Six circular walks, a long-distance trail and distinctive local history offer different perspectives on Tatsfield. The Tatsfield Walks begin at the Village Hall car park, with one exception: Walk 6 starts at Hill Park on Chestnut Avenue. So when choosing a walk, be sure to check its starting point.
Circular Walks through the North Downs Landscape
Public footpaths in the parish of Tatsfield pass through varied landscapes. These include the North Downs, wooded areas, hedge-lined paths and even a vineyard. This makes the area worth exploring beyond a single viewpoint: the routes and landscape features described offer different impressions across the parish.
Walk 6 can be described more precisely by following its route. From Hill Park, the circular walk descends along the Pilgrims Way through farmland to Squerry’s vineyard. The return route follows the North Downs Way back to Hill Park. There is no car park there; Hill Park can be reached on foot via the B2024. The starting point and access are therefore particularly important when planning this walk.
The Tatsfield History Walk has specific route details: it is 2.5 miles long, takes 1 hour and 10 minutes, and has an elevation change of 270 feet. Taken together, the distance, time and elevation change provide a clearer picture of the walk, though none of these figures describes the route on its own. Including the duration in your day’s plans gives you a specific indication of how much time this walk takes.
Beyond the circular walks, the North Downs Way runs through the parish of Tatsfield. Its full route stretches from Farnham in Surrey to Dover in Kent. This gives the trail a wider geographical scope than the local Walk 6, which returns to Hill Park along a section of the North Downs Way.
Church, Pilgrims’ Way and Local History
The Church of St Mary the Virgin brings together several building phases. The church dates from the 12th century, with alterations made in the 13th century. The tower was built in 1838, and the south porch dates from the late 19th century. Anyone interested in local history can find architectural traces from different centuries in the building, each clearly distinguishable by period.
St Mary’s Church is also a pilgrims’ church. It is often visited by people making the pilgrimage from Winchester to Canterbury along the Pilgrim’s Way. Tatsfield’s walking landscape thus has a connection to a religious route tradition. This connection to the pilgrimage route is distinct from the North Downs Way, which also passes through the parish.
The churchyard’s location also shapes the view of the surrounding area: it sits high on the North Downs and offers far-reaching views across the Weald. The church, churchyard and landscape can be seen as connected local landmarks while keeping their individual features distinct.
Another link to local history is the KE VII Memorial Ground. It was established as a memorial to the king who died in 1910. Together with the different building phases of St Mary’s, this memorial site adds a specific historical connection to Tatsfield alongside the walking and landscape themes.
More destinations
Discover more destinations: Burpham, Chilworth, Ash, Abinger Common, Bisley, Gatwick, East Molesey, Chiddingfold.
Back to the main travel overview: Surrey.
