Cycling in Surrey

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.

• INTRODUCTION CYCLING: THE ESSENTIALS HOW TO USE THIS BOOK1 FRENSHAM LOOP Start/end: Bentley Station (loop) Distance: 27.8km Time: 2½hrs Difficulty: 1Highlights: Common and heathland, taking in Frensham Common SSSI and Alice Holt Forest2 FARNHAM TO GUILDFORD Start/end: Farnham Station/Guildford Station Distance: 18.9km (+10.6km in 2 extensions) Time: 1½hrs (+1¾hrs) Difficulty: 2 Highlights: Country lanes, pretty villages, historic churches and the exceptional Watts Cemetery Chapel; beautiful vistas on The Mount3 MILFORD SURREY TO FARNHAM Start/end: Milford Station/Farnham Station Distance: 33.5km (+4.5km in 2 extensions) Time: 3hrs (including both extensions) Difficulty: 2 Highlights: Historic churches, two medieval bridges, two SSSIs and beautiful Farnham4 FRIMLEY TO ASH VALE Start/end: Frimley Station/Ash Vale Station Distance: 29.3km (+2.9km extension) Time: 3hrs (+15mins) Difficulty: 2Highlights: Ash Ranges Nature Reserve, Basingstoke Canal towpath, and farmland5 SUNNINGDALE TO ADDLESTONE Start/end: Sunningdale Station/Addlestone Station Distance: 31km Time: 2½hrs Difficulty: 2 Highlights: Chobham Common SSSI, the historic village of Chobham, country roads and woodland, as well as the Basingstoke Canal and River Wey towpaths6 WITLEY LOOP Start/end: Witley Station (loop) Distance: 22.2km (+6.3km extension & 2km alt. route) Time: 2hrs (45mins extension & 10mins alt. route) Difficulty: 2 Highlights: Historic churches and inns, a 18th-century labourer's cottage and 16th-century Vann House7 GUILDFORD CASTLE LOOP Start/end: Castle Arch, Quarry Street, Guildford (loop) Distance: 14.5km (+4.3km in 2 extensions & 2.2km alt. route) Time: 1½hrs (45mins extensions & 20mins alt. route) Difficulty: 1 Highlights: Chilworth Gunpowder Mills and Guildford Castle8 CRANLEIGH DISUSED RAILWAY LOOP Start/end: Chilworth Station (loop) Distance: 38.2km Time: 3½hrs Difficulty: 2 Highlights: Blackheath Common SSSI, Winterfold Forest and a railway station that starred in some famous films9 WEST BYFLEET LOOP Start/end: West Byfeet Station (loop) Distance: 17.8km (+5.6km extension) Time: 2hrs (+30mins)Difficulty: 2 Highlights: Ruined Newark Priory, the Elizabethan Summer House of John Donne, the historic village of Ripley, and the spectacular RHS Garden Wisley10 WEST CLANDON TO EAST HORSLEY Start/end: Clandon Station/Horsley Station Distance: 27.4km (+3.5km extension) Time: 2½hrs (+30mins) Difficulty: 2 Highlights: Beautiful villages, peaceful countryside, challenging off-road routes and magnificent views of southern Surrey 11 EFFINGHAM JUNCTION LOOP Start/end: Effingham Junction Station (loop) Distance: 19.9km (+5.3km extension) Time: 2hrs (+30mins) Difficulty: 2Highlights: The last semaphore tower in England, William of Ockham's historic church, and the stunning Painshill Park12 GOMSHALL LOOPStart/end: Gomshall Station (loop) Distance: 20.8km (+5.6km extension) Time: 2hrs (+30mins) Difficulty: 2 Highlights: Holmbury Hill with its Iron Age fort, the ancient woodland of Abinger Roughs, and Tillingbourne Waterfall13 HORSLEY TO EFFINGHAM JUNCTION Start/end: Horsley Station/Effingham Junction Station Distance: 27.8km (+2.3km extension) Time: 2¾hrs (+10mins)Difficulty: 2 Highlights: East Horsley, the Lovelace Bridges Trail, Denbies vineyard, Polesden Lacey and four spectacular views14 OCKLEY TO HOLMWOOD Start/end: Ockley Station/Holmwood Station Distance: 28.5km Time: 2½hrs Difficulty: 2 Highlights: Leith Hill, the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, and some of Surrey's best country roads15 BOX HILL AND WESTHUMBLE TO CLAYGATE Start/end: Boxhill and Westhumble Station/Claygate Station Distance: 22.1km Time: 2hrs Difficulty: 1 Highlights: Headley village, Ashtead Common SSSI and the smallest pub in the UK16 HOLMWOOD COMMON LOOP NORTH Start/end: Holmwood Common (loop) Distance: 24.5km (+9.4km in 2 extensions) Time: 2hrs (+1¼hrs) Difficulty: 1 Highlights: Historic villages, ruined Betchworth Castle and the beautiful ancient woodland of Holmwood Common17 HOLMWOOD COMMON LOOP SOUTH Start/end: Holmwood Common (loop) Distance: 24.5km Time: 2hrs Difficulty: 1 Highlights: The old Newdigate Brickworks, Glover's Wood SSSI, historic Charlwood village, and the working Lowfield Heath Windmill18 MERSTHAM LOOP Start/end: Merstham Station (loop) Distance: 26.3km Time: 2hrs Difficulty: 2 Highlights: The wildlife-rich Spynes Mere Nature Reserve, the 17th-century Outwood Windmill, churches from the Norman era, and the historic villages of Outwood and Nutfield19 LINGFIELD LOOP Start/end: Lingfeld Station (loop)Distance: 22.2km Time: 2hrs Difficulty: 1 Highlights: The historic village of Lingfield with its 18th-century poachers' prison, the 1,500-year-old Crowhurst yew tree, and Haxted Watermill in Staffhurst Wood SSSI20 WOLDINGHAM LOOP Start/end: Woldingham Station (loop) Distance: 27.5km Time: 2¼hrs Difficulty: 2 Highlights: Stunning views from Botley Hill a

'I have cycled in Surrey for most of my life but nevertheless discovered places to ride that I wouldn't have thought of' - Cycle Magazine