Dorking

Antique shops line the high street where commuters grab morning coffee before the London train. Dorking sits snug in the Surrey Hills, that rolling chalk downland that makes this corner of England feel properly rural despite being an hour from Waterloo. The town centre has a lived-in feel - independent shops alongside the usual chains, pubs that actually serve locals rather than just gastropub tourists.

Box Hill looms to the north, that famous chalk escarpment where cyclists test their legs and walkers come for views across the Weald. The surrounding countryside is thick with woodland - Dumbrels Copse and Birchett Copse are just two of the ancient forests that carpet these hills. You'll find yourself on quiet bridleways that wind through Mark Mead Plantation or Brown's Copse, where the only sounds are your footsteps and the occasional pheasant.

This is Jane Austen country, though she'd hardly recognise the M25 that now encircles it all. Still, step off the main roads and you're in proper Surrey Hills territory - beech hangers, chalk paths, and that particular light that filters through old woodland. Leith Hill Tower sits a few miles south, the highest point in Surrey and well worth the trek for panoramic views.

Getting here is straightforward enough. The A24 cuts through from London, though it gets busy at weekends with Box Hill bound cyclists. Dorking has two stations - the main one handles the London services, while West station serves local routes. Staying at one of the nearby parks puts you right in the heart of walking country, with footpaths leading directly into the Surrey Hills from most sites.