Farnham Estate Agents
37 Downing Street
Farnham
GU9 7PH
With the mixture between history, in the hill forts from the Bronze Age and the churches from the Anglo- Saxon era, and the rapid modernisation and development: surrey has the highest GDP per capita in the UK and forms a perfect place to live for both workers, and their families.
Guildford Estate Agents & Professional Services
215-217 High Street
Guildford
GU1 3BJ
Haslemere Estate Agents
6 Charter Walk
Haslemere
GU27 2AD
Odiham Estate Agents
82 High Street
Odiham
RG29 1LP
Windlesham
14 Updown Hill
Windlesham
GU20 6AG
With a population of around a million, you can find activity and excitement whenever you want. Whether it is the Heritage open days where churches from the Anglo- Saxon times to modern day factories open their doors to visitors, or the Woking summer party, you always have something to do. If you prefer the quiet or nature, there are parks scattered around Surrey.
With the highest GDP per capita in the UK, Surrey offers a wide variety of good schools, and services such as hospitals and gyms are never far away. London is also only an hour away via the A3. Combine this with the range of houses available, and one can quickly see that the quality of life in Surrey is excellent.
The architecture in Surrey is extremely diverse, ranging from white cottages to red bricked houses. There is a property for everyone. Strutt & Parker has offices in Farnham, Haslemere and Guildford which sell some of the best properties in Surrey. They each have specialised teams eager to help anyone looking for a property.
Things to do in Surrey
Open spaces and activities
Surrey is well-known throughout the country as a beautiful destination with an abundance of open space filled with activities and walks all year round. As the most wooded county in Britain, visitors can stroll by the river, visit the Surrey Hills or traverse along the 153 miles of North Downs Way.
Activities are plentiful, with something to get everyone out and about. From clay-pigeon shooting and golfing through to Go Ape and a number of Racecourses, the area is strongly associated with a number of action and adventure companies.
Food, drink and shopping
From cosy pubs and carveries through to fine dining, Surrey has plenty on the menu for fans of food and drink. There are a great deal of pubs located in beautiful settings across the county with comforting homemade food and pub grub. If cafes are your thing, you won’t have to look far to get your afternoon tea with town centres and riverside establishment offering the very best.
Shopping in Surrey is also an experience in itself with everything from farmer's markets and independent boutique shops through to high street chains and shopping centres. Head on over to Guildford with its 240 retailers or check out one of the street markets that can be found in Kingston town centre or Dorking.
Events
There’s always something happening in Surrey, so whether you’re looking for music, sport or action you’re never too far from something to do. For fans of local craft, food and entertainment, the annual Surrey County Show brings rural charm into a great family event on a bank holiday Monday. If you prefer a little more adrenaline, racing rans can witness The Investec Derby for the greatest flat race in the country that brings the nation together for a day of action. Then there’s the Prudential RideLondon which is an annual cycling festival that follows a stunning 100-mile route of closed roads to celebrate British sport and legacy.
If you’d rather kick back with some entertainment instead, one of the most exciting events in Surrey is the annual music festival in Guildford and a selection of fantastic firework displays throughout October and November.
Why we love Surrey
Quality of life
One thing which everyone looks for in a location is the quality of life enjoyed, and Surrey is up there with the best of them. A number of towns and boroughs are often mentioned as being among the most desirable places to live, in terms of local facilities and their proximity to the capital without actually being in it. Other factors which are taken into consideration when it comes to quality of living include life expectancy, crime rates, education and weather – all of which Surrey performs well on as a collective.
Proximity and green space
What makes Surrey so desirable is the sheer amount of green space available for anything from weekend walks through to festivals and other special events. Even if you are in central London, a short train ride will transport you to somewhere completely different where you can immerse yourself in small-town charm and enjoy numerous outdoor activities.
Served by Southwest Trains, many areas of Surrey are easily accessible by rail from London Waterloo and road connections are also plentiful, so even if you’re looking for a day trip out of the city, Surrey is well within reach.
Beautiful urban centres
Towns and villages in Surrey are also an attraction for visitors and residents with a whole host of historic towns with beautiful architecture. Take Farnham for instance – as the first major settlement in Surrey it is inhabited by stunning Georgian architecture as well as its own castle! Guildford is also another fine example, found in the centre of Surrey and boasting fantastic shopping surrounded by a wealth of peaceful gardens and an inspiring cathedral.
Nothing feels more British than a good old-fashioned market which Surrey has in abundance through its various towns and villages. Dorking is a well-known historic market town and has a charming market every Friday which sells everything from local produce through to arts and crafts.
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Key villages & towns in Surrey
Farnham
The first major settlement in Surrey is Farnham. This is 35km from London, and on the Hampshire border. With historic Georgian architecture and Farnham Castle, which is still open to the public and used for weddings and functions, Farnham is a magnet to lovers of history. It has also been closely linked with creative arts, for example clay from the area is used all around the country in pottery and brickmaking. The settlement is located on the River Wey and borders an area of natural beauty. This makes Farnham perfect for people looking to spend time in touch with nature. Living in Farnham is also very convenient due to its excellent connections to London and Guildford. Theatres and entertainment venues are also readily available, and all of this leads to a lively and bustling town with an attractive town centre which is very pleasant to live in.
Guildford
Another major settlement in Surrey is Guildford. Guildford is 27 miles from London, and only a 30 minute train journey making it the ideal place to live for anyone working in London. Like Farnham, Guildford offers historical value to Surrey, with an enormous and stunning cathedral, as well as a tower. It is also well known for its luxury shops, and is the main retail centre for Surrey. Guildford also offers a leisure centre providing lots of activities ranging from swimming to ten pin bowling to ice skating for the whole family. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Guildford is home to some outstanding schools like George Abbot School, Christ’s College, and St Peter’s Catholic School.
Haslemere
Haslemere is a town in the South of Surrey, which borders West Sussex. The A3 is easily accessible to the West and the River Wey is to the South. There is also a station allowing easy commuting. The high street in Haslemere offers lots of shops and amnesties such as pubs and supermarkets. Surrounded by hills and rolling countryside, Haslemere is another excellent place for nature lovers, as well as cyclists and joggers; and the numerous parks in the town add to this. There are also historic houses in the area as well as a farmers market every month where fresh produce is sold. This makes Haslemere another enjoyable and easy to live place.
Godalming
Home to 17th century Tudor buildings Godalming is another important part of Surrey. There are good transport links via roads, rails and airports: Gatwick and Heathrow are only 30km away, as is London making Godalming home to the commuter belt. With the numerous pubs, sport clubs, independent schools; as well as the famous independent school in Charterhouse and good state schools; Godalming has often been voted as one of the best places to live in England.
Rowledge
Rowledge is on the border with Hampshire and is a small village created during the Norman Conquest. Offering lots of amenities such as pubs and a few shops, Rowledge is an ideal place to visit.
Churt
Churt is a parish town dating back to Saxton times. Home to the famous Sculpture park, and close to Farnham, it is also an attractive place for a family to spend a few days.
Schools in the area
Catering for all ages, parents have plenty of choice from a range of esteemed private and state schools in Surrey.
Surrey is home to lots of excellent schools for all ages. Primary schools include South Farnham junior school, Guildford Grove primary school, Shottermill primary school in Haslemere, and Godalming junior school.
There are also lots of good secondary schools. In Haslemere, Woolmer Hill School is a state secondary school, and there is also a boarding school option in the Royal School. Guildford is also home to lots of good secondary schools, such as Guildford secondary school and Christ’s College. Weydon secondary school is an excellent school in Farnham, and lastly, Godalming is home to a range of schools such as Aldro school and Barrow Hills school.
For a more comprehensive list of schools in the area we recommend the Good Schools Guide.
Transport links
By train
Haslemere railway station is operated and served by South West trains. Trains go between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour. Trains to London Waterloo take only 50 minutes making the commute into London fast and convenient. Haslemere also has access to buses going to Aldershot, Guildford, Hindhead, Linchmere and Midhurst. It is also well connected by road via the A286 and the A287.
Guildford is also very well connected. Trains to London are frequent and take only 30 minutes.
By train
Guildford is also close to the A3 making travel by road very easy. There are also frequent buses from Guildford into London, Godalming, Farnham and Haslemere.
From national parks and beautiful walks through to theme parks and shopping, there is no shortage of things to do in Surrey.