Marley Heights

The walk up Marley Heights from Godalming rewards you with proper Surrey views - rolling woodland and glimpses toward the Weald if you time it right and the weather cooperates. It's not a dramatic summit, but it's a genuine climb that takes maybe forty minutes from town depending on your pace and which route you take through the surrounding footpaths.

This is walker territory, not a drive-up-and-snap-a-selfie kind of place. The paths are well-maintained but can get muddy after rain, so decent boots matter. You get a real sense of moving through actual countryside rather than a manicured park, which some will love and others might find a bit rough around the edges.

For families with older kids who can manage a proper hike, it's worthwhile. Younger ones might find it underwhelming - there's no café at the top, no visitor centre, just trees and air and the satisfaction of having climbed something. History buffs won't find much here, but walkers doing the longer loops through the Surrey greensand ridgeway will know this isn't a wasted detour.

If you're based at Little Cowdray Farm Glamping nearby, this makes a decent morning out without eating the whole day. The walk itself costs nothing. Allow a couple of hours round trip if you're not rushing, longer if the paths catch your interest and you decide to explore further into the woodland. Go on a clear day - on a grey one it's just trees.