Surrey Hills AONB

Surrey Hills is a 422 km2 (163 sq mi) Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which covers one quarter of the county of Surrey, England.[1][2] The AONB was designated in 1958 and adjoins the Kent Downs AONB to the east and the South Downs National Park in the south west.

Surrey Hills
Residential roads in Dorking, bordering vineyards on the side of the North Downs
Location of the Surrey Hills AONB in the UK
LocationSurrey, England
Area422 km2 (163 sq mi)
WebsiteSurrey Hills AONB

Geography
Box Hill
Leith Hill
Botley
Hill
Hog's Back
Gibbet Hill
Holmbury Hill
Colley
Hill
Newlands Corner
Peaks of the Surrey Hills AONB

The highest summit of the Surrey Hills AONB, Leith Hill near Coldharbour, is 294 metres (965 ft) above sea level. It is part of the Greensand Ridge, which traverses the AONB from west to east, and is the highest point in southeast England.

Blackheath Common is also part of this area.

The northern ridge of these hills, predominantly formed by chalk, is separated by the Vale of Holmesdale which continues into Kent from the southern ridges which are predominantly greensand. They provide a haven for rare plants and insects. Parts of the area are owned and managed by the National Trust, including Ranmore Common, Leith Hill and Box Hill.

Other designations

Chiddingfold Forest, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), lies within the area.

Surrey Hills AONB is surrounded by an Area of Great Landscape Value which covers a further 8% of the county.[3]

Walking

The Surrey Hills area has three long-distance walks running through it: the North Downs Way, the Greensand Way and the Pilgrims' Way.

References
  1. Findlater G (2009). "The State of the Surrey Hills AONB". Surrey Hills AONB. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  2. McKernan P (2007). "The cultural heritage of woodlands in the Surrey Hills AONB" (PDF). The cultural heritage of woodlands in the South East. Forestry Commission. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
  3. Rob Fairbanks (2008). "Area of Great Landscape Value Designation". Surrey Hills AONB. Retrieved 26 March 2011.

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