Walton Heath Golf Club

Two championship courses spread across 400 acres of Surrey downland - that's Walton Heath, one of England's finest golf clubs. Unless you're a member or a proper golfer, you won't be playing here, but the sweeping heathland landscape itself is worth knowing about if you're staying in the area around Tadworth.

The club sits on classic heathland terrain, all rolling fairways and gorse-lined rough. It's the sort of place that hosted the Ryder Cup back in 1981, so the pedigree runs deep. The courses weave through some genuinely lovely countryside, and even if golf isn't your thing, the grounds are handsome enough to appreciate from the surrounding paths.

Walkers will find the perimeter more interesting than golf enthusiasts who can't access the membership. The heathland itself - gorse, heather, birch trees - is far more rewarding to explore on foot. The nearby Surrey Hills National Landscape offers better walking routes if you're after proper trails.

If you're camping at one of the local parks - Surrey Hills Park is closest at just over two miles away, or Chessington World of Adventures Resort a bit further if you've got kids in tow - Walton Heath makes for an interesting landmark to spot and understand the local landscape. Don't expect to wander freely across the fairways, but the setting tells you something about why this corner of Surrey has always drawn serious golfers. Worth a drive past, less compelling as a destination in itself.