LONG, WINDING ROADS
Surrey’s walking routes are legendary and anyone who wants to know more about the history and geology of its landscape should grab a copy of West Surrey Walks into History. This companion guide (other titles in the series include Richmond Park Walks; Windsor Great Park Walks), has been well received by critics and walkers alike, which isn’t surprising considering how much research the author has put into each chapter.
Surrey is an ideal choice of subject as it has a higher proportion of common land than any other English county (apart from Hampshire). Yet despite that it’s not unusual to read/hear disparaging remarks about its countryside. Suburbanisation is heavy in the north while an “intense network” of arterial routes lie further south. Still, the public does have access to 36,000 acres, while the 160 square miles of the Surrey Hills are recognised as an area of outstanding natural beauty.
What makes this book so enjoyable is the breath-taking scale of the author’s knowledge and the historical material he has woven into the narrative. An impressive guide to the Surrey countryside.
Reviewed by Juliette Foster
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