A big day out in the Surrey Hills

Distance 36km (22.4 miles) Climbing 890m (2,920ft) Time 3hrs 30mins to 5hrs 30mins

Route summary A big and varied ride, taking in some quality singletrack over all three hills and some beautiful views across the North Downs Start/ inish Shere village car park (grid ref TQ 073/480, postcode GU5 9HF)

Ride south, through the village, then go right on Pathfields Road. Keep ahead on the bridleway and left at all the junctions, heading uphill to the road. Go left, then right over the bridge and right on the bridleway beside the railway. Bear right at the houses, then left. Cruise downhill and keep ahead as it becomes tarmac. Continue straight on, on the bridleway, when the road bears right.

Keep left at the fork (by a house). Proceed uphill, keeping ahead to a road. Go left, then right at the T-junction, uphill. Turn left shortly after, onto some singletrack at the top (before a descent and road). Follow this parallel, then join it, on the right. Keep right at the fork, drop to Walking Bottom car park and go right on the road into Peaslake.

Go right by Peaslake Village Stores and left on Radnor Road, heading uphill. Bear left on a rough track that crosses the road, to a reservoir. Follow the forest track parallel to the tarmac, keeping ahead to Holmbury Hill. Go left then right on the Yoghurt Pots trail, into the trees. Turn right at the bottom and right at the fork immediately after, then left on some singletrack, following the telegraph lines. Keep ahead over two forest tracks (or alternatively, join a track parallel, on the left, at the second one) to a junction by Hurtwood car park and turn right, then left at the T-junction. Descend to a road and go right on this, through Holmbury St Mary, before taking the first left (Pasture Wood Road). Shortly after, turn o right onto the Greensand Way bridleway when the road bears left.

Follow this trail straight ahead, bear right at a wide T-junction, then left to meet a road. Cross it, keeping right, climb uphill and turn left just past Leith Tower to join the (signposted) Summer Lightning trail. Follow this to the end, at Wolvens Lane, and go left on the tarmac. Take the singletrack on the left, until you see a bridleway on the right (easy to miss). Take this, then go right on a driveway, to the A25.

Proceed left, then go right on Balchins Lane, and left on a bridleway. Keep ahead at a track crossing, then right at a fork, then right again at another track crossing. Cruise past the railway, heading uphill. Go left at the top, along to a road and right on it, then left at the car park, onto a bridleway. Follow this, keeping straight ahead, along the top of the hill, and join the North Downs Way (NDW).

Keep ahead on the NDW until you pass Hollister Farm (stables) and turn left on a bridleway just past here, by the bins. Continue downhill, taking care on the roots. Just before the road beyond the wooden bollard, join the rutted track that heads down to the left. Go under the road, back to the car park, to finish.