Exploring Albury and Shere Walk

Enjoy this stunning 2 hour walk to one of Surrey’s most famous villages, Shere.  Include morning coffee, a pub lunch or afternoon tea at one of four catering establishments in the village, before heading back past a fascinating Victorian Gothic Church, an ancient Saxon Church often used in films like ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ and ‘Hornblower’, before taking the steep climb back up to Albury Heath where the walk started.  This walk is funded by the UK government through the by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.  ​

Start: Albury Heath car park.
Postcode for Sat Nav: GU5 9DB

Parking: Free car park

Public Toilets: In the old Fire Station building in Shere and at Albury Heath café at weekends.

Grid ref:  TQ055 469
What3words: ///bake.neon.vibes

Length of walk:   4.5 miles (7.2 kms)   Allow 2 hours

Click here for PDF of the route.

1. From the car park at Albury Heath Sports Field, head back towards the entrance and take the public Bridleway to your right, through some woodland.  Cross the road onto the path opposite which bears slightly to the right. When the path splits, keep on the main wide path heading towards a metal gate.  W3W ///nobody.wells.scarcely.
2. Go through the metal gate and turn left on the wide track for about 100 metres to a T junction with a road.
3. Turn right past the wooden bus shelter and follow the narrow path by the side of the road- Park Road.
4. After about 230 metres W3W:///ballots.regard.resort  cross over the road and follow the middle footpath through a kissing gate which will take you into a wide open field with ancient oaks and chestnut trees in it. Continue down the hill, but enjoy the view while you are there, over the North Downs ahead.
5. At the bottom of the hill pass through another kissing gate, turning left onto another path running down to the Tillingbourne River. Just before you reach the river, go through the wooden Kissing gate on your right and, with the river on your left, continue across this meadow following the path. Pass through another kissing gate and onto a wide track. At the end of this track there is another kissing gate which takes you out onto a tarmac road. You are now in the village of Shere. Continue ahead, past attractive historic cottages on your right and pretty allotments and the river on your left. Continue on until you reach a junction in the middle of the village. Stop here for refreshments at Hilly’s Tea shop, or The Dabbling Duck Café. Alternatively, grab some lunch at The White Horse or The Bray Pub. For a more casual option, grab an ice cream from Shere Delights and sit by the river to enjoy. 
6. To continue your walk from the junction, turn left into Middle Street, past the old fire station that has now been converted into public toilets. Pass the Dabbling Duck café, The Old Forge and the Village shop before you come to another T – junction with Upper Street.
7.  Turn right here if you wish to detour to visit the Shere Museum or Village Hall, which often hosts antique fairs at weekends, but to continue on your walk, turn left and continue up the rise with historic cottages on either side of the road. Keep to the left-hand pavement until the road bends to the right, where there is a junction with Rectory Lane. 
8. Turn left into this lane and continue down the slope until you reach ‘Workshop Cottage’ and a footpath post indicating a narrow path to the right.
9. Turn right onto this narrow path that runs alongside a tall brick wall on your left. The path crosses a small access track. Continue on over the road and up the slope on the other side to another kissing gate at the entrance to a wide, open field. Continue ahead keeping to the left of the field following the fence line. Go through a kissing gate and continue ahead up the slope, through woodland. Go through another kissing gate into another field with an attractive Victorian, Gothic Church (sadly not open to the public) ahead of you to the left and the stunning North Downs on your right. You may spot some buildings in the distance below the Downs - this is where Silent Pool Gin and Albury Organic Vineyard are situated. At the end of the field pass through another kissing gate and follow the track down to a road - Sherbourne Road. If you would like to visit Albury Organic Vineyard or Silent Pool Gin, turn right and continue up to the A25 (check their websites for booking details).
10. Turn left on the path adjacent to Sherbourne Road and continue ahead for 400 metres.
11. Turn left into New Road and almost immediately left through the wooden gate into a tarmacked drive with large cattle grid, signposted to the ‘Old Parish Church’. Continue along this road towards Albury Park Mansion (which is now private apartments). When the road forks, take the track to the right. (However, if you would like to visit the ancient Saxon Church take the left track. The church is open every day except Christmas Day to visitors).
12. Just after you take the fork to the right, after about 90 metres, look for a wooden footpath sign on the edge of open woodland to your right. W3W///dreams.shave.likely  Take the grassy path up to a wooden kissing gate, by the wooden footpath sign.  Go through the kissing gate and continue ahead on the steep footpath up the hill. Continue ahead up the steep slope. As you reach the brow of the hill bear to the left on the main track. Ignore any small paths left and right. Continue straight ahead until you reach a metal gate. Pass through the gate and continue on to the road - Park Road.
13. Cross over the road and re–trace your outward bound route back to Albury Heath Sports Field.

Local Facts:

• Shere has appeared in many movies over the years due to its period features and lack of street lights. These include, ‘Four Weddings & a Funeral’, ‘The Holiday’, ‘The Wedding Date’ and ‘Bridget Jones - Edge of Reason’.
• The area was, in Tudor and Stuart times, one of the wildest in Surrey with smugglers, sheep stealers and poachers finding refuge in these remote Surrey Hills. This picture postcard village is still one of the most popular villages in the Surrey Hills.
• The Shere Estate, which owns much of the village and surrounding land, has been owned by the same family since the time of Henry II and they can trace their ancestors to the time of the Norman Conquest.  The family still play a very active role in the community. Sir Reginald Bray (1842 – 1923) was one of the first land owners in the UK to dedicate some of his land to public access. Along with his neighbour, the Duke of Northumberland, they created an area of over 2000 acres of woodland and heath open to the public for recreation. It is now managed by a charity called ‘Friends of the Hurtwood’.  The family connection to Shere is recognised in one of the village’s pubs – ‘The Bray’ (until recently known as ‘The William Bray’ pub).  William Bray (1736-1832) was another famous Bray. He was the antiquarian best known as co-author of ‘The History and Antiquities of the County of Surrey.’ In his papers was also discovered the earliest reference to playing baseball in 1755 – a sport often claimed to have been invented in the USA. 
• Albury Heath is a sandy common on the hill behind Shere. It is popular with horse riders and walkers due to its sandy paths, which drain well after wet weather. Lowland Heathland is some of the rarest habitat in the world. Only 15% of lowland heath is left in the UK and much of it is in Surrey.  It contains many rare plants and animals including adders, smooth snakes, sand lizards, Dartford Warblers, Nightjars and Woodlarks.
• Albury Heath was also the site where Field Marshall Sir Bernard Montgomery addressed the Canadian troops prior to the D-Day landings. Many Canadian troops were camped in the Surrey Hills during WW2. If you walk across the playing fields from the car park area, in the far left-hand corner you will find a memorial stone to commemorate this event in May 1944.

Footnotes:

Public Transport: No public transport available.

Food and Drink:  Lots on offer here. Albury Heath café is open at weekends and there are two cafes in Shere - The ‘Dabbling Duck’ and Hilly’s Tea shop - both independently owned with lovely homemade food. The White Horse and The Bray pubs offer great pub meals. You can also buy sandwiches for a picnic from the village Southern Coop store, or take away coffee and ice creams from Shere Delights. You are also near Silent Pool Gin Distillery and Albury Organic Vineyard but recommend you book in advance for tours and tastings. 

While you are there:  Visit Shere Museum in Middle Street (opening hours vary), next to the village hall (that often hosts weekend antiques fairs). There is also a fabulous independent gift shop called ‘Split Figs’, an independent dress shop ‘Mad Jak’ and an excellent outdoor clothing and running equipment shop called ‘Trek & Run’.