Discover wine, history and culture in Dorking

When looking for a hotel in Dorking, you can take the themes of your stay into account when planning: winegrowing and local drinks, history or a visit to the market. You can choose different focuses—from guided vineyard tours and wine tastings to exhibitions and connected galleries. This makes it easier to decide which experiences interest you most.

Wine, the market and local drinks

Denbies Wine Estate offers guided vineyard tours and wine tastings featuring award-winning English wines. These include still and sparkling wines made from grapes grown on the south-facing slopes in Dorking. You can also learn more about the history of the wines on a ride on the outdoor vineyard train. The options therefore differ in focus: the vineyard tour and tasting center on wine and sampling, while the train ride focuses on wine history. Denbies Wine Estate is located at London Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6AA.

The Dorking Friday Market takes place every Friday from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm in the St Martin’s Walk car park. Stalls sell fruit, vegetables, flowers, household goods, fresh fish, cheese, meat, olives and other food. Check the current market hours before your visit, as they may change.

Real ale is also part of the local drinks selection: Surrey Hills Brewery is an independent, multi-award-winning brewery in Dorking that focuses exclusively on real ale. It currently offers eight beers, available in more than 150 pubs in the surrounding area. So alongside Denbies’ wines, beer is also a focus; the two offerings differ both in the type of drink and in the selection described.

Exhibitions and history

The Dorking Museum’s exhibitions cover the history of the region—from Cretaceous dinosaurs to William Mullins’ pilgrimage on the Mayflower. The subject matter thus spans everything from the history of the Earth to a voyage associated with the Mayflower. You can use the free Bloomberg Connects app to access the free audio guide to the collection. The exhibition themes and audio guide offer different ways to explore: you can follow the historical topics or discover the collection with the audio guide.

The South Street Caves comprise four connected galleries. The entrance is on South Street in Dorking, next to the War Memorial and opposite Waitrose; parking is available nearby. You can use these landmarks to find the entrance on the street.

Historical context

The Deepdene, including Chart Park, is a registered park and garden of special historic interest. When planning your visit, distinguish between its historical designation and public access, which is managed separately. So check in advance which access options are currently available.

Discover more destinations: Charlwood, Ewhurst, Epsom, Abinger Common, Hersham, Capel, Newchapel and Effingham.

For the main travel overview: Surrey.