Experience Wonderful Surrey

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
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The county of Surrey in the south-eastern part of Britain is ideally located, connecting London and all its sights and sounds with the rich, green, quintessentially English countryside of the Home Counties.

Though close enough to the urban sprawl of the capital, in and around Surrey you''ll find so many quaint, calm locations where you can appreciate and enjoy the quietude of the country. Wisley Garden for instance contains over two hundred acres of plants as well as the world''s largest bookstore on gardening. Elsewhere, visit the Painshill Landscape Garden and you can witness a captivating eighteenth century park which you''ll often find decorated according to different themes.

The Claremont Landscape Garden similarly has its roots in the English landscape gardening movement of the eighteenth century. Iconic figures such as Vanbrugh, Bridgman and Capability Brown all influenced its development. Polesden Lacey meanwhile is another highlight, a villa dating back to the Regency period surrounded by a beautiful park complete with immaculate lawns and a rose garden.

Nearby you''ll find the incredible facade ...
... of the Hampton Court Palace, Henry VIII''s vast red-brick Tudor palace set in extensive gardens beside the River Thames. Take a walk through the hedge maze which many visitors contend with throughout the year, and explore thee state apartments with work by the great architect Christopher Wren and carvings by Grinling Gibbons. You could even go ghost-hunting, as the spirit of Henry''s fifth wife Catherine Howard is said to haunt the grounds.

Elsewhere, a visit to Kew Gardens nearby is well worth the trip. There you''ll find three hundred beautiful acres in a former royal park, with sights such as the wonderful glass-made Palm House as well as other Victorian greenhouses which contain a wide range of exotic plants from all over the globe for you to take a look at.

At the Epsom Downs Racecourse you can join the crowds and watch the horse-racing as man have done since it first opened over two hundred years ago. The Derby is the race calendar''s key event at Epsom, so if you head there in early June you could even find yourself mingling with high society while you watch the horses.

There is a good variety of accommodation on offer all around the region. You''ll find good, often modestly portioned family bed and breakfast accommodation as well as top quality hotels. You''ll certainly be able to find a good base for your vacation, whether you want to explore the countryside or pay a visit to the capital.

Surrey is home to so many of England''s true delights, and if you pay a visit to the county you are sure to see exactly why. Bonny Kominek is a freelance travel writer with a love of the English countryside. They recommend Octopus Travel for Surrey hotels.