Wonderful Westhumble

The qaint little railway station of Box Hill and Westhumble

On the weekend Kevin and I headed towards Dorking for our Saturday walk. We have passed by the village of Westhumble many times en route to Dorking and I have longed to explore it on foot, the quaint little railway station and beautiful surrounding countryside having piqued my interest on every occasion.

The station is now an unmanned one, and some enterprising party has in recent years taken over the station house and turned it into a bicycle shop and cafe - genius to take advantage of the burgeoning interest in the sport since the 2012 Olympics. 

Westhumble lies at the foot of renowned Box Hill, nestled in the beautiful North Downs of Surrey. Just up the hill from the station is a rather lovely stone gate, marking the entry to one of the most grand local properties which was recently on the market for £3.5 million. 

Immediately adjacent the gate is a sweet little brick building which was once a mere outbuilding belonging to Westhumble Church, but at some point it was converted into a 'chapel of ease' - a building within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the main parish church conveniently. 

Entry to the Chapel of Ease

Westhumble is an utterly charming village with quiet lanes and gorgeous homes - ranging from the humble cottage to the grand mansion. Every single dwelling has a quintessentially English name - Mulberry Cottage, Foxgloves, Winterberry. 

Property prices, even for fairly modest dwellings, are eye-wateringly steep. Long ago I came to terms with the fact that I'd never be able to afford a Surrey country cottage, but it doesn't stop me wishing and hoping for some kind of miracle to alter that fact! And like Andie in John Hughes' 80s masterpiece Pretty In Pink, I am compelled to wonder if the lucky inhabitants do actually appreciate how fortunate they are to live in such lovely homes, in such a beautiful area.

One of these mews houses would do me very nicely, thanks

After our ramble we forced ourselves to take lunch at the local pub, which was very nice decor-wise but the food was nothing special, and not cheap. All the same we enjoyed coming in from the cold and would happily visit again for a drink.

View over Denbies Vineyard

View towards Box Hill

What a pleasant way to spend Saturday afternoon. As much as we are enjoying living in Epsom, I do pine for the countryside and the luxury of being able to go on a ramble without having to first drive somewhere.

Until next time,
- Maree  xo