Reigate Hill & Gatton

Reigate Hill sits on the North Downs escarpment within the borough of Reigate and Banstead. The ridge is managed as open downland and mixed woodland, and sections are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for their chalk grassland and specialist plants and butterflies. Footpaths, including a stretch of the North Downs Way, run along the scarp and lead to the public viewpoint that looks out over the Weald. Exposed chalk faces and flint seams along the slope give a clear sense of the geology beneath the turf, and seasonal displays of orchid species occur in the short grass on the upper slopes.

Gatton Park lies immediately to the south-west of Reigate Hill and is an historic parkland estate with a large ornamental lake and tree-lined drives. Parts of the park are crossed by public rights of way that link the Hall and the surrounding farmland, and the estate has long associations with local landholding and parliamentary history. The park’s mixture of mature trees, open rides and managed pasture provides a quieter complement to the hill, and routes through the grounds connect into the wider network of Downs footpaths.