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 […]
Breathtaking hilltop views and a long lost Coaching Inn at Happy Valley
*Walks* One of the area’s most stunning walking destinations is in Coulsdon in the London Borough of Croydon. It consists of Happy Valley, New Hill and Farthing Downs. It’s an historic area with remnants of an iron-age field system and Saxon burial mounds. It also has an abundance of rare wildlife being on scarce chalk […]
The Museum of The Mind and 200 Acres of Parkland at Bethlem Hospital
*Walks* This is one of the most intriguing museums, and it’s less than 30 minutes drive from Carshalton. The small museum looks back at the treatment of mental health and covers the long history of Bethlem hospital. It’s set in beautiful parkland that you’re free to explore. At the entrance to the museum, shown above, […]
The Hidden Woodland Gardens in South Croydon
*Walks* Coombe Wood was once the private gardens of Coombe Wood House, which was built in 1898. The land was purchased by Croydon Council in 1948 and now it’s free for the public to visit. We went on a wet January afternoon, and it was just as dramatic as any other time of year. Scroll […]
Wandle Trail: Carshalton to Morden Hall via Ravensbury Park and Watermeads
*Weekend walks* Join us on a fascinating short walk from Carshalton to Morden Hall taking in Ravensbury Park and the charming Watermeads Nature Reserve, land saved and protected thanks to National Trust founder Octavia Hill and her sister Miranda. It takes about an hour and a quarter to reach Morden Hall from Carshalton, and you […]
The Beautiful and Touching Air Forces Memorial and the Magna Carta site
*Walks* This 5-mile circular walk is about 50 minutes drive* from Carshalton and it takes in this incredible memorial. If you have an interest in history, especially military history, this place is a must-visit. It’s free to enter and you can take a short climb to the top of this hilltop monument to survey the […]
See Britain’s smallest working windmill just 25 minutes from Carshalton
*Local Walks* This incredible oddity is the only remaining wind-powered sawmill in the UK – and it’s just 25 minutes from Carshalton. An unusually small windmill, built around 1860, there were only ever around 15 – 20 recorded across Britain. This interesting feature is situated in the back garden of a house in Buckland village. […]
The Stunning Watermill Pub and a Wander Around Denbies Vineyard in Dorking
*lazy wknds* About 20 minutes by car from Carshalton*. This is the Watermill pub in Dorking where you can sit in the peaceful garden looking up at the famous Box Hill. It’s a sunny spot with comfy seating and a lots of menu options. Walk off a meal with a short circular wander around nearby […]
Photogenic trail around the Surrey village of Shere providing some Movie Magic
*Localish Walks* Have you been to Shere? An ever-so quaint Surrey village on the Tillingbourne river. It’s been used as a location in films such as The Holiday, Bridget Jones and Four Weddings and a Funeral. It was a rather overcast day when we went, but that doesn’t spoil anything. It takes around 40 minutes […]