Photo: Victor Ochieng, CC BY-SA 2.0Family walks and outdoor days in Surrey
The best family walks in Surrey include Box Hill near Tadworth, with summit views and a natural play trail, Newlands Corner near Albury, with three waymarked trails, and Frensham Great Pond, which has sandy beaches. For autumn colour, Winkworth Arboretum in Godalming has more than 1,000 trees and a Tree Adventure play area.
Surrey's walks range from the chalk hills of the North Downs to the heath of Frensham and the woods around Godalming. Most of the walks in this guide are free to start, and the notes below say where parking costs money.
Look for the play trails if the children need something to do. Box Hill has a level two-mile woodland route with play challenges, Hindhead Commons has a natural play trail behind the café, and Winkworth Arboretum has a Tree Adventure play area with a climbing wall.
Chobham Common has no toilets or refreshments on site, so bring what you need. Dogs must be kept on leads in some places, so check the notes on each walk. Frensham Great Pond has a café open all year, which is useful on a longer walk.
Every place here is checked against its official website; the latest check was on .
Hills and viewpoints
Walks with a view and a bit of climbing, most of them free to start.
Photo: Victor Ochieng, CC BY-SA 2.0Box Hill
A chalk hill on the North Downs with wide views over the Mole Valley and the Weald, ancient box woodland and chalk grassland. It is a popular start for waymarked walks, the North Downs Way and the Zig Zag Road cycle climb used in the 2012 Olympic road race.
Why it's here: Free to walk, with a summit viewpoint over Dorking and the Weald, a natural play trail and stepping stones across the River Mole.
Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0Newlands Corner
A chalk viewpoint more than 170 metres up on the North Downs, looking south over the Tillingbourne valley to the Greensand Ridge. It has 415 acres of downland and woodland, a Discovery Centre, a natural play area and three waymarked trails.
Why it's here: A chalk viewpoint more than 170 metres up on the North Downs, with a natural play area, a Discovery Centre and three waymarked trails. Parking is free.
Photo: Christopher Hilton, CC BY-SA 2.0Hindhead Commons and the Devil's Punch Bowl
A huge natural hollow in the heathland above Hindhead, reunited with the commons since the A3 went into the Hindhead Tunnel in 2011. Trails lead around the rim and up to Gibbet Hill, Surrey's second-highest point, past grazing Exmoor ponies.
Why it's here: A huge natural hollow in the heathland, with trails around the rim and up to Gibbet Hill. Walking is free, and there is a natural play trail behind the café.
Image: National TrustLeith Hill
Woodland, heathland and farmland around the highest point in south-east England, topped by a tower with views towards London and the Channel. Trails lead through ancient woods, the Rhododendron Wood planted by Caroline Wedgwood and the open heath of Duke's Warren.
Why it's here: Woodland, heathland and farmland around the highest point in south-east England, with Rhododendron Wood and an open heath walk. Check whether the tower is open before you go.
Woods, gardens and parkland
Shaded paths, play areas and seasonal colour.
Photo: Alan Hunt, CC BY-SA 2.0Winkworth Arboretum
A hillside arboretum of more than 1,000 trees and shrubs planted by Dr Wilfrid Fox, running down to a lake and boathouse, and famous for its autumn colour. A visitor centre with a café and shop sits at the top.
Why it's here: More than 1,000 trees and shrubs running down to a lake and boathouse, famous for autumn colour. The Tree Adventure play area has a climbing wall and rope tunnel.
Photo: Anthony Whitworth, CC BY-SA 3.0Titsey Place and Gardens
A historic estate under the North Downs near Oxted, dating back to the mid-16th century, with a manor house shown by guided tour, a Victorian walled kitchen garden, a rose garden and lakes. Around 500 acres of estate woodland have trails open to walkers outside the summer season too.
Why it's here: Woodland trails in Titsey Plantation and the High Chart, with the walks and their car parks free. Some woodland paths are steep, so take an OS map.
Photo: ChrisParkinson, CC BY-SA 3.0Polesden Lacey
The Edwardian country retreat of the society hostess Margaret Greville, set in a 1,600-acre estate of downland and ancient woodland with views across to Ranmore Common. The ground-floor rooms hold her collection of paintings, ceramics and French furniture, and the gardens include a walled rose garden and long herbaceous borders.
Why it's here: A 1,600-acre estate of downland and ancient woodland, with a natural play area built from estate timber and views across Ranmore Common.
Photo: David Hillas, CC BY-SA 2.0Hatchlands Park
A Georgian country house built in the 1750s for Admiral Edward Boscawen, with Robert Adam ceilings and the Cobbe Collection of more than 40 keyboard instruments linked to composers such as JC Bach, Chopin and Elgar. Around it are more than 400 acres of parkland and woodland, partly landscaped by Humphry Repton.
Why it's here: More than 400 acres of parkland and woodland, with waymarked circular walks and a natural play area in Great Wix Wood with a tree house.
Heath, ponds and riverside
Open heathland, ponds and rivers for a longer walk.
Photo: Peter S, CC BY-SA 2.0Frensham Great Pond and Common
A large medieval pond with sandy beaches on Frensham Common, about 1,000 acres of heathland owned by the National Trust and mostly managed by Waverley Borough Council. The ponds were dug in the Middle Ages to supply fish to the Bishop of Winchester.
Why it's here: Sandy beaches on a medieval pond, with heathland walks and a café open all year selling hot food, ice creams and buckets and spades.
Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0Chobham Common
One of the largest National Nature Reserves in south-east England, 574 hectares of lowland heath between Chobham and Longcross. Surrey County Council owns it and Surrey Wildlife Trust manages the conservation, with cattle grazing to keep the heath open.
Why it's here: 574 hectares of lowland heath with three waymarked trails: Scots Pine (1.2 miles), Nightjar (2.1 miles) and Bell Heather (3.5 miles). It is free, and all six car parks are free.
Photo: Berit from Redhill/Surrey, UK, CC BY 2.0Virginia Water Lake
A two-mile lake at the southern edge of Windsor Great Park, created as a royal pleasure ground between the 1750s and 1790. A full loop is about 5.25 miles, while the Cascade waterfall and the Leptis Magna ruins are a shorter stroll from the car park.
Why it's here: A two-mile lake in Windsor Great Park, with a full loop of about 5.25 miles and the Cascade waterfall a short walk from the car park.
Photo: Irid Escent, CC BY-SA 2.0Runnymede and Ankerwycke
The Thames-side meadows where King John sealed Magna Carta in 1215, now cared for by the National Trust as open countryside with memorials and modern artworks. Across the river, Ankerwycke has priory ruins and a yew thought to be around 2,500 years old.
Why it's here: Thames-side meadows where King John sealed Magna Carta in 1215, with riverside walks on the Thames Path. Entry is free.
Waterside and nature trails
Shorter outings near water, with trails for children.
Photo: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0River Wey Navigations and Dapdune Wharf
The visitor centre for the River Wey and Godalming Navigations, one of the earliest canalised rivers in England, on a wharf behind Surrey County Cricket Ground in Guildford. Displays tell the story of the waterway and its boatmen, and electric boat trips leave from here.
Why it's here: Electric boat trips along the Wey, with a tea room and a children's play area in its garden. The 20-mile towpath can be walked at any time.
Photo: AndyScott, CC BY-SA 4.0Chilworth Gunpowder Mills
The remains of more than 100 buildings from a gunpowder works that once filled the Tillingbourne valley, now a peaceful woodland walk and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Leaflets at the entrances explain the history.
Why it's here: Free woodland walk among the ruins of a gunpowder works, with a stream to paddle in and a picnic area.
Image: Priory Farm EstatePriory Farm
A family farm estate near Redhill with a farm shop and butchery, garden centre and gift barn, set in 150 acres of pasture, ancient woodland and lakes. Its Discovery Land is a waymarked family nature trail through woods and meadows and around the lakes, with seasonal themes.
Why it's here: Discovery Land, a waymarked family nature trail through woods and meadows and around the lakes, with a Giant's Chair.
Photo: Alan Hunt, CC BY-SA 2.0Lightwater Country Park
A 59-hectare council country park on the edge of Lightwater village, mostly heathland with ponds, woodland and meadows. The heathland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the park has a playground, cafe and an 18-hole adventure golf course beside the entrance.
Why it's here: Heathland, woodland and pond walks, including Hammonds Pond, in a country park that is free to enter.
Questions people ask
What is the best family walk in Surrey with a play area?
Box Hill near Tadworth has a natural play trail, a level two-mile woodland route with play challenges. Newlands Corner near Albury has a natural play area and a Discovery Centre, and Hindhead Commons has a natural play trail behind the café.
Where are the best views in Surrey for a family walk?
Box Hill has a summit viewpoint over Dorking and the Weald, and Newlands Corner looks south over the Tillingbourne valley. Hindhead Commons offers views over the Devil's Punch Bowl and up to Gibbet Hill.
Is parking free at Surrey walks?
Newlands Corner's car parks are free, and all six car parks at Chobham Common are free. Box Hill charges non-members £2 for up to an hour, and Frensham Great Pond charges from £1.80.