Many of us will almost certainly have over-indulged during the festive season and taken less exercise than usual. However, a good number of us will also be making resolutions to get fit in the New Year. Instead of hitting the gym or joining an exercise class in the village hall, however, why not get out and get active?
The benefits of the great outdoors include reducing blood pressure, keeping our lungs, heart and bones healthy and improving our mental health and wellbeing.

Perhaps we need an extra challenge rather than simply going for another walk. While most of us enjoy a good walk (members of the SHS probably more than most) what about trying out a different type of walking? Nordic walking, with poles, is brilliant exercise, working the upper body and giving a more complete workout. No wonder it is becoming increasingly popular with plenty of local walking groups.

Or perhaps explore a different area close to home. I live just outside of Dorking by Box Hill and most of my dog walks are around local fields, but I recently discovered lovely countryside walks just the other side of Dorking around Westcott. Or why not discover Surrey’s lesser-known villages? Betchworth, Godstone, Shere and Chiddingfold get more than enough visitors, so try exploring villages away from the tourist trail. Perhaps Holmbury St Mary, where EM Forster’s “A Room with a View” is supposedly based, or Outwood, with its grade 1 post mill, picturesque Bramley, or Seale with its hidden gem, the Manor Farm Craft Centre, housed in old farm buildings.

What else apart from walking? The Surrey Hills may be landlocked, but there are many opportunities to get close to water. Willing to give wild swimming a go? Try Divers Cove in Godstone, a former sand extraction site, or Buckland Lake, a 50-acre recreational lake near Reigate. Canoeing and paddleboarding are great fun and help to tone the upper body as well as offering a great opportunity to get close to wildlife.

Cycling is a great family activity and there are plenty of interesting cycle trails that do not involve the Box Hill loop. Check out the Cycling page of the AONB website for ideas. If cycling seems too strenuous e-cycling offers low-impact exercise along with an opportunity to enjoy the countryside at a comfortable pace. It’s possible to hire by the day or as a starting point just by the hour.

Volunteering is another way to stay active and contribute to conserving and protecting our countryside. Opportunities exist with many local organisations especially those concerned with environmental and wilding initiatives.

And for those who prefer to stay home, there is plenty to do in the garden even in January. Gardening benefits our well-being and gives a full body workout particularly when raking, digging or even clearing leaves. Finally for days when the weather really is too inclement to venture out, a spring-clean is not only good for your home but can boost your mood, burn calories and do wonders for your overall health.
Susie Turner

Surrey has been a renowned film location for well over fifty years. One of the earliest blockbusters filmed partly in Surrey was Lawrence of Arabia back in 1962, where Peter O’Toole falling from his motorbike was shot at Chobham Common.

While two of the most often quoted films are Four Weddings and a Funeral and The Holiday, there are a whole raft of TV and film productions that have taken place in Surrey since then and it isn’t hard to understand why. Firstly, its location: Surrey is home to two high-end studios (Shepperton and more recently Longcross) and is close to London as well as Heathrow and Gatwick airports. Secondly, the wonderfully diverse scenery makes the area a perfect stand-in location for many other parts of the country and beyond.

In The Dig, the film about the discovery of Sutton Hoo in Suffolk, Norney Grange in Shackleford, was chosen as Edith Pretty’s home, while Loseley Park near Guildford doubled as Broadlands in Hampshire for recent episodes of The Crown. Netflix’s Bridgerton was filmed partly at Painshill Park and features the 18th century gardens and lake, while Leith Hill Place was transformed to the mother house of the nun’s order in Call the Midwife, even though the series is set in Sussex. Ironically, the famous picnic scene on Box Hill in Jane Austen’s Emma wasn’t filmed there at all, but at nearby Leith Hill.

Certain parts of Surrey are particularly popular and used as locations again and again. They include Frensham Ponds, Waverley Abbey, Painshill Park, Loseley, Bourne Wood (particularly famous for scenes from Harry Potter), the village of Shere and Hankley Common Nature Reserve.

Hankley Common was used for several Bond blockbusters including Skyfall and represented a French battlefield In the epic film 1917. More recently, it is rumoured to be the site for a Netflix production The Sandman. Visitors to Frensham Ponds may also have spotted a Celtic village taking shape for another upcoming Netflix production, The Cursed which also has the romantic remains of Waverley Abbey near Farnham, transformed into a ruined castle. Meanwhile, during last summer, filming of the remake of an Agatha Christie novel, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?, directed by Hugh Laurie and with a star-studded cast, took place at a number of Surrey locations, including Guildford, Mickleham and Shere.

Elsewhere, a scene for a romantic comedy What’s Love Got to Do With It? starring Lily James and Emma Thompson reportedly took place at Ashcombe School in Dorking. Another school enjoying fame earlier in 2021 was Betchworth Primary School which along with Flanchford Farm near Reigate became one of the Surrey based locations for The Larkins.

Finally a mention must be given to West Horsley Place. The 15th century manor house has become the go-to location for a range of television and film productions. One example is the popular Ghosts which was filmed there almost in its entirety – with proceeds from filming contributing to the major restoration programme.

With film production making up for lost time during the pandemic, Netflix significantly increasing activity in the UK, the expansion of both Shepperton and Longcross studios, and the support of the Surrey Film Office, an economic development initiative by Surrey County Council, it seems that the Surrey Hills can only continue as one of England’s prime filming hotspots.

The humble hedgerow is an incredibly important habitat in the British landscape. Consisting of woody managed lines of trees, hedgerows were originally used to mark boundaries and enclose livestock. However, they also provide a multitude of benefits for wildlife, including much-loved species such as the hazel dormouse, hedgehog and barn owl.

Hedgerows containing a mix of native tree species, can provide food sources for nature, such as nuts and berries, throughout the seasons. The flowers of species such as Hawthorn and Blackthorn support a range of invertebrates, which in turn are fed on by bats and birds. However, as well as providing food, hedgerows act as important wildlife corridors, helping wildlife to travel safely across the landscape. This is particularly important for genetic diversity, preventing isolation and inbreeding of small populations, which subsequently become susceptible to disease. Therefore, by allowing wildlife to travel safely across unsuitable areas, hedgerows facilitate dynamic populations of species and increase connectivity between good quality habitats in the landscape.

Alongside the benefits to wildlife, Hedgerows also provide a range of ecosystem services which can be defined as the benefits we gain from ecosystems. Hedgerows can provide regulating ecosystem services, for example by helping to support pollinators of important crops, mitigating flooding and filtering out harmful air pollutants to name but a few. They are also important sequesters of carbon and may be more effective and beneficial than trees, in certain landscape types. We can also gain a wide array of cultural benefits from hedgerows, which act as a symbol of cultural heritage in many farming landscapes.

The coronavirus pandemic has made us all aware of how important nature is for our wellbeing and hedgerows contribute to enjoyment of recreational activities, as well as increasing green features in urban areas.

Since starting my post in early October, I have been working on a range of hedgerow planting projects, including the first tree planting day for the Surrey Hills Champions, a new initiative led by Surrey Hills Enterprises in partnership with Surrey Hills Society. The tree planting day, sponsored by Squires Garden Centres and enterprise M3, took place last Sunday at Clandon Wood Natural Burial Ground and involved the Society helping with planting a 50m stretch of native hedgerow along the perimeter fence. We planted a native mix of six tree species including Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Field Maple, Hazel, Dog Rose and Spindle. This will help to provide a range of food sources for wildlife and will create a nice thick hedge for species to shelter in. It was great to see all our Champions getting involved in the tree planting and there was a wonderful feeling of community spirit as everyone worked in small teams to dig the holes, plant the trees and add the rabbit protection.

In a relatively short period of time, we managed to get all 300 trees planted so thank you to everyone who came along!
We have a few more hedgerow planting projects in the pipeline, including the extension of the hedge at Clandon Wood by a further 250m.

If you would like to be involved in further planting projects, please do get in touch. Our hedgerow projects are helping to increase connectivity across the Surrey Hills which will have great benefits for nature and our beloved landscape. You can find out more about becoming a Surrey Hills Champion here.

Christa Emmett
Surrey Hills Project and Volunteer Coordinator

At the Guildford Book Festival in 2020 Oz Clarke spoke about his latest book, “English Wine – From Still to Sparkling – The Newest New World Wine Country”.

An extraordinary transformation has been quietly taking place during the last 20 years.  Although wine has been made in England for over 2000 years – the Romans planted vineyards as far north as Lincolnshire – it would have been hard to find anyone that took English wine seriously during most of that period. Since the turn of the century there has been an ever-increasing interest in the potential for vineyards in England and in 2019 we produced 10.5 million bottles of wine – 72% of which was sparkling.

The harbinger of change occurred in 1998 when Nyetimber’s 1993 Classic Cuvée sparkling wine was awarded the Trophy for the Best Sparkling Wine in the World, shaking the wine establishment to its core.  Since then, a recognition that the chalk geology of the North and South Downs is nearly identical to that in Champagne and the certainty of increasing temperatures because of climate change have led to more and more plantings.  Even some of the great French Champagne Houses such as Taittinger and Vranken-Pommery have begun planting the traditional champagne grape varieties in Kent and Hampshire.

The Surrey Hills is now a recognised wine growing region.  The Vineyards of the Surrey Hills collaborate to market their award-winning wines, although each has its own unique way of promoting a wine experience.

Denbies, owned and run by the White family, is the largest single estate vineyard in the country and produces several internationally award-winning wines.   Dine at the Vineyard or Gallery Restaurants, experience an indoor wine tasting and winery tour or take an outdoor vineyard tour on a train and enjoy the panoramic views of the vineyard and the North Downs.

It was their still Silent Pool Rosé that first put Albury Organic Vineyard on the map when it was served on the Royal Barge to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. The brainchild of former IT specialist, Nick Wenman, Albury rigorously apply biodynamic principles to the production of their excellent gold award winning sparkling wines. Again, there are a wide variety of experiences to enjoy: Sparkling Afternoon Tea (with the team from the Dabbling Duck), Biryani and Bubbles (with nearby Mandira’s Kitchen), Bee Keeping Demonstration with Sergio, the Albury Bee Keeper, and Music in the Vineyard to mention just a few.

At High Clandon Bruce and Sybilla Tindale are twice winners of the prestigious IWC Cellar Door of the Year in 2017 and 2018.  They call their sparkling wine Quintessence of England.  And that is certainly the sense you get if you visit the Glass Barn – their new visitor centre where they host sparkling wine tastings alongside Sculpture and Art exhibitions.  Their wildflower meadow enjoys glorious views over the AONB towards London with the boutique vineyard nestling below.

Mike and Hilary Wagstaff took over Greyfriars Vineyard In 2010.  With over 50 acres now planted near their base on the Hogs Back they have dug a cellar out of the chalk that will house 250,000 bottles.  They specialise in making top quality sparkling wines using the traditional method but with the most modern grape growing and winemaking technology.

Mia and Graham Wrigley run the family-owned business at Chilworth Manor that produces excellent Rosé made from 51% Pinot Meunier and 49% Pinot Noir.  Chilworth Manor is a house and estate rooted in an extraordinary 1000 year history that reaches as far back as the Domesday Book – its story told through the lives of Saxons, Normans, monks, and gunpowder manufacturers.  Their 2020 production is already sold out!

There are other wineries in or near the Surrey Hills AONB such as Godstone and Iron Railway and all the signs are that future growth of wineries in the Surrey Hills will be substantial. There are now 222 vineyards in the South East representing 61.5% of the total hectarage in the UK. 26% of winegrowers in England have indicated an intention to plant more vines in the next three years (see Wine GB 2020 Industry Report).

Interestingly, it is not only the wineries that are growing.  There are many breweries and distilleries beginning to flourish in the Surrey Hills.  Keep an eye out for future eNewsletters when we hope to review the exciting things that are happening in this area.

Gordon Jackson

Ben Carter has been one of the Society’s younger volunteers for a number of years (he can be seen modelling our SHS fleeces in a photo on our Shop web page).  In this article he explains how recent events have led to his interest in butterflies and introduces some of the conservation initiatives being undertaken in and around the Surrey Hills.

Connecting with nature has been very important for me during the lockdown. During breaks from the computer, following a day of working from home last summer, I would often walk to local parks, countryside and common land near to where I live in Haslemere. Making an effort to feel mindful and connect to the natural space I was in when exploring new areas on my doorstep, I began to notice the different butterflies that were fluttering around. I made records and researched what I had seen. These activities really began to develop my interest in butterflies as well as help to get through long periods of lockdown.

I soon discovered that we are extremely lucky to have 42 different species of butterflies resident in Surrey.  Our diverse landscapes and habitats within the county really encourage a wide range of species. These vary from common garden butterflies, such as the Red Admiral and Large White, to delicate and vibrant Blues that inhabit our chalk grassland. Surrey is also the only remaining refuge in the south-east of the elusive Wood White butterfly, which is one of the rarest in the country.

However, it is clear that despite this biodiversity, butterflies face large challenges in our changing world. According to the charity Butterfly Conservation, ‘76% of the UK’s resident and regular migrant butterflies declined in abundance, occurrence or both over the last four decades.’ Luckily, charities such as this are working hard to stabilise these alarming trends by developing habitat restoration projects. There are various exciting projects that exist locally, which require volunteers, and the Surrey branch of the charity has its own excellent website.

One way for everybody to get involved in conserving butterflies is to take part in the annual ‘Big Butterfly Count’ in July. According to Butterfly Conservation ‘The Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment simply by counting the amount and type of butterflies we see.’ The exciting thing about the count is that anyone can take part, anywhere they like. You could count butterflies from your garden or out in the countryside on a walk. When the next count takes place this summer, I urge everyone to get involved and record what they see. It is an enjoyable experience and provides crucial scientific data.

I don’t profess to be a butterfly expert, but taking part in the Big Butterfly Count last year has really inspired me to join Butterfly Conservation so I can learn more about these amazing, beautiful and important insects. With lockdown easing and being allowed to travel further afield, I am looking forward to discovering more species on my walks. There are still so many butterflies for me to discover within the amazingly varied landscapes of the Surrey Hills.

This June, you will be able to explore, experience and enjoy the artwork of artists from across Surrey as they welcome the public into their studios for the annual Surrey Artists Open Studios (SAOS) event. SAOS has been running for 21 years and this year there will be 286 artists taking part in 162 studios.

As well as a chance to meet and talk to artists in their place of work, the summer open studios event offers visitors the opportunity to view demonstrations, buy artwork, enter a free prize draw and even get involved in creative workshops. You should be able to pick up a brochure from your local library or gallery.

The launch weekend takes place on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 June, with artists offering an array of activities exclusively for first weekend visitors. There will be the opportunity to take part in taster workshops with different materials across the arts and crafts as well as sampling refreshments especially put on for the weekend.

Throughout the event there will be artists’ trails that you can do on foot and some to enjoy outdoors such as the Birtley Woodland Art Space where wood sculptor Ruth Wheeler has created a community arts, craft and wellbeing space bringing together a diverse range of talented artists.

This year, artists will be opening in a Covid-safe way, offering a range of measures to keep both themselves and members of the public safe when visiting studios across the county. With this in mind, some visitor numbers to studios may be limited.  Check out the SAOS website for the latest updates.

Another outing for you to enjoy is a visit to RSPB Farnham Heath. Heathland Artworks returns for a summer-long experience combining a beautiful walk with an innovative arts trail. Students in ‘Craft, Fine Art and Textiles’ from the University for the Creative Arts have been exploring the wildlife, geology and history of the heath to develop these artworks and make them in their workshops.

This year their exciting artworks include textile hangings, ceramic egg forms and navigation markers. Fine Art MA student Noelle Genevier creates stunning collages and she will be developing her work by finding a way to waterproof these. They will wrap around the trees in an incredible display of images, textures and colours. This is just one of twelve artworks you can see. A downloadable map will be available throughout the event.

If time permits, why not take a detour to the viewpoint on the heath where you can find the Surrey Hills Arts commissioned ‘The House of Invisible Hands’ created by sculptor Walter Bailey.

Heathland Artworks will be open for visitors at Farnham Heath from June 24 – 31 October, free of charge. Parking is available at the Rural Life Living Museum, Tilford, during opening hours.

Ali Clarke

Patrick Mannix is a local resident and has been a practicing owner/operator of Sandhurst Copse & Sheepwalk woodland in the Surrey Hills AONB for the last 20 years. He has lectured and hosted visits by the Surrey Hills Society and many members take advantage of his “managed access” system, giving permission to walk in the woodland. Interacting with nature every day, observing and learning, he has been curious about nature and natural processes since his grandfather taught him the names of trees in the 1940s.  Now, as a grandfather himself, his concerns are about the world our grandchildren will grow up in and how we can learn to respect our natural environment before it is too late.

The growing awareness of the need to plant trees and respect other aspects of nature is very welcome; but with a little caution. Nature is such a complex web of interaction between the smallest invisible organisms comprising the microbiome of the soil, and the larger ones that we can see, that almost any action, however well intended, will have an adverse reaction somewhere. Only nature left to itself over a long time can create biodiversity, we do not have a sufficient grasp of the underpinnings. We seem only able to damage it.

To help nature, we should start by understanding what we already have, supporting and promoting that which does well. If we wish to try new species in the expectation that they may benefit from or be better able to withstand climate change, then plant a few as a test, indeed plant a few of different types. When I was managing herbaceous borders that we inherited with our house in Shamley Green, I would always buy several of a new plant, or of several different plants and then only buy more of the ones that were happy in that location and succeeded. In Sandhurst Copse & Sheepwalk woodland for 20 years I have only planted seed or seedlings from trees already in the wood, on the basis that if the mother tree is happy then it increases the chance that the seedlings will be happy, in that location. I am now experimenting with some additional species, eg wild service trees; but again, plant a few and only replicate those that show success. If you want to try wildflower seeds, then do so on an isolated test site, and monitor what happens to the already established species and only try one new species at a time. Only promote those that do well but do not overwhelm the existing inhabitants.

Be cautious regarding tree planting schemes. If you want to plant a tree, then decide what type of tree for what purpose. It should then be planted in a suitable location for that purpose. Trees do need some management in particular to prevent damage from rodents, rabbits, deer and squirrels, is that going to be provided? Also, whilst planting a tree is touted as a contribution to addressing climate change, it should not be an excuse for failing to take other action. Our most significant contribution to addressing climate change is by adjusting our lifestyle regarding long haul flights, motor vehicles, consumption of beef and dairy products, unnecessary purchases and cutting out any excess. Do not plant a tree until you have, at least, decided on your own personal actions.

Many of us are giving much more thought to our health and wellbeing since the pandemic and have developed a greater interest in the provenance and traceability of our food.  We have also become much more aware of our local community and shown an increasing desire to buy local. We are lucky in Surrey to have an array of wonderful products that are grown and produced locally. What better way can there be to support our local producers than buying food from one of Surrey’s farmers’ markets?

They range from the relatively large monthly markets of Guildford, Farnham and Ripley through to far smaller ones such as the weekly Food Float in Dorking.  Those in-between include Cobham, Horsley, Ockley, Reigate and the South West Surrey Farmers’ Market Co-operative – a not-for-profit organisation that sells locally grown or sourced products through markets in Godalming, Haslemere and Milford.

Many of these markets have become a social hub for the local community – such as the monthly farmers’ market in Ripley. Visiting on a wet and windy morning in May, families were out and about despite the rain, stopping to chat and trying or buying from a diverse range of products. There were well over thirty stall holders set out over the Green. Meat, poultry, honey, cheese, breads, biscuits, handmade chocolates, vegetables and plants were all for sale, along with the more unusual items such as microgreens and naturally fermented vegetables. Stalls with wine, beer and even rum were offering tastings along with the very much on-trend probiotic drinks. Joining the queue to buy locally grown asparagus, baby carrots and spinach was well worth the wait. As I left, another queue was building for the fresh fish mobile market where naturally the fish came from a greater distance.

Guildford’s farmers’ market takes place on the High Street on the first Tuesday of every month. It has been thriving since 2000 and has a wide range of local vendors from Guildford and further afield. The layout along the cobbled street is perhaps less family friendly, but the focus of this market is for customers to buy things and perhaps grab a bargain.

A large corn and cattle market was once a feature of Dorking High Street while a poultry market was regularly held in South Street where the famous ‘Dorking Chickens’ were sold. These have been more recently succeeded by a monthly artisan market and a weekly small general market. The Friday I visited there were some half dozen traders, selling plants, fresh fish, household goods, fruit and vegetables. Sadly, local produce seemed thin on the ground.

However, Dorking still offers access to local farmers and other suppliers through the weekly Food Float; a not-for-profit company staffed by volunteers. It has been operating since 2010 and offers a wide range of locally sourced produce all crammed onto an old-fashioned stand rather like a milk float.  There was an incredible range of dairy, meat, conserves, bread and vegetables along with some more unusual items such as locally ground speciality coffee and dried fruit crisps. It really is all about local produce, with just a few items coming from across county borders. I caught up with Maddie who runs the operation asking her how lockdown had affected their trade. She explained they managed to do extremely well, switching much of their operation to home deliveries as well as donating produce to local families.

With sustainable living and a growing interest in our local communities firmly on the agenda, farmers’ markets are hopefully very much here to stay.

Susie Turner