Exploring Surrey Hills with PA Life Club

PA Life Club had a fantastic time exploring Surrey Hills and its vibrant business community on our 9-10 October Fam Trip. The 36-hour whistle-stop tour was expertly organised by Surrey Hills Enterprises who had laid out a varied programme, mixed with venue showcases, visits to a wine estate and gin distillery, plus mindful and exhilarating activities…

Our visit to Surrey Hills started with the Power of Place event at Dorking Halls. 30 local Surrey Hills Enterprises member businesses had set up stands, ready to showcase their products and services, and to discuss opportunities our corporate event organiser and buyer members could consider for their companies. We also enjoyed a great programme of informative panel discussions and learning exercises, with ‘how to thrive as a sustainable rural business’ as the overriding theme.

Surrey Hills National Landscape, the area of outstanding natural beauty in Surrey is less than an hour away from central London by train. It’s easily connected to Heathrow and Gatwick airports too. We were blown away by the landscape first of all – no need to travel far from London to find beauty and tranquility, plus opportunities to eat, stay, be entertained and experience a great variety of  different activities to suit everyone.

Venues visited and activities experienced in the Surrey Hills

Our Surrey Hills experience tour started even before we left the Dorking Halls after a networking lunch at nearby Pippbrook House, as our hosts had organised a 1960s Routemaster from The Surrey Hills Tour Company as our mode of transport for the day. Linda Norton, a fun conductor-come-tour guide shared local stories and insights, in between us singing to the 60s tunes played by the driver.

What a wonderful surprise that was too, and not the only one in story, but more about that later.

Our first stop was the largest single site vineyard in the UK, the Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking. It’s a gorgeous site and well equipped to host meetings and events of all sizes, with its own boutique hotel and two restaurants on site too. We split into two groups, one heading for the slopes on a Land Rover pulled ‘train’ to take a close look at the endless rows of vines growing in the warm autumn sunshine. There was time for a quick stop at the top to pause over a glass of Whitedowns sparkling wine whilst taking in the stunning views.

Back in valley and the main building for a swap of group activities. It was now our turn to have a go at willow weaving with expert guidance by Hedges & Hurdles. The company runs workshops teaching long lost skills and crafts using sustainable materials. We quickly immersed ourselves into twisting and bending willow branches either into a basket or a wreath and thoroughly enjoyed the relaxing experience.

The last activity laid out for us to enjoy at Denbies was the much-anticipated wine tasting. We gathered at the stylish restaurant at The Farmhouse, a 17-bedroom boutique hotel (there is further accommodation in The Brokes adjacent to the hotel) to learn about, and sample four of the estate’s wines. We unanimously enjoyed all of them but all of us had a different  favourite.

Next stop De Vere Horsley Estate

The drive from Denbies to De Vere Horsley Estate, our accommodation for the night, followed a scenic route via Ranmore Common to the gates the estate, nestled within beautiful grounds. We stayed at the modern Horsley Place which has a restaurant, bar and quiet, modern bedrooms, well suited for conference and event guest stays. Rooms at the historic Horsley Towers are also available, and it is offered for exclusive hire too. It was once a home of Ada Lovelace, who wrote algorithm for the world’s first computer designed by Charles Babbage. In the early 20th-century, the property was bought by aviator Sir Thomas Sopwith, designer of the Sopwith Camel and Horsley Hawker aircraft.

It was time to wind down with Silent Pool Gin and dinner at Mandira’s Kitchen

After a quick refresh we were back on the bus heading to the Silent Pool Distillery for a tour and gin cocktails. There is an actual Silent Pool by the distillery with clear turquoise blue water – the signature colour of the beautiful Silent Pool Gin bottles – but we didn’t get to admire the pool as it had been emptied for its annual clean. However, the distillery tour was fascinating as we discovered how artisan gin is made whilst sipping delicious G&Ts and enjoying tasty canapes.

Literally a few steps from the distillery, we were treated to a colourful Indian feast by the staff of Mandira’s Kitchen, co-hosted by local Surrey Hills Enterprises members. The vibrant décor and home-cooked dishes were delightful as were the neighbouring Albury Estate Vineyard’s organic wines.

Our return journey on what had turned into a fun ‘karaoke bus ‘back to the hotel was made even more fun with a wonderful surprise planned by our hosts. We were all fooled to think the 1960s Routemaster was in trouble and had to do a detour to top up coolant water. In fact, we made a stop at West Horsley Place instead, where two knowledgeable tour guides, a roaring fire and glasses of port welcomed us to the this property where parts of it date back to the 15^th century. What an amazing experience to wander through the rooms of this historic house where Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Guy Fawkes are among the many fascinating characters to have visited. Worth checking out if you are looking for a special venue for a reception or dinner with plenty of fascinating history.

After our hearty breakfast we headed for a guided walking tour of De Vere Horsley’s historic estate – including its beautifully restored chapel, grand meeting and dining rooms. We had to leave the vast lakeside grounds for another visit – this time on another gorgeous 1960s bus called Matilda. A single-deck and smaller vechicle than a Routmaster was needed for the narrow Surrey lanes we were heading to.

First on the itinerary was a coffee date at Soulspace at The Boathouse in Guildford. The beautifully designed riverside property is home to Soulspace, a community-focused members’ club and a unique, multi-use venue that hosts everything from intimate gatherings and pop-ups to weddings and corporate events.

We were spoilt for choice of outdoor activities in Surrey Hills

Back on Matilda, climbing slowly a winding lane up to The Hurtwood Hideout, a former hostel that has polished up its accommodation to a very comfortable standard, still bunk beds and communal showers, but at incredible value. What it lacks in luxe add-ons it more than compensates for in the outdoor space and activities on offer.

The camp-like setting of this creative outdoor venue sits within private woodland on the edge of Peaslake. It’s purpose built for team-building, strategic retreats, and energising experiences. We were welcomed by the business owners who run the different activities from Hurtwood. After short run-throughs of what we could opt in to try, it was time to give it go at the following activities:

– Joyful Outdoors: An immersive foraging walk exploring the edible wonders of the local ecosystem, led by Elspeth Fimpel.

– Qigong immersive experience with Sue Llewellyn

– Nordic Walking experience with Vicky & Surrey Striders

– Mountain biking: adrenalin raising ride on electric bikes on the trails of different difficulty, taking in the best views of the area too

After a morning of fresh air and superb activities, it was time for lunch and show round of The Sunday Box Hill Burford Bridge Hotel. The Emlyn Restaurant great views over Box Hill which was a lovely backdrop to our delicious buffet lunch. The tour of the hotel took in the large lounge, meeting and conference rooms, the bridal suite and the garden. There is also a sizeable outdoor pool for gusts to use.

Located in Dorking with easy access to the M25 and just 30 minutes’ drive from Gatwick Airport. The hotel is also 5 minutes’ drive to Denbies Wine Estate and Polesden Lacey.

A huge thank you to our hosts Surrey Hills Enterprises for a very informative and enjoyable Fam Trip. We haven’t been able to give all their member businesses a mention here, and urge you to take a look at what else you will discover in Surrey Hills.

Are you interested in receiving priority invitations to Fam Trips such as this? Join PA Life Club for free – open for all executive support professionals.