Holmbury Hill

Holmbury Hill

Holmbury Hill is a 261 m sandstone hill in the Surrey Hills. Woodland paths lead to views over the Weald and the earthworks of Holmbury Camp, an Iron Age hillfort. The precise high ground is northwest of the stone structure, rather than the viewpoint itself.

Summit

DoBIH records the high ground 10 m northwest of a stone structure at TQ 10386 42959. A grassy path junction 110 m northwest is almost as high. The toposcope and memorial are landmarks, not a surveyed trig-point summit.

Routes

Holmbury Hill and Holmbury St Mary from Hurtwood car park 1 (circuit)

Start and finish at Hurtwood car park 1 on Radnor Road, TQ098431. Take woodland tracks past the pond, descend steeply to The Glade and Holmbury St Mary, then climb via Holmbury Hill Road, the cricket ground and the Greensand Way to the fort and toposcope. From the memorial seat take the left-hand path over the earthworks, follow the escarpment, pass the pond and shallow gully, and return to car park 1. Friends of the Hurtwood gives 3 miles (about 4.83 km) and 1¾ hours for this complete circuit; no ascent total is supplied. It reaches the hilltop viewpoint but does not explicitly identify the precise natural high point 10 m northwest of the stone structure. Check forestry notices and car-park gates.

Terrain and safety

Unsurfaced woodland tracks, heathland and steep slopes. The described village circuit has a steep wooded descent and a sustained climb; paths can become muddy and slippery.

Rough paths, roots, steep slopes and mud can make footing difficult, especially in wet weather. Trails are shared with cyclists and horse riders. Follow forestry notices, keep clear of machinery and keep dogs under control. Follow the Hurtwood Code: no fires, barbecues or camping. Check local notices; this page does not certify current access or gate status.

Access and facilities

The described circuit uses Hurtwood car park 1 on Radnor Road near Peaslake, TQ098431. Check the gate and local notices before travelling; a parking space or an open gate is not guaranteed.

The hilltop area has a toposcope, memorial seat and interpretation boards. Village refreshments require a separate opening check. No on-hill café or toilet service has been established by this review.

Geology and history

BGS 1:50,000 mapping places the summit in Early Cretaceous Hythe Formation sandstone. This is generalized bedrock mapping, not an identification of every exposed rock. The earlier Triassic attribution was incorrect.

Holmbury Camp is a scheduled Iron Age hillfort, National Heritage List entry 1013183. Multiple earthworks survive above the Weald. Published accounts disagree about its precise chronology and first excavation date, so those dates are not asserted here.

Views

The hilltop and escarpment overlook the Weald. Distant views depend on visibility.