Ockley

Ockley is not a large village, so formal hotels within its boundaries are limited, but its position on the A29 and its closeness to the Surrey Hills make it a sensible base if you are happy to combine a village stay with a short drive to bigger towns for extra choice. B&Bs and farmhouse accommodation around Ockley put you within easy reach of Leith Hill, the Greensand Way and the wider AONB walking country without needing to head into a larger town at all.

For a wider range of hotels, guesthouses and inns, Dorking and Horsham are both within about 20 minutes' drive and offer a proper choice of places to stay, from town-centre hotels to countryside inns, while still leaving Ockley's green, pub and woodland walks within easy striking distance. Booking ahead is sensible during the summer months and around the village's own fair and show, when local beds fill up quickly.

• Ockley village green — one of the largest greens in Surrey, ringed by cottages and still home to Ockley Cricket Club; a proper spot for a summer afternoon.
• Leith Hill — around four miles north of the village, this National Trust property is one of the highest points in the South East, with an 18th-century Gothic tower at the summit and views said to stretch to the English Channel on a clear day.
• The Greensand Way — the long-distance path along the Surrey Hills' greensand ridge runs close to Ockley and through Leith Hill Wood, giving walkers a direct route out into the AONB landscape from the village.
• Winterfold Forest — mixed woodland a few miles from Ockley within the Surrey Hills, popular for quieter walks and cycling away from the busier National Trust car parks.
• Denbies Vineyard, Dorking — one of England's largest vineyards, around 20 minutes' drive north; a good half-day out with tours and tastings if you are staying in Ockley and want a change of pace.
• Stane Street — the A29 through the village follows the alignment of this Roman road between Chichester and London, one of the more tangible links to the area's ancient history.
• Okewood, Ockley and Forest Green Summer Fair — a village fair and flower show first held in 1893, still running annually with stalls, produce classes and a proper community feel.

The Cricketers Arms, a fifteenth-century pub right on the A29 in the heart of the village, is the obvious focal point for food and drink in Ockley, serving pub classics in a genuinely old building. Beyond the village, Dorking and Horsham offer a much wider spread of restaurants and cafes for anyone happy to drive a few minutes further afield.

England has no general right to wild camp, so anywhere around Ockley you will need a proper campsite or the landowner's permission rather than pitching up on open ground. The good news is that the Surrey Hills setting suits a low-key countryside stay: Vann Farm Camping, close to the village, offers pitches with footpath access straight out into Ockley Woods and towards Vann Lake, putting tents within easy reach of the Greensand Way and Leith Hill without a long drive each morning.

The Weald's clay soil and greensand ridge mean the ground here holds water, so this is much better camping country in spring, summer and early autumn than in the depths of winter, when tracks and pitches can turn heavy underfoot. May through September is the reliable window, with long evenings for exploring the village green or walking up towards Leith Hill Tower before dark. Glamping options in the wider area — shepherd's huts, pods and yurts — are worth seeking out for anyone who wants the Surrey Hills setting without the full camping kit, particularly useful if the weather turns, since this part of Surrey can be as wet as it is scenic. Whichever option you choose, book ahead for summer weekends: sites near Leith Hill and the Greensand Way are popular with walkers and cyclists working their way along the Surrey Hills ridge, and good pitches near Ockley go quickly once the weather improves.