The Surrey Hills are an Area of Outstanding National Beauty about 30 km south-west of central London. Cycling the Surrey Hills takes you along steep-banked country lanes, through ancient woodland, past pretty villages and well-kept pubs. It’s a top choice for London-based cyclists looking to escape the city.
One of the main towns in the Surrey Hills is historic Dorking, which calls itself the cycling capital of England. The area has had a long association with cycling: from the Dorking ironmonger who was one of the first British people to buy a velocipede ‘boneshaker’ in 1868, to the 2012 Olympic road race that sped through town and the annual Prudential Ride London 100.
The most famous climb in the area is Box Hill, which is just a couple of kilometres down the road from Dorking. Cycle Box Hill on a Sunday morning and it’s difficult to dispute Dorking’s cycle capital claim: you’ll find yourself surrounded by hundreds of lycra-clad roadies sipping tea and checking out each other’s carbon dream machines.
In some circles, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Box Hill was the only notable climb south of London. While cycling Box Hill is a good introduction to the Surrey Hills, it’s not difficult, and we prefer the quieter, lesser-known Surrey cycling routes. In an area as densely populated as the Surrey Hills, you can’t expect car-free roads – but pick the right route, and you can escape a lot of the southeast’s congestion and find yourself an epic ride. Check out our Road Rides section below for more!
Want to get cycling the Surrey Hills?
In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to plan unforgettable Surrey bike rides: detailed information on the best road rides plus where to stay, when to visit and information on bike hire in Surrey too.
Read on and plan your next cycling adventure.
This article includes details of products and/or services that we have used ourselves or which we would consider using. Some are paid features or include affiliate links where if you click on a link and make a booking or buy something, we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please read our disclosure policy for further information.
Surrey Hills cycle routes
The Surrey Hills are our playground! We love to ride the challenging climbs and country lanes. Within easy reach of London, the area is a mecca for road cyclists and mountain bikers alike. Whatever the time of year, it’s an oasis of woods, sweeping vistas and winding roads where you can escape the monotonous suburbia of London and clear your lungs and your mind.
As (former) locals, we know the area like the back of our hand and we’re fussy about when and where we ride! Don’t get us wrong, we love Box Hill. We were desperately cheering on the Zig Zag Road as Mark Cavendish gradually slipped out of contention in the London 2012 Olympic road race. The views are stunning, the cake is good, but let’s be honest, it can get a little busy at weekends and variety is the spice of life!
Below you’ll find some of our favourite cycle rides in Surrey. They give a nod to the classic Surrey Hills climbs – the likes of Leith Hill, White Down and Ranmore. But we’ve also given you the connoisseur’s routes – the quieter roads and short sharp climbs of West Sussex and Kent, our favourite trip to the seaside over Ditchling Beacon and Devil’s Dyke, and other lesser known gems where you’ll see fewer cars and bikes.
Of course, many people ride out to the Surrey Hills from London. If you want to maximise your time in the saddle or get the miles in your legs then absolutely, but we recommend hopping on the train or parking up and getting more smiles per mile. Even better, why not stay at a gorgeous hotel in the Surrey Hills and make a weekend of it? Suggestions for where to stay below!
Family cycle routes in the Surrey Hills
The best Surrey cycle routes for families are on off-road trails that aren’t suitable for road bikes.
Downs Link
The Downs Link is a disused railway cycle route that follows two old lines between St Martha’s Hill (in the Surrey Hills) and Shoreham-by-Sea. The best information on the Downs Link is found here.
If you need to hire bikes for the Downs Link, it would be worth checking out Southwater cycle hire at Bonnington Farm, Drungewick Lane, Loxwood, Billingshurst RH14 0RS, +44 (0)1403 701002.
Adventure trail, Box Hill
At the top of Box Hill, tucked away near the car park (the other side to the viewpoint), is a two-mile nature trail loop. Along the way, you will find logs to climb on and forts and camps to play in and build. It’s primarily a walking trail but our four-year-old son has enjoyed cycling the loop. Beware it gets very muddy after rain!
Click here for the National Trust’s information on the play trail.
Alice Holt Forest, Farnham
About 50 minutes drive west of Dorking is Alice Holt Forest. It is perfect for children as there is an all ability cycle track and a three-mile family trail too. Cycle hire is available on site.
Accommodation
If you want to cycle the Surrey Hills and need somewhere to stay, we’d suggest looking in and around Dorking. This will mean you’re well placed to ride the best routes the region has to offer.
As we wrote this guide while living in the Surrey Hills, we haven’t stayed in the accommodation mentioned here. However, we have heard good reports about the places to stay listed below. We have also visited each of them for reasons ranging from using their sports facilities to afternoon tea. Trust us, they’re great.
Remember to double-check accommodation bike storage arrangements (and any other services you need) before booking as policies often change.
Our Choice: De Vere Wotton House Hotel, Dorking
Wotton House is a four-star country house hotel about 10 minutes from Dorking train station. You approach the 17th Century mansion house down a sweeping driveway that takes you to the impressive redbrick, three-sided courtyard facade that is complete with turrets and gryphons. There are 13 acres of landscaped gardens that include two Roman temples and a walled garden. A 2017 refurbishment means the hotel’s 127 bedrooms and public areas have all been sympathetically restored and are on trend with soft colours and quirky touches.
Check prices for Wotton House here.
What we love
- There are some great outdoorsy features to this hotel: bicycles are available in season, there are cycling and walking maps in the bedrooms plus you can borrow wellies, umbrellas and walking sticks.
- The sports facilities are good and include a gym, indoor pool, sauna, steam room and tennis courts. Even in its unrefurbished state (that comes in phase 2 of the refurbishment project), the pool is pleasant and very warm. Children are allowed in the pool during certain periods.
- The gardens are beautiful and a wonderful place to relax.
- There are four family rooms available.
- The hotel confirmed they would be happy to securely store our bike for us.
Things to know
- The hotel is a popular wedding venue, particularly at weekends. During the week there are often conferences.
- Some of the rooms (including the new junior suites) are housed in the main mansion house; others are in the more modern extension.
Conclusion
As long as you’re happy with the fact you’re likely to be sharing the hotel with a conference or wedding party, this would be a great choice for a weekend cycling the lanes of the Surrey Hills.
Head to booking.com to find out more, here.
Other hotels in the Surrey Hills
Box Hill Burford Bridge Hotel
- Burford Bridge Hotel is a four-star, listed 17th Century hotel at the foot of Box Hill. It has been refurbished with a palette of soft neutral colours spiced up by stronger blues and greys, button back detailing, stripes and tartans.
- Extensive lawns at the back of the hotel with Box Hill towering above.
- Lovely outdoor heated swimming pool.
- Well-regarded restaurant.
- Choose a room facing the gardens to ensure you aren’t disturbed by road noise.
- Be aware that the Tithe Barn at the hotel is a popular wedding venue.
- We were advised that we could either keep our bike in our room or a locked car park hut.
Langshott Manor Hotel
- A four-star, Elizabethan (16th Century) hotel full of heavy oak doors, wooden panelling and small-paned windows.
- The hotel is about 13 miles south-east of Dorking and about the same distance to Leith Hill. A good warm-up over flatter terrain until you hit the hills!
- Rooms are modern and well-styled with luxurious wallpapers, heavy curtains and roll top baths.
- Come in summer and play croquet on the lawn followed by afternoon tea at a pretty white table in the garden. In winter there are roaring log fires at enormous stone fireplaces.
- We were advised that the hotel could lock our bike in their store room.
Bike hire
The Surrey Hills are not a major tourist destination, and so there are a limited number of bike shops with bike hire in Dorking and the Surrey Hills. We’ve listed some options below, but we can’t vouch for them, as we haven’t used them for bike hire.
Prices, services and bike brands often change. Please let us know if anything is incorrect.
| Business | Bikes and Services |
|---|---|
Dorking bike hire |
|
|
Head for the Hills, Dorking 43 West Street, Dorking RH4 1BU +44 1306 885007 |
When we lived in Dorking, Head for the Hills was our local bike shop. We used them for all our bike servicing and repairs. They don’t offer a formal bike hire service, but they do have some demo bikes you can take out for the day. If you call them, they may be willing to allow you to use a bike on this basis.
Here’s a Q&A we ran with Head for the Hills where they shared their local insights. |
|
The Cycle Collective Unit 1a St Martins Walk, Dorking RH4 1UT
|
The Cycle Collective opened in Dorking in 2022 and occupy a nice unit in the pedestrianised St Marins Walk. Head there for an early morning espresso or to get your bike fixed. No bikes for hire though! |
Reigate and Redhill bike hire |
|
|
Maison du Vélo bike shop Reigate 31 Lesbourne Road, Reigate, RH2 7JS +44 (0)1737 241 188 |
This two-shop chain (the other store is in the village of Cranleigh), offers Scott and Storck hire bikes. They run shop rides and also Box Hill demo days; not exactly Box Hill cycle hire, but you can try out various road bikes and styles on Box Hill. |
|
C and N Cycles bike shop Redhill 32 Station Rd, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1PD
|
This long-established bike shop is about 15 km east of Dorking and offers a range of Trek and Cannondale road bikes for hire. |
Box Hill bike hire |
|
|
Just Pedal Denbies Wine Estate, London Road, Dorking, +44 (0)1306 885 152 |
Just Pedal is Canyon’s demo centre. Here you can hire road, mountain, gravel and e-bikes from across Canyon’s range of bikes. Denbies is at the base of Box Hill, so perfect for exploring the Surrey Hills! Just Pedal also have a bike servicing and repair centre for all models of bike. |
|
Destination Bike 2 Green Tiles, Box Hill Road, Box Hill KT20 7JE +44 (0)1737 844576 |
This Surrey Hills bike shop is at the top of Box Hill in the heart of the village (it’s about 2.5km on from the National Trust coffee shop). They don’t hire bikes but offer bike servicing, fitting and sale of bikes and accessories. They also serve good coffee and cake. |
|
Pilgrim Cycles The Old Booking Hall, Box Hill & Westhumble Station, Westhumble Street, Westhumble, RH5 6BT +44 (0)1306 886958 |
Located at the foot of Box Hill, in the little hamlet of Westhumble, this quaint shop calls itself Surrey’s cycle touring specialist. It offers sales, servicing, repairs and a cafe. It also has a few hire bikes available though they are hybrids rather than road bikes. |
Other bike shops in the Surrey Hills area |
|
|
Surrey Hills Cycle Works 26-30 Church Street, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 8DW |
No bike hire, but they offer sales, bike fitting and servicing. They also run an active bike club. |
|
Cycleworks 218 London Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU4 7JS +44 (0)1483 302210 |
No bike hire, but they offer sales, bike fitting and maintenance. They also have a branch in Petersfield, Hampshire. |
Tips:
- Given this is not a prime tourist destination, the number of suitable hire bikes is likely to be limited. Book your bike in advance, particularly in summer.
- Remember to bring your own pedals, shoes and helmet. This packing list may help!
- Check which way around your brakes are set before you ride away. The front brakes may be on the right hand (as is usual in the UK) or on the left (as is usual elsewhere in Europe). Also, take a look at our list of things to check before hiring a bike.
Undecided on whether to hire a bike or bring your own? Read this now.
When to go
Whether you’re based near the Surrey Hills or are coming from further afield, bear in mind that a lot of sportives ride through the area. Generally, the roads remain open (the exception is the Prudential Ride London), so you won’t be prevented from riding if your trip coincides with an event. However, if you are looking for quiet roads, you might want to check this list of sportives in the area before visiting.
In terms of weather, it’s possible to ride in the Surrey Hills throughout the year, though it’s not the Mediterranean and you’re likely to encounter rain and, in Winter, possibly snow/ice. To enjoy Autumn and Winter riding, you’ll need to layer up and wear the right kit. In cold spells, during December to March, it’s wise to wait until mid-morning before setting off to make it more likely any icy patches on rural roads have melted.
| January |
Temperatures are in the low teens and rainfall is quite likely. In January and February, there may be snow. |
||
| February | |||
| March | |||
| April | |||
| May | Temperatures rise and rainfall reduces, though you could get rain at any time of year. | ||
| June | |||
| July | |||
| August | |||
| September | |||
| October | Autumn sets in and, while riding through Surrey’s wooded lanes can be beautiful at this time of year, it’s time to wrap up warm again and dig out the waterproof. | ||
| November | |||
| December | |||
Tips
Books
100 Greatest Cycling Climbs, A road cyclist’s guide to Britain’s hills by Simon Warren: this best-selling book includes Box Hill, Leith Hill and White Downs, all in the Surrey Hills very close to Dorking. The pocket-sized book gives a one page summary of each climb together with a photo, rating, start and finish map and basic fact file. You can find our full review of the book, here.
Alternatively, consider Warren’s Cycling Climbs of South-East England, a road cyclist’s guide, especially if you’re planning to spend any length of time cycling in Surrey and the south-east. This regional guide is in the same format as the all-Britain version. The content overlaps with the original, but this regional guide includes more options – for example, Box Hill, Leith Hill and White Downs are all found in both the original book and in this book, but this book also contains Barhatch Road and Coldharbour Lane.
Cycle maps
Ordnance Survey Explorer 146 Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate Map is the best map to buy if you like to have a physical map for route planning. It is at 1:25,000 scale and also comes with a digital version – best of both worlds!
Alternatively, if you want a map that covers a greater area, try Ordnance Survey Landranger 187 Dorking, Reigate & Crawley Map at 1:50,000 scale. It also comes with a digital version.
Good to know
De Vere Wotton House have produced this rather good little guide of things to do in Dorking (and surrounds). It’s a useful starting point for anyone visiting with a cyclist/a cyclist trying to work out what to do when you’re not cycling.
Enjoyed our guide?
We’d love to hear from you – comment below or drop us a line.
Want more? Don’t miss our guides to the best Surrey Hills cycling routes, below.
We’ve also got cycling destination guides to a number of other regions of the United Kingdom (including the South Downs National Park, Yorkshire and Isle of Wight) and you might like our pick of the best cycling destinations in the UK.
Alternatively, if you want to go further afield, check out our favourite places to cycle in Europe and the rest of the world: you’ll find them all listed on our destinations page.
Please support Epic Road Rides
A huge amount of time and effort goes into the article you’ve just read, all with the aim of helping you!
If you found what you’ve read useful, I’d really appreciate it if you dropped something in the tip jar here.
It’s a way you can say thank you and help us carry on creating top quality content with no annoying ads and no pay wall.
Looking for an organised cycling trip?
If you want someone to help you plan and book your cycling holiday, fill out this form. We aren’t a tour operator/agent but we work with lots of people who are and will do our best to put you in touch with someone that can help (within 24 hours wherever possible)!
Clare Dewey is a cyclist with a passion for travel. She set up epicroadrides.com in 2018 to help make it easy for cyclists to explore the world by bike. Today her mission is still inspiring cyclists to discover new places on two wheels – and doing what she can to make sure they have the best possible time while they’re there. Clare has visited 50+ destinations around the world, many of them by bike.
The contents of this website are provided for general information purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on it. You should carry out your own due diligence and take professional advice. We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content on our website is accurate, complete or up to date. If you use any information or content on this website, download from, or otherwise obtain content or services through our website, it is entirely at your own discretion and risk. Epic Road Rides Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the information and content on this website. Find out more here.