
Area	422 km2 (163 sq mi)
Designated	May 1958
Website	surreyhills.org

Geography

Box Hill

Leith Hill

Botley
Hill

Hog's Back

Gibbet Hill

Holmbury Hill

Colley
Hill

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.

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.