Cradled in a valley in the heart of the Surrey Hills and halfway between capital and coast lies Dorking.
‘Dorchinges’ appeared in the Domesday Book and evolved from a medieval village into a busy and vibrant town. The market was granted a Royal Charter 700 years ago and the mix of old pubs, almshouses and grand Victorian estates say much about its history.
It was a renowned staging post for coach travellers from 1755 which explains its tally of 46 pubs and VIP roll call of residents and visitors such as Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, Jane Austen, Benjamin Disraeli, Thomas Cubitt, Winston Churchill, Ralph Vaughan Williams, E M Forster and Daniel Defoe.
We offer 1.5 hour tours of Hidden Dorking, Historic Pubs, the restored Deepdene Trail, nearby Betchworth Castle and more, revealing the town’s fascinating history and anecdotes celebrating writers, musicians, actors, a Pilgrim Father, dinosaur fossils and even a unique cockerel. All have contributed to making Dorking special.
What better way to find out more than on a walking tour led by an expert local guide?
Betchworth Castle
This ‘castle’ is the ruin of the only remaining fortified medieval manor house in Surrey and was lived in by powerful noblemen over the years. King Edward I stayed there in 1294 on his way to Chichester. A 360 acre deer park was created around the house and the parkland has a number of magnificent sweet chestnut trees dating back nearly 600 years. You will see where the lime avenue was planted and a formal lake with a watermill to pump the fountain which still survives. It remains a romantic ruin with many stories about its occupants.
Join a Dorking Museum guide for a 90 minute walk around the castle. Well behaved dogs on leads are very welcome on these walks.
Tickets are £4.00.
These walks run from April – October. Please see our booking page for dates and to book your tickets.
The Deepdene Trail
Deepdene Mansion, now no more, was once owned by Dukes of Norfolk then became a fashionable hotel in 1920. Visitors over the years included Benjamin Disraeli, King Edward VII, Sir Winston Churchill and Sir Walter Scott.
The 15 acre grounds have been restored. Paths have been reinstated among the rediscovered enchanting Italianate gardens and woodland, revealing stunning views and features such as a grotto, tower and terrace created by Thomas Hope in the 19th century. Highlight of the Trail is the Hope family mausoleum buried in 1960 and now restored to its former glory.
We offer guided walks around the Deepdene Trail during the year. Tickets are £5.00 (under 12’s free) and can be booked below. Well behaved dogs on leads are very welcome on these walks. Hot drinks and snacks are available from Dorking Golf Club at the end of the walk. Please note – no physical tickets will be issued, please meet your guide at Dorking Golf Club 10 minutes before the start of your tour which will begin promptly. Please wear sensible footwear. The walk is not weather dependent, so do wear appropriate clothes. The walk takes around 90 minutes, and is led at a comfortable pace, to accommodate all abilities. We recommend allowing extra time just in case the tour takes longer.
Tickets are £5.00.
These walks run from April – October. Please see our booking page for dates and to book your tickets.
Hidden Dorking
Some features will be hidden round corners or above you, others will be hidden ‘in plain sight’.
You may know what makes the Dorking Cockerel unique but do you know what marks the centre of medieval Dorking? Which open space is linked to elephants and cricket? That there is a sheep meadow in the heart of town? Where is the last surviving house of a Pilgrim Father? We guarantee to show you something you haven’t seen before even if you have lived here for years.
The walk will leave from Dorking Museum and will last 90 minutes. Tickets priced at £4.00.
These walks run from April – October. Please see our booking page for dates and to book your tickets.
Family History Walk
Become history detectives! How can you tell that parts of Dorking are old? Why not try a family tour of Dorking? Discover Dorking’s past as the children look for clues to find features that match the photos on the quiz sheet. Collect a prize at the end of the walk
The tour can last an hour up to 90 minutes, however, please feel free to leave when your children are tired. Children must be accompanied. Tickets cost £4.00 per family. Tours leave from the Museum.
These walks run from April – October. Please see our booking page for dates and to book your tickets.
Historic Pubs
Picture the coaching days of the 18th century when there were 46 licensed premises available for those who broke their journey between London and the south coast. The walk includes former and current pub sites and one of the pubs you’ll see is in the oldest building in Dorking.
The town’s hotels and inns provided a variety of additional services to the community including theatre, cockfighting, sports, games such as shove ha’penny and bar skittles, offices and traders. Hear about the residents behaved – and misbehaved!
The tour will leave Dorking Museum and lasts an hour and a half. Tickets cost £4.00, and can be booked by clicking on the link below.
These walks run from April – October. Please see our booking page for dates and to book your tickets.
Blue Plaques and Statues
Join us to view the blue plaques and statues linked with some of the renowned people who lived in or visited Dorking.
Composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, master builder Thomas Cubitt, actor Laurence Olivier, Pilgrim Father William Mullins, Methodist preacher John Wesley, engineer Beatrice Shilling and suffragettes Helen Gordon Liddle and Charlotte Marsh. Your guide will bring them all to life.
These walks run from April – October. Please see our booking page for dates and to book your tickets.
All walks in October are part of Mole Valley’s Arts Alive.
Private Group Walks
We also run walks for private groups of a minimum 10 people. Please fill in the Group Walk enquiry form and one of our walks team will contact you.
