Surrey is a South East England county blending historic towns, medieval castles, dense woodlands, and scenic landscapes with strong cultural and transport links.
Dapdune Wharf is a historic former industrial wharf and boat-building yard on the Wey and Godalming Navigations in Guildford, now managed by the National Trust. Visitors can explore a complex of boatyard buildings, view rare Wey barges, enjoy interactive displays, and take boat trips on the navigation.
9 Oct, 6 Nov…
Wharf Weenies is an outdoor session for children aged up to four, featuring songs, stories, play in the natural environment, mud-kitchen activities, natural-resource crafts and wildlife spotting.
Guildford is a historic town in Surrey, England, featuring a walkable town centre with a castle, cathedral, and arts venues. It offers rich cultural experiences, river navigation, cycling routes, and markets, served by rail and local public transport.
Ludshott Common and Waggoners Wells is a National Trust nature reserve in Hampshire featuring heathland, man-made ponds, woodland, and diverse wildlife habitats. Visitors can enjoy walking, birdwatching, fishing, and exploring historically significant natural features.
Oakhurst Cottage is a small Grade II listed historic cottage in Hambledon, Surrey, restored to represent a Victorian era labourer's home with preserved period furnishings and a garden featuring Victorian plants. Visitors can tour the cottage by appointment in small groups.
Marble Hill House is an early 18th-century Neo-Palladian villa in Twickenham, London, famous for its architectural design and historical associations with British royalty. Visitors can explore its richly decorated interiors and extensive parklands offering leisure and sports facilities, with a restored Georgian ambiance.
8–25 Oct (another 16 days)
An exhibition explores J.M.W. Turner’s painting *Margate (?), from the Sea* and the history of his bequest to the nation. Visitors can see the painting alongside archival documents, letters and works by artists influenced by Turner.
Tilgate Zoo is a small accredited zoo located in Tilgate Park, Crawley, featuring 74 animal species across geographical zones with interactive experiences and conservation programs.
10 Oct–1 Nov (next week)
A Halloween activity trail at Nymans, inspired by the children’s books. Follow the bunnies’ ghost-hunting adventure, try activities including Halloween hoopla and broomstick racing, and collect a sticker at the celebration party.
Crawley is a historic market town and modern borough in West Sussex known for its New Town development, close proximity to Gatwick Airport, diverse cultural scene, and rich heritage.
Birdworld is the UK's largest bird park featuring over 180 bird species, including many endangered, with outdoor exhibits such as the themed Terry Pratchett Owl Parliament, free-flying parrot aviary, and penguin colonies. It offers a family-friendly outdoor wildlife experience in Hampshire.
Box Hill in Surrey is a renowned natural landmark featuring chalk downland, diverse wildlife including rare orchids and butterflies, historic military forts, and scenic trails for walking and cycling. It offers panoramic views, a National Trust visitors' centre with a café, and family-friendly outdoor activities.
23 Sep, 30 Sep…
A pre-school session for children and their grown-ups featuring stories, rhymes and nature-based crafts.
The British Wildlife Centre in Surrey is a zoo dedicated to British wildlife featuring around 40 species in their own enclosures, offering educational keeper talks and promoting conservation.
Farnham Castle is a historic 12th-century castle in Surrey that served as the residence of the Bishops of Winchester for over 800 years, featuring a preserved shell keep, curtain walls, historic gardens, and a visitors' exhibition detailing its 900-year history. It offers indoor tours of the keep and palace with outdoor exploration of its grounds and gardens.
Waverley Abbey is the first Cistercian abbey founded in England, now a historic ruin managed by English Heritage, offering free public access to its extensive 13th-century structures and WWII relics set in scenic Surrey countryside.
Farnham is a historic market town in Surrey featuring a castle, vibrant arts scene, independent shops, and scenic walking routes including the start of the North Downs Way.
Gatton Park is a historic country estate in Surrey featuring Capability Brown landscaped parkland, ornamental gardens, the Grade II listed Gatton Hall, and the Grade I listed St Andrew's Church. The estate is partly owned by the National Trust and a school, offering both indoor and outdoor heritage experiences along with unique features like a stone circle and historic garden temple.
Clandon Park House is an early 18th-century Palladian country house near Guildford, Surrey, owned by the National Trust. Though significantly damaged by fire in 2015, it is a site of historical and architectural importance with restoration plans underway. Visitors can explore its extensive parkland, gardens, and the rare Maori meeting house, along with an associated regimental museum.
10 Oct–1 Nov (next week)
A Halloween family trail based on the children’s books, following the Bunnies of Hoppity Hill as they search for hidden ghosts around Hatchlands Park. The outdoor trail includes things to see and do along the way and is aimed at pre-schoolers and young children.
The Devil's Punch Bowl is a large natural amphitheatre and Site of Special Scientific Interest in Surrey, offering scenic heathland landscape with panoramic views and car parking facilities. It is managed by the National Trust and features walking paths and a café, making it a popular outdoor visitor attraction with natural beauty and wildlife.
Runnymede is a historic water-meadow alongside the River Thames in Surrey, England, known for the sealing of Magna Carta. It features National Trust lands with natural floodplain meadows, memorials including the Magna Carta Memorial and Air Forces Memorial, as well as gardens and unique nature reserves.
Shalford Mill is an 18th-century historic watermill in Surrey featuring preserved mill machinery and timber-framed architecture, set beside the River Tillingbourne. Visitors can explore both indoor exhibits and outdoor surroundings reflecting its working history and connection with the National Trust.
Witley Common is a National Trust woodland and heathland site in Surrey featuring Bronze Age archaeological sites, diverse wildlife habitats, and a nature centre with educational activities for children. It offers a mix of outdoor natural exploration and indoor exhibits at the Witley Centre.
10 Oct–8 Nov (next week)
A digital folklore adventure at Winkworth Arboretum for children aged 7–12 and adults to play together. Using the Stranger Folk app, teams follow magical prompts and complete tasks to find the creatures and decide their fate.
Godalming is a historic market town in Surrey, England, known for its medieval origins, rich textile and wool trade history, and picturesque setting on the River Wey. It features a charming town centre with historic buildings, a museum with local heritage displays, and is well connected by train and bus services. Visitors can enjoy riverside walks, cultural attractions, and local markets.
Morden Hall Park is a large National Trust park in Morden, London, featuring historic buildings including Morden Hall, snuff mills, and a garden centre, set on the River Wandle with extensive parkland, footbridges, and a dog-friendly café.
The Homewood is a Grade II listed modernist house near Esher, Surrey, designed by architect Patrick Gwynne and preserved by the National Trust. Visitors can explore its distinctive modern architecture, flexible living spaces, original furnishings and artworks, as well as its terrace, garden with ponds and swimming pool. The house offers a unique insight into mid-20th century English modernist design combined with a harmonious integration of indoor and outdoor spaces.
Ham House is a well-preserved 17th-century Stuart era house in London known for its rare survival of original interiors, lavishly furnished state apartments, and extensive formal gardens along the River Thames. Visitors can explore the historic interiors, art collections, and enjoy the restored gardens, with facilities including a café. It is also a popular location for film and television productions.
Hydon's Ball is a notable hill on Hydon Heath in Surrey, offering outdoor natural experiences with memorials and scenic walking paths managed by the National Trust. It features native and non-native plant species and serves as a local cultural gathering spot.
11 Oct, 25 Oct…
A gentle outdoor Qigong session led by Sue Llewellyn, featuring slow movements, mindful breathing and moments of stillness among the trees. Participants will move through the woodland to a glade and viewpoint, with no previous experience required.
Standen is an Arts and Crafts house in West Sussex, featuring original Morris & Co. interiors and an extensive Arts and Crafts garden. Visitors can explore the historic house and surrounding gardens managed by the National Trust.
5 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
A Halloween-themed trail around the garden, with spooky features including creepy crows and Standen bats. Visitors can explore the Spookiful Bothy and take part in creative activities in the Witchard den.
Claremont Landscape Garden is a historic 18th-century English landscape garden in Surrey, featuring original design by notable landscape gardeners and landmarks like the Belvedere Tower and an amphitheatre. It offers an outdoor experience with scenic lakes, historic structures, and gardens.
Thorpe Park is a major theme park in Surrey, England featuring 26 rides including the UK's tallest and fastest roller coaster, Hyperia. It offers diverse thrill rides, themed areas, live events, and family attractions, with food options and seasonal special events such as Fright Nights.
9 Jun, 7 Jul…
A Heritage Volunteer leads a one-hour guided walk around Claremont Landscape Garden, exploring a different tree-related subject each month. Attendees can learn about the garden’s trees and see areas of the grounds along the way.
Winkworth Arboretum is a National Trust-owned arboretum in Surrey featuring over 1000 species of trees, extensive azalea and rhododendron collections, and landscaped garden lakes across 95 acres of outdoor woodland.
Hatchlands Park is a historic red-brick country house with notable Robert Adam interiors and surrounding landscaped gardens in Surrey. It features the world's largest collection of historic keyboard instruments and a rare Cobbe portrait of William Shakespeare, with facilities including a café, shop, and open parkland.
16 Oct, 20 Nov
A music session for children aged up to four and their adults at Dapdune Wharf. Participants explore songs, rhymes, musical instruments and simple movement games, with a story to finish.
Down House is the historic home of naturalist Charles Darwin where he developed his theory of evolution. Visitors can explore the restored Georgian house with original furnishings, Darwin's greenhouse, and extensive gardens including the Sandwalk woodland path. The site offers both indoor historical exhibits and outdoor natural landscapes.
Selsdon Wood is a 200-acre local nature reserve woodland in Croydon, London, offering outdoor trails, wildlife corridor, and historical significance as a preserved natural area within the London green belt.
East Sheen Common is a spacious urban park in London featuring woodland, sports facilities including a cricket field, tennis courts, and a bowling green, as well as a newly added woodland play area and nature trail for children.
13 Oct, 20 Oct…
A weekly adult knitting group where crafters work on their own projects alongside one another and enjoy a knit and natter at the Coach House Cafe.
Leith Hill is the highest summit of the Greensand Ridge in Surrey, England, featuring an 18th-century Gothic tower with panoramic views, surrounded by extensive woodland designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It offers natural beauty, historical interest, and excellent outdoor walking opportunities.
Bookham Commons is a large area of common land in Surrey featuring woodland, grassland, and scrub habitats. It is recognized as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its diverse plant and animal communities and is owned by the National Trust, offering public footpaths and bridleways for exploration outdoors.
9 Oct, 16 Oct…
Silent Space is a quiet place in Polesden Lacey’s Upper Sunken Garden where visitors can pause, relax and take in the surrounding nature and changing seasons. It runs on Friday afternoons.
The River Wey and Godalming Navigations offer a 20-mile navigable waterway in Surrey, featuring historic locks and scenic towpaths managed by the National Trust, with connections to other canals and a visitor centre at Dapdune Wharf showcasing historic barges.
Polesden Lacey is an Edwardian era country house and estate in Surrey, offering visitors a blend of indoor historical exhibits and outdoor estate walks, gardens, and woodland. Managed by the National Trust, it features fine art collections and hosts seasonal events including open-air performances.
14 Oct (next Wednesday)
A home education open day at RHS Garden Wisley for home-educating groups and families, with planting, seed exploration, herbarium sessions, talks, mini-beast activities, pond dipping, habitat mapping, leaf activities and access to library collections. Most activities are drop-in, while herbarium sessions require booking.
Eltham Palace in southeast London is a historic royal residence featuring a medieval great hall with the third-largest hammerbeam roof in England and an attached Art Deco house from the 1930s. Visitors can explore both the indoor period rooms and outdoor gardens with ruins, making it a unique architectural and historic experience.
8–9 Oct, 15–16 Oct…
An exhibition at Red House presents personally significant domestic objects selected by architects, designers, local residents and young people from Bexley, exploring the memories and stories connected with everyday possessions. It can only be visited as part of a guided tour of the house.