Dorking - historic market town in Surrey, England

Dorking is a town in Surrey.

Understand

Dorking is a small market town in central Surrey, surrounded by the Surrey Hills.

Get in

Dorking is at the junction of the A24 (London to Worthing) and the A25 (Maidstone to Guildford) roads.

Dorking has three railway stations: Dorking (Main), Dorking Deepdene and Dorking West. Dorking (Main) is served by South Western Railway services to London Waterloo and Southern Railway to London Victoria. Dorking Deepdene and Dorking West are served by Great Western Railway services between Gatwick Airport and Reading, however, fewer trains serve Dorking West.

Nearby Westhumble has its own station, Box Hill and Westhumble, which as you might guess is convenient for getting to Box Hill.

Get around

See

• Dorking Museum & Heritage Centre, 62 West Street, 51.231724°, -0.333996°, +44 1306 876591, admin@dorkingmuseum.org.uk. Th-Sa 10AM–4PM. Dorking Museum & Heritage Centre provides a 21st-century interactive and multi-sensory experience. There are things to touch, to listen to and smell, things to puzzle over and costumes to try on. Adult £2.00, seniors & under 18’s £1.00, under 5’s free, family ticket £4.50
• Denbies Wine Estate (Denbies Vineyard), London Road, RH5 6AA, 51.2477°, -0.3316°, +44 1306 876616. Vineyard and winery. Tours available and they have rooms. 2021-06-25

Do

• Leith Hill, near Coldharbour village, 51.176500°, -0.371472°, +44 1306 712711, leithhill@nationaltrust.org.uk. Leith Hill is the highest point in Southeast England and is set within the Surrey Hills. Its gothic tower rises above the surrounding hills and from the top you can see views towards London in the north and the English Channel in the south. access to the countryside on the estate is free for all
• Box Hill, 51.255°, -0.308611°, +44 1306 885502, boxhill@nationaltrust.org.uk. Forming part of the North Downs, Box Hill has views across Dorking and the surrounding countryside. It's home to wildlife and plants too, including the Adonis blue butterfly and bee orchid. The hill is a popular place for a picnic or a walk, and the trails are dotted with a handful of historic ruins and monuments. Free
• Football: Dorking Wanderers were promoted in 2022 and now play soccer in the National League, the fifth tier. They're the successors to Dorking FC, which went bust in 2017. Their home ground is Meadowbank, capacity 3000, north side of town; by train get off at Dorking West.

Buy

Eat

• Sorrel, 77 South Street, RH4 2JU, 51.2287°, -0.3345°, +44 1306 889414, info@sorrelrestaurant.co.uk. Michelin-starred restaurant. 2022-07-05

Drink

The Cricketers Inn, 81 South St, RH4 2JU, 51.22855°, -0.33449°, +44 1306 889 938. Runs quirky events: annual Scalextric championship, an onion-growing competition. 2021-03-13

Kings Arms, 45 West St, RH4 1BU, 51.23185°, -0.33551°, +44 1306 886 496. Dating from 14th century. 2021-03-13

The Queen's Head, Horsham Rd, RH4 2JS, 51.22725°, -0.33497°, +44 1306 883 041. Former coaching inn for 1780's. 2021-03-13

Out of Dorking

The Plough Inn, Abinger Rd, Coldharbour, RH5 6HD, 51.18423°, -0.35402°, +44 1306 711 793. On the village green with it Leith Hill Microbrewery. 2021-10-15

Sleep

White Horse Hotel, High Street, 51.232849°, -0.329894°, +44 20 7660-0685.

Wotton House, Guilford Road, 51.216885°, -0.389400°, +44 1306 730000, reservations.wotton@principal-hayley.com. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. This hotel and event venue has 111 bedrooms, 38 meeting or event suites, a leisure club and restaurant. It's a 10-minute drive from Dorking, on the road to Guildford. Originally the centre of the Wotton Estate and the seat of the Evelyn family, it was the birthplace in 1620 of diarist and landscape gardener John Evelyn, who built the first Italian Garden in England there. Its architectural features include distinctive terracotta decorations on brickwork, octagonal turrets and stacks, winged gryphons on the porch, and more. £89-139

Connect

As of June 2021, Dorking has 4G from all UK carriers. 5G has not yet reached town.

Go next

• North to Leatherhead along the A24 over the Surrey Hills.
• South to Horsham along the A24.
• West to Guildford {{{mi|13}} along the A25.