We decided on England after Iceland for a number of reasons. We'd planned on a trip to southern England back in 2002, with plans on hiking and exploring among Shakespearean haunts. But back then, an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease closed paths in the south of the country, so we went to Scotland instead (loved it, by the way, no regrets). So we were curious to see the south of England. Also, as it turned out our daughter Rhiannon would be flying into London (after her own adventures in Croatia), so we wanted to be somewhat close to the City (but not too close) so we could see her. We were drawn to Surrey because of its proximity to London, and its designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty -- which has proved to be very true.
Surrey is rife with paths, crisscrossing through pastoral settings, lovely villages, along babbling brooks, and past and through meadows and pastures filled with cows and sheep. Our apartment there was in a valley -- Mole Valley it's called -- surrounded by downs. Downs, we learned, are special kinds of hills whose primary composition is chalk. So our footpaths will take us up past large open deposits of chalk, to offer us stunning views into the valley below, and then drop down into forests of truly ancient, awe-inspiring trees rising up over lovely houses. Pheasants and grouse chase through the undergrowth and rise thunderously into the air as we approach, while magpies and crows carouse in the fields, looking for seeds.
It's a serene, enchanting place. One of the things we love most is that we can explore to our hearts' content, and most of our explorations have been on our own two legs. We can walk out our door, down the lawn, and walk through a gate onto a path that will take us to wonderful new places. We've found several excellent pubs and restaurants within walking distance, wonderful villages a stone's throw away, beautiful ancient woods just asking to be explored, all right off the beaten path. We've been on the train three times, now, twice to London and once to Brighton. Otherwise, all of our sojourns have been, as they say here, shank's mare. It's a wonderful area!
Surrey is rife with paths, crisscrossing through pastoral settings, lovely villages, along babbling brooks, and past and through meadows and pastures filled with cows and sheep. Our apartment there was in a valley -- Mole Valley it's called -- surrounded by downs. Downs, we learned, are special kinds of hills whose primary composition is chalk. So our footpaths will take us up past large open deposits of chalk, to offer us stunning views into the valley below, and then drop down into forests of truly ancient, awe-inspiring trees rising up over lovely houses. Pheasants and grouse chase through the undergrowth and rise thunderously into the air as we approach, while magpies and crows carouse in the fields, looking for seeds.
It's a serene, enchanting place. One of the things we love most is that we can explore to our hearts' content, and most of our explorations have been on our own two legs. We can walk out our door, down the lawn, and walk through a gate onto a path that will take us to wonderful new places. We've found several excellent pubs and restaurants within walking distance, wonderful villages a stone's throw away, beautiful ancient woods just asking to be explored, all right off the beaten path. We've been on the train three times, now, twice to London and once to Brighton. Otherwise, all of our sojourns have been, as they say here, shank's mare. It's a wonderful area!
|
Top Photos --
For a quick overview: |
|
Gallery - For the whole story
