The Surrey Hills is a
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB; , AHNE) is an area of countryside in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, that has been designated for conservation due to its significant landscape value. Areas are designated in recognition of th ...
(AONB), which principally covers parts of the
North Downs
The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England that stretch from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. Much of the North Downs comprises two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs): the Surrey Hills ...
and
Greensand Ridge in
Surrey,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
(approximately one quarter of the land area of the county).
The AONB was designated in 1958 and adjoins the
Kent Downs AONB to the east and the
South Downs National Park in the south west.
Geography
The highest summit of the Surrey Hills AONB,
Leith Hill near
Coldharbour, is above sea level. It is part of the
Greensand Ridge, which traverses the AONB from west to east, and is the second highest point in southeast England (
Walbury Hill at 297 metres (974 ft) above sea level is the highest).
Blackheath Common is also part of this area.
The northern ridge of these hills, predominantly formed by
chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous, sedimentary carbonate rock. It is a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite and originally formed deep under the sea by the compression of microscopic plankton that had settled to the sea floor. Cha ...
, is separated by the
Vale of Holmesdale which continues into Kent from the southern ridges which are predominantly
greensand. They provide a haven for rare plants and insects. Parts of the area are owned and managed by the
National Trust
The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...
, including
Ranmore Common,
Leith Hill and
Box Hill.
Other designations
Chiddingfold Forest, a
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), lies within the area.
Surrey Hills AONB is surrounded by an Area of Great Landscape Value which covers a further 8% of the county.
Walking
The Surrey Hills area has three long-distance walks running through it: the
North Downs Way, the
Greensand Way and the
Pilgrims' Way.
References
External links
Surrey Hills AONBInspiring Views Trail in the Surrey Hills
{{DEFAULTSORT:Surrey Hills AONB
Hills of Surrey
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England
Protected areas of Surrey