Shere
Children will love splashing in the fords, the little play area and feeding the ducks on this walk.
The beautiful village of Shere
The Basics
Time: 1 hour
Distance: 3km
Terrain: Woodland paths, mostly sandy with a couple of muddy patches, kissing gates, village roads, steady inclines
Pushchair: Not for this route, but you could take a stroll along the river and back
Dogs: Yes, but on leads around the village
Refreshments: There are two tea rooms in the village, The Dabbling Duck and Hilly’s Tea Shop and two pubs, The White Horse and The William Bray. You will also find Shere Delights ice cream and sweet shop.
Toilets: Public Toilets in the village centre
Public Transport: Metrobus service 22 from Dorking and Crawley, Compass Bus service 23 between Guildford and Cranleigh and service 32 between Guildford and Redhill all stop in the village centre
Parking: Pay and Display car park off Upper Street which can get very busy on weekends (Postcode: GU5 9HE - W3W: clots/hook/inform)
The River Tillingbourne runs through the centre of Shere
Shere is one of the most visited villages in the Surrey Hills. It is lined with characterful cottages, two cosy pubs, quaint gift shops, a museum and has the River Tillingbourne running through its centre. It is not hard to see why it has been chosen as the filming location for many blockbuster movies including The Holiday. Our walk starts in the idyllic village and heads through woodland and along the edge of Albury Park before returning beside the river.
The Route
Begin by leaving the car park and walking along Gomshall Lane, past the museum, the village hall and the school. Just after the school, look for the footpath on your right along a paved path through an open grassy area. Follow the footpath over a bridge over the river (dogs and children can splash here) and then through a little gate into the churchyard.
Cross the churchyard by keeping straight ahead with the church to your right. Go out the gate on the opposite side, turn right, and then immediately go through the gate on your left, up the footpath that almost doubles back on yourself. Walk up the narrow path under holly trees with a sheep field to your left. Turn right, back towards the village, when you reach a cross path.
Go straight on when you hit the tarmac of The Spinning Walk and then cross the busier Shere Lane at the bottom. Veer slightly to your left on the other side and walk up Pathfields. Continue up the hill, passing the houses until you come to an obvious footpath straight ahead of you going narrowly between fences.
When you dip down to meet another track at a T-junction, turn left. Then almost immediately fork right at the split and then right again at the next split. Continue through woodland. Where the path splits around a tree in the middle around two blue markers, take the right fork.
Keep going straight when you reach some horse stables and then when you almost hit the road, turn right through the kissing gate. Follow the wide avenue lined by old trees downhill towards the village.
At the bottom you will meet a bridge over the river and a ford. Go right here through ‘Vicky’s Gate’ and continue along the path with the river to your left. Go through another kissing gate on the other side and then veer left. Go through the next gate, passing another bridge and ford on your left. Walk straight ahead with the wall and allotments to your left and you will arrive back at the village.
You will pass a popular spot to feed the ducks (you can buy duck food from Crumbs, the bakery opposite). Then you can choose to check out some of the gift shops, pubs, tea-rooms or the museum. If you time your walk for December, the village always looks magical with traditional decorations, lights and advent window displays. The play area is behind the museum, adjacent to the car park.
Did you know?
Shere has been the filming location for many film makers looking for a quintessentially English scene. These include Bridget Jones’ Diary and The Holiday. The White Horse pub features in the latter, but don’t expect to see Kate Winslet’s Rosehill Cottage. This never actually existed other than as a construction in a Hollywood sound stage!
As you go through the churchyard, look out for a small cell in which Christine Carpenter lived her life as a religious recluse. Food would be passed in to her through the grill and that was the only contact she had with the outside world.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one along the river Tillingbourne at Abinger Hammer where you can also paddle and visit a tea-room.
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