Bridge & Hill Livingstore

The Bridge and Hill Livingstore sits just outside Chessington, a peculiar spot that's equal parts retail outlet and local curiosity. What you're actually looking at is a modern showroom selling home and garden goods, but the 'bridge and hill' bit refers to the actual landscape feature the building straddles - a genuine geological quirk that's been here far longer than the shop itself.

It's not a destination in the traditional sense. You won't spend hours here unless you're genuinely after garden furniture or interior bits. But if you're passing through on the way to Chessington or staying at Walton on Thames Camping and Caravanning Club Site nearby, it's worth a quick stop if you're interested in how modern businesses work around natural features. The elevation creates decent views across the surrounding Surrey countryside, and there's something satisfying about seeing how the architects managed the topography.

Families with younger children will get bored quickly - it's really a browse-and-buy sort of place. Walkers using the local paths might appreciate the views, though you won't want to linger long. The real appeal is the oddness of finding a shop built literally over a geological formation. It's the kind of thing that makes you pause and think: why here, why this way?

Free to look around, naturally. Allow 20 minutes tops unless you're actually shopping. Best visited on a clear day when the views open up.