Box Hill

Box Hill draws around a million visitors a year to a chalk shoulder of the North Downs rising 224 metres above the River Mole, named after the ancient box woodland on its steepest slopes; Leopold Salomons bought it for the nation in 1914 and the summit viewpoint carries his name, looking over the Weald to the South Downs. The Zig Zag Road became famous as the climb the men's 2012 Olympic road race tackled nine times, and cyclists still grind up it. Walkers head for the Stepping Stones walk, which drops steeply through yew woods, crosses the Mole on the stones and climbs back up 275 steps; reviewers say children love the crossing and everyone feels the climb. Dogs on short leads are allowed in the cafe. Tips from regulars: the stones are slippery after rain and there is nowhere to buy water on the route, so fill up at the servery first, and the cafe queues at weekends.