If you are planning a picturesque woodland walk in Surrey, St Ann’s Hill walk in Chertsey is a great choice. For those living in North West Surrey, it’s an ideal spot for a short family walk, a gentle dog walk, or simply somewhere to get outside and enjoy nature.
St Ann’s Hill is easy to access from St Ann’s Hill Road (KT16 9NL), Chertsey, where you’ll find a small, free car park. From here, well-marked trails lead into a peaceful woodland park that follows the hilltop. If you’re travelling from further afield, Chertsey is easily reached via the M3 or M25 (Junction 11).
At 240 feet high (69 metres) St Ann’s Hill is the second highest point in Runnymede and offers lovely elevated views across Surrey, with clear days stretching as far as London. It’s a rewarding destination for nature lovers and works particularly well as a family-friendly walk in Surrey, with plenty of space and wooded areas for children to explore.
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What can you do at St Ann’s Hill?
Enjoy the nature
St Ann’s Hill isn’t the place for a long hike or challenging walk. If you’re looking for a short local walk in Surrey or a relaxed outdoor space to stretch your legs, this is an excellent option.
From the car park, a short circular nature trail winds through the trees around the crest of the hill. The route is around ¾ mile and takes about 40 minutes at a leisurely pace, making it perfect for families with younger children. The trail starts in areas of ancient woodland before leading towards more exotic tree species higher up.
Despite its modest size, St Ann’s Hill feels wonderfully peaceful and offers a good variety of trees, plants, and wildlife, making it one of the quieter places to go in Runnymede for nature spotting.
Click here for our 9 best walks in the Surrey Hills
Stop for a play
St Ann’s Hill is a good choice if you are looking for things to do in Surrey with kids. With so many mature trees and open woodland areas, it’s ideal place for tree climbing, den-building, and imaginative play.
The natural setting provides a great ready-made natural playground, which kids and dogs will love. It’s a popular spot for dog walkers and is a friendly place to visit.
Have a picnic in the dingle
Once you have completed the woodland trail, head to the dingle, a flat grassy clearing in the centre of St Ann’s Hill.
There are picnic benches available, making it one of the nicest spots for a picnic in Chertsey. We found it worked really well for a play date, as this area is enclosed and traffic-free. Children can play hide and seek among the trees or ball games on the grass.
Discover the history
St Ann’s Hill isn’t just a nature spot – it also has a surprisingly rich history. Aracheological digs in recent years uncovered artefacts from Early Bronze Age and Roman times, helping to piece together the story of this ancient hill.
Originally known as Eldebury Hill, it was used as a defensive fort by prehistoric settlers. The elevated position made it an ideal stronghold, which continued to attract settlers through the Bronze Age.
Much later, the land became part of the estate of the aristocratic Fox family, who eventually moved from London to make it their main country residence. Today, you can still see remnants of their former home, along with the ruins of the former 14th-century St Ann’s Chapel, from which the hill takes its name.
Pin for later: A walk up St Ann’s Hill, Surrey
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