Explore Waverley

3rd March 2022

Wellness in Waverley  

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant barrage of messages about how you should be taking action to be a healthier version of yourself? Do you want to improve your overall wellbeing but find it’s the one thing that gets pushed to the bottom of the to do list?  

If this sounds familiar, then stick with us because we have done the research for you and have six solutions for recharging your body and mind.  

Tucked away in the south west corner of Surrey, bordering the counties of Hampshire and West Sussex is a surprising oasis of quiet rural charm. This is the place where nature and history have combined to create a landscape of great variety and where artists, authors and musicians have found inspiration.  

Rediscover how to play and have fun – welcome to Waverley.  

Discover new talents 

Waverley is rich in its heritage of houses designed in the ‘Surrey Style’ which was influenced by Lutyens and the Arts and Crafts Movement led by William Morris. 

Today, arts and crafts live on with potters, sculptors, artists, designers working from home workshops or in a local studio.  

Channel your inner creativity by heading to Farnham - England’s first World Craft Town, where you will find no shortage of crafty things to do. Book a Taster Throwing Workshop with 318 Ceramics to discover the techniques required to throw a successful pot.  

Combine art with the great outdoors at The Sculpture Park. Explore the 2-mile sculpture trail to see hundreds of contemporary sculptures set among acres of arboretum and water gardens. 

Discover new food experiences 

Follow the Waverley food map to discover a wonderful selection of local independent food and drink businesses. 

Taste of Waverley highlights dozens of retailers, producers and suppliers along with craft producers, farm shops and other independents from local towns and villages.  

Sample delicious local produce from the monthly farmers’ markets at Farnham, Godalming, Milford and Haslemere or visit the Cranleigh Surrey Hills Artisan Market on the first Saturday of the month.  

Alternatively, stop off at one of the many pubs, restaurants, tea rooms, hotels or cafes for a hearty breakfast, mid-morning coffee and cake, a leisurely lunch, afternoon tea or a three-course dinner to end a wonderful day.  

Good food is a treat that can be enjoyed at any time of the year and in Waverley, there is no shortage of tempting fare.  

Discover gardens of paradise  

Waverley offers particular interest and inspiration to gardeners as this is the place that garden designer Gertrude Jekyll called home and is where she created some of her planting schemes which have been admired and emulated worldwide. 

The National Garden Scheme provides an opportunity to see stunning privately owned gardens or, visit Ramster - a beautiful woodland garden, famous for its outstanding display of rhododendrons and azaleas. 

Winkworth Arboretum was created in the early 20th Century by Dr Wilfred Fox and is a national and local treasure. It’s perfect for visiting at any time of the year as the landscape changes with the seasons.  

Time your visit to coincide with the opening of Busbridge Lakes - a Grade 2A heritage garden renowned for its follies, grottoes and magnificent specimen trees. The 40-acre parkland includes three lakes, natures trails and wooded hillsides and has one of the largest collections of waterbirds in the country.  

Discover outdoor adventures  

Spend a weekend living life on the wild side in the beautiful Surrey countryside.  

Arrive by train and explore the local area on foot or by bike with a choice of walks and cycle trails starting and finishing at Farncombe, Godalming, Milford, Witley and Haslemere railway stations.   

For a heart-pumping, adrenaline rush, head to the hills and chase the ultimate mountain bike experience or test your head for heights with treetop challenges and adventures at Go Ape. If you prefer to keep both feet firmly on the ground, there are 400+ miles of bridleways and footpaths to be explored.  

Whether you choose to hike, bike or ride Waverley’s wonderful natural playground is just waiting to be discovered.

Discover new places 

Stunning countryside and small communities are a backdrop for the historic market towns of Farnham, Godalming and Haslemere, and Cranleigh – which claims to be England’s largest village.  

Cranleigh is set in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is ideal for walking, cycling and riding.  

Farnham has some of the finest Georgian architecture in the south and a network of yards and alleys just waiting to be explored. The town is watched over by a 12th century castle and nearby are the ruins of England’s first Cistercian Abbey which offers a peaceful place to pause and reflect.  

Godalming is an enchanting former market town which is proud of its many 16th century timber and tiled buildings. A few steps from the High Street is the river where you can take a walk or hire a boat for the day.  

Haslemere is an attractive market town surrounded by stunning countryside including the Greensand Way which runs from Haslemere to Kent and a stretch of the South Downs Way which starts at Haslemere Station.  

Discover the past 

Waverley is the area which used to be a busy and industrious part of Surrey, where iron, glass, tiles, bricks, pottery and woollens gave the towns and villages their distinctive characters.  

Old and new combine perfectly to bring you opportunities to revisit the past and catch a glimpse of how life used to be.  

Visit the town museums or the Rural Life Living Museum which tells the story of life in the countryside in southern England with its relocated historic buildings, agricultural machinery and everyday objects. 

Take home a souvenir of your visit by picking up a unique item for your home from one of our popular antiques centres.  

Discover Waverley 

Quiet, but never boring, we promise you fabulous food, wonderful pubs, fresh air and space to relax. Visit Waverley to discover your new happy place.