There’s a woodland café hidden in the Surrey Hills – and you CAN’T reach it by car
This walk takes about 25 minutes to reach an unusual place called ‘Coffee in the Copse’ – it’s unreachable directly by car. At the secret cafe we were served by a friendly Polish lady who has ran the place for the last couple of years or so. The Surrey Hills location is surprisingly difficult to […]
A history walk around Brockham village
Brockham is a quintessential Surrey village. Flanked by tall hills providing a scenic backdrop. If you’ve not been, you really should. Many old and historic buildings maintain an old-world charm. It has a church, two pubs, a small shop and a cafe. Take a brief photographic wander around the village with us, seeing what we […]
Visit the location of Mr Bates vs The Post Office
*Walks* Travel around 30 minutes by car from Carshalton and you’ll reach the village of Tatsfield. It’s a lovely place for a wander. This area featured in the real-life ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. There is a duck pond, tea room, pub, and various walks around the village. These walks are listed […]
Views across Denbies Wine Estate, Ranmore Common and Polesdon Lacey
*Walks* It’s been a while since I’ve shared a walk, and this is one of the most spectacular. It’s about 20-30 minutes by car from Carshalton, but you can also take this 6-mile circular stroll starting at Boxhill and Westhumble station. So great for non-drivers too. 🗝️ This trail starts with a climb (if you […]
Five Surrey pubs with lovely views and a stroll nearby – all less than 30 mins drive away
Secret Carshalton had the pleasure of sampling five Surrey pubs. Each one has lovely views and somewhere close by for a country stroll. Let’s start with the Well House Inn at Mugswell… 1. The Well House Inn Chipstead Lane, Mugswell, Coulsdon, CR5 3SQ The pub at Mugswell, and village both take their name from the […]
A very brief pictorial wander around Reigate
*Local Walks* Take a trip to Reigate in Surrey with its historic buildings and a wonderful collection of independent shops and cafes. The old town hall in the heart of the town is probably Reigate’s most recognisable landmark. You can visit the whole building for free as it’s currently a Cafe Nero. As the sign […]
Walk Through a Real-life 18th Century Oil Painting at Painshill
*Local Walks* Painshill Park sits close to the M25 in Cobham. In 1738 Mr Charles Hamilton, a London MP, purchased a small farmhouse in the Surrey countryside. It came with a good deal of land – 200 acres – which was just perfect for his plans. Having been inspired by landscape paintings and his Grand […]
Explore Wimbledon and Putney Commons
*Localish Walks* About 30 minutes by car from Carshalton brings you to the wonderful Wimbledon and Putney Commons. This is one of my favourite places as it’s a great mix of history, architecture, open space and eateries. There’s the old Wimbledon Windmill which also has a museum inside and a reasonably priced cafe next door. […]
The historic Deepdene Trail in Dorking
This is the beautiful Deepdene Trail in Dorking featuring panoramic views and remnants of historic Italian style mid-17th century gardens. It’s about 15 minutes walk from Dorking Station, or 30 minutes by car from Carshalton. We parked at Dorking Halls and walked up the road to the start of the free walk. The big old […]