Cycling in Surrey: 21 Hand-picked Rides (Bradt Guides)

Bradt’s new cycling guide to Surrey – part of a growing series designed for the saddle bag – offers 21 routes, each including comprehensive directions plus contextual exploration of history, wildlife and culture, written by avid cyclist and historian Ross Hamilton. Each route links to OS Explorer maps and, where relevant, National Cycle Network routes, while QR codes connect with downloadable GPX maps via the komoot app, enabling navigation by smartphone. With a dedicated bike-hire section and accommodation suggestions, this book is an indispensable travel companion for two-wheeled adventures.

Once a relatively sparsely populated and rustic area despite its proximity to London, present-day Surrey is prime commuter-belt territory. Even so, the county has not lost its rural charm. As well as boasting many Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it is England’s most wooded county and is riddled with rivers including England’s longest, the mighty Thames. Moreover, Surrey has a long connection with cycling. When the riding craze first hit Britain in the 1800s, the ride between the Surrey towns of Thames Ditton and Ripley was quickly dubbed the ‘Mecca of all good cyclists’. Surrey roads once made up much of the annual RideLondon event, itself an extension of the 2012 Olympic road-cycling route.

This handpicked selection of rides is perfect for a series of half-day outings. Many are looped circuits, and most begin and end at railway stations, making travel hassle-free. Most are aimed at beginners and leisure cyclists, while some offer adventurous riders a more challenging experience.

So whether you fancy riding Surrey’s numerous tree-cloaked country lanes or off-road networks, cycling between medieval churches, visiting Guildford Castle or Waverley Abbey on two wheels, doffing your helmet to a venerable yew tree, biking between nature reserves and vineyards, or having a drink at the UK’s smallest pub, Surrey is a superb cycling destination with something for everyone. Bradt’s Cycling in Surrey brims with inspiration for cyclists of all ages and energy levels.

Having spent much of his life in the saddle, Ross Hamilton has numerous bikes cluttering up the garage. These include a 1980s' Raleigh Pursuit which he used to ride to school – and which, decades later, he used to cycle from coast to coast, following the route of Hadrian's Wall. Hamilton has cycled all over southern England, from Kent to Cornwall. He completed RideLondon four years running to raise money for guide dogs and has also completed other famous rides such as the Nightrider (in London and Bristol) and the London to Brighton Cycle Ride. A former history teacher who also worked in the heritage sector and ran historical walking tours, Hamilton retains a particular fondness for his home county of Surrey, where he uses local knowledge and exploratory zeal to devise unusual routes taking in cyclist-friendly cafés, sites of historical interest and nature reserves.