Sir Robert Hunter

The story of Sir Robert Hunter is less about a building you can visit and more about understanding the man who shaped how we use our countryside today. Hunter was the co-founder of the National Trust, and his legacy surrounds you across Surrey's green spaces - he fought fiercely to keep land accessible to ordinary people when landowners wanted to lock everything away. Godalming, his hometown, is where this Surrey solicitor developed his radical ideas about conservation and public access.

You won't find a museum or visitor centre dedicated to him, but walking through the commons and woodlands he helped protect around Godalming gives you a proper sense of what he achieved. Tilford Common, the River Wey valley, the greensand hills - all of this remains open because Hunter and his allies wouldn't let it disappear behind private gates. History buffs and anyone interested in the early conservation movement will find real worth in learning his story before exploring the landscape itself.

If you're staying at Tilford Woods Lodge Retreat or Little Cowdray Farm Glamping, you're literally in Hunter's territory. Spend an afternoon walking the commons, then read up on his fight with the landowners of the day - it changes how you see the view. The man died in 1913, but his fingerprints are all over this part of Surrey. For a quiet, thoughtful visit focused on local heritage rather than tourist attractions, this approach works well. Best visited during autumn walks or spring rambles when you can properly enjoy the land he fought to preserve.