Quick guide and location map
This famous highpoint in the heart of the Surrey Hills National Landscape near Dorking offers spectacular views and wonderful wildlife. Please always follow the Countryside Code.
- Address and references: Leith Hill Lane, Holmbury St Mary, Dorking Surrey RH5 6LU
Location grid reference: TQ13934318
What3Words: bill.swear.human - Type of site: woodland, heathland and farmland
- Accessibility: Due to its hilly nature, the trails to the summit and tower are inaccessible to those with limited mobility. There are no toilet facilities on Leith Hill. Steep climbs from car park
- Facilities: two free car parks at base of hill; outdoor seating and picnic tables; water fountain for humans and animals; café selling hot and cold lunches and snacks, generally open from 11am to 3pm. Visiting times for the tower and café opening times can be found on The National Trust website
- Nature to discover: butterflies, birds of prey and mammals
- Dogs: please keep your dog under control
- Size: 20.11 kilometres (12.5 miles). Height of hill: 294 metres (965 feet)
Location map
On the map below, use the plus symbol to zoom in to see the locations of the site's paths and car parks and the minus symbol to zoom out to view where the site is situated in Surrey, and to see other countryside sites nearby. The home symbol resets the map to the default setting.
The Leith Hill site stretches from Abinger Common to Wotton Common where the hill with the tower is located.
There are four free car parks:
Closest to the tower:
- Starveall car park, Leith Hill Road, RH5 6LX
- Windy Gap car park, Abinger Road, RH5 6HG
Further from the tower:
- Broadmoor car park, Wotton, RH5 6JY
- Friday Street car park, RH5 6JR
Site details
Description
A well-known and well-loved high spot in the Surrey Hills, Leith Hill summit provides glorious views to the Greensand Ridge and onwards to the south coast. From the top of the eighteenth century gothic tower you'll be at the highest point in the south-east of England and can enjoy views in the other direction to London's skyline. The Greensand Way long distance trail goes right past the Tower on its way from Haslemere to Ham Street in Kent.
Access to the top of the Tower is unavailable over the winter months.
The National Trust graze cattle in the area for conservation. Please take care of our countryside and open spaces, particularly areas of heathland where fire risk is high and follow the Countryside Code.
What you can do here
- Experience being away-from-it-all in a natural setting
- Buy refreshments from the hatch at base of the tower (check opening times)
- Many picnic spots and benches
- Family time
- Enjoy being in the heart of the Surrey Hills
- Designated mountain biking trail 'Summer Lightning'
- Wildlife watching
- Beautiful woodland and heathland with many walking trails
- Victorian water fountain for filling drinks bottles and separate base where dogs and horses can drink.
Self-guided walks
There are trails from each car park up to the summit, follow the waymarks and routes as shown on information boards.
- Friday Street Hammer trail starts from Friday Street car park, RH5 6JR
- The Greensand Way linear long distance trail is signposted with a symbol of Leith Hill Tower
What you can see here and when
- Stunning views to the south coast and London skyline from the top of the tower
- Historic tower. Please see The National Trust website for details
- Viewpoints around the tower
- Stopping off rest point on Greensand Way long distance trail
- Spring flowers including bluebells and primroses
- Nature to discover: many species of birds throughout the year and butterflies in late spring and summer. You may also see mammals such as roe deer, dormice and badgers. Browse the Surrey Wildlife Trust Wildlife Explorer to find out more about the wildlife that can be seen in Surrey
Site management, contact and designations
Site management
The National Trust manages Leith Hill Tower (National Trust website) and the land around it on behalf of the landowner, the Wotton Estate. We work with the National Trust to manage walking routes to the Tower and the free car parks (Starveall and Windy Gap). Please note Landslip car park and Rhododendron Wood car park, near Leith Hill Place, are managed by the National Trust.
Contact
Send us any photos you take that you're happy to share on social media, tag @ExploreSurreyUK
If you need to contact us about any issues at the Leith Hill site, relating to the car parks, please use one of the options below:
Environmental designations of Leith Hill and what they mean
Surrey Hills National Landscape, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) covers a quarter of the county of Surrey. The Surrey Hills AONB was created in 1958 for conservation due to its significant landscape value and enjoys levels of protection from development. Find out more about the Surrey Hills.
Some areas around the Tower are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which is a formal designation of conservation. Sites must be kept in a healthy state to protect their special habitats and features.
