Dorking - Word on the street
Word On The Street: Dorking
16 May 2008
I have been visiting here most of my life...
...My ancestors lived in Betchworth since early 1800s.
There is so much to be said for Dorking - the beautiful endless and ever changing scenery created by nature, often inspiring artists and writers and great walking trails to discover.
Spring is maybe the best time to be in Dorking, with the lambs and new calves frolicking in the fields. Every trail is guided by the gentle tinkling of the winding river Mole. There are also great hills to climb including Box Hill.
Dorking is also great for eating out, with a great selection of traditional pubs and a variety of eateries. There are a number of olde worlde villages to explore and you find yourself approaching the Sussex Downs and border villages quite easily. Dorking also has good rail transport links.
Paula
Word On The Street: Dorking
15 January 2007
I visited Dorking in 2006 and found it a truly amazing place ...
... The people were all very smart, polite and smiled at you in the street. The shops are great, particularly the abundance of antiques shops, where all dealers were very professional. Unfortunately, didn't get the chance to visit any pubs or restaurants in the town, but did pop in to a cafe, where the owners were very friendly and helpful.
Very interested to note that property is very good value for money, unlike Cornwall (where I live) which is a complete rip off! The traffic on the other hand is a problem. Maybe because we arrived during the rush hour and the M25 was clogged! Still, will definitely visit again and see the surrounding countryside.
Tracey Platt
Word On The Street: Dorking
04 December 2006
Moved to Dorking 6 months ago from London - it has far exceeded our expectations and is a great place to live ...
... Everyone is friendly and there are decent pubs, the surrounding hills are really special and the commute to London has been surprising pleasant (guaranteed a seat everyday as the train starts in Dorking).
P Jones
Word On The Street: Dorking
01 June 2006
One of the prettiest towns in Surrey ...
... Dorking has it all - a new sports centre, a new state of the art medical surgery, a cinema, Dorking Halls (which holds concerts, hosts comedians, plays etc.), independent shops with a few of the chains thrown in for good measure (M&S, Waitrose, Boots, Superdrug, Woolworths, Carphone Warehouse etc.), decent pubs (NO Wetherspoons, Yates, All Bar One etc.) and a mixture of restaurants (from Indian to Thai to Italian).
Beautiful countryside surrounds Dorking - Ranmore Common, Box Hill and Denbies, which is the biggest vineyard in England at 250 acres. So much to do and London, Guildford and Brighton are easy to get to by car and train.
Word On The Street: Dorking
15 May 2006
I do not live in Dorking, but just love to visit it, as it has remained unique ...
... Not like all the other high streets nowadays. Long may it retain this feature. I love the antique shops, pubs and restaurants - there's endless choice.
Dorking Halls has an endless supply of entertainment and is so well kept. I thoroughly enjoy going to the Watermill Pub on Reigate Road - beautiful countryside views from the back of this pub.
Word On The Street: Dorking
30 June 2005
A pretty, friendly market town with good enough shops and restaurants for day to day needs...
Property holds its price well and local state schools are very good. Suitable for families and also the elderly, as Dorking is very compact. Teenagers and young adults might find it rather dull - although there is a cinema, sports centre, swimming pool and plenty of hills for mountain biking and walking. The larger towns of Crawley, Horsham, Kingston and Guildford are all only half an hour away.
Word On The Street: Dorking
24 May 2005
This delightfully small and homely market town is full of history and culture...
I have lived here for 21 years and everyone is very friendly. St. Martins church is especially interesting to visit with its beautiful spire that towers many feet into the air. This town is perfect - I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
Word on the Street: Dorking
31 March 2004
A beautiful town that is situated in the Surrey Hills...
Dorking is a real 'market town' that has not been spoilt by big, out of town developments. There are traditional farmers' markets twice a month and a good array of independent shops. Restaurants range from Thai to Italian to Chinese - there are so many to choose from! The pubs again have not been spoilt like in towns nearby. They are traditional, very friendly and some date back from the 14th century (The Kings Arms on West Street).
The villages which surround the town (Brockham, Betchworth, Mickleham etc.) are all very quaint and belong in a chocolate box. All in all, thanks to the tight planning restrictions of Mole Valley, Dorking remains a town that has character and therefore it thankfully does not look like every stereotypical High Street!
Word on the Street: Dorking
23 March 2004
Moved to Dorking a year ago...
Waited for over a year to find the right house but it was worth the wait.
Nice High Street with good shops and some new ones on the way.
Lots of restaurants, you can eat in a different one every night of the week if you want to.
The train service to London is OK but it is a little slow. Good road links to Guildford and the M25. Good for Gatwick airport and you can't hear the planes!
Nice countryside all around the town.
Dorking seems to have kept the small town charm but is still close enough to London to enable you to commute.
Word on the Street: Dorking
21 October 2003
Lived here 13 years...
Top quality schools make this great for famillies, and fast train links to Waterloo and Victoria make it accessable for professionals. Corporate-free high street with pretty shops in this original market town attract visitors from around the world. Short walk from Denbies Vineyard - very beautiful. Guildford is 18 minutes away by train for good nightlife and more mainstream shopping.
Word on the Street: Dorking
01 October 2003
Dorking is one of the prettiest towns to live in in Surrey...
It is surrounded by loads of green belt land (Leith Hill, Ranmore Common, Box Hill etc.). The shops are mostly independent retailers and they really value your custom! Plenty of excellent restaurants and pubs to choose from and there is also a cinema, theatre (Dorking Halls) and a brand new state of the art sports centre/swimming pool.
The schools are first class and there are also three train stations in Dorking. Guildford is only a twenty minute drive, Brighton is forty minutes away and London is only fifty minutes by train. All in all, I truly recommend Dorking as a wonderful place to live!
Word on the Street: Dorking
11 November 2002
Dorking is a great place to live...
A good balance of shops, some very good restaurants and a very pleasant small town field. It's easy to get around with it having 3 stations and easy access to the M25.
The only problems are as follows:
Traffic can be a nightmare as the main one way system is through very old, narrow streets. If I'm not out of my house by 7.30am it can often take 10 mins just to get onto the one way system! If the nearby M25 ever gets shut then forget about it!
TV reception is rather poor. A combination of big hills, lots of trees and a rather ancient small transmitter means that if you live in certain areas then goodbye to digital TV unless you get a dish.
Other than that - a top place!
Word on the Street: Dorking
07 August 2002
There is so much to do in Dorking...
Shopping is a pleasant and unhurried experience. It is a surprisingly large town which is inundated with great restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and pubs. It is a beautiful town which has not been spoilt like its neighbours Redhill and Leatherhead.
The Surrey Hills can been seen from all around the town. Ranmore Common and Box Hill are also close by. Dorking is also conveniently located for the M25, Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, London and the Coast.
The primary and secondary schools are also very good.
Word on the Street: Dorking
05 July 2002
Dorking is a first class place to live...
The town centre is beautiful. If you are after antiques try West Street. The High Street has a mixture of pubs, restaurants, two butcher shops, WHSmith, Boots, novelty shops etc.
The town also boasts the recently refurbished Dorking Halls. Recent acts to have played there are Bill Wyman, Mary Black, David Essex. The Halls also hosts ballets, comedians, talks etc. It also a cinema with one screen which plays up to date films.
The town is a lively, friendly market town. There are numerous pubs situated in the town which cater to everyone's taste. The restaurants are great. There are so many to choose from.
Finally, what makes Dorking such a special place is the abundance of the Green Belt. Denbies is on the doorstep. This a vineyard which is open to the public. It is set in 200 acres. It has a lovely restaurant and offers tours. There are numerous walks and places of special interest like Box Hill, Leith Hill and Ranmore Common.
By the way, London is only forty five minutes by train. Guildford, Horsham and Epsom are also very close by.
Word on the Street: Dorking
03 May 2002
Traditional market town; friendly community...
Great for families and the elderly, less so for young adults. Lovely countryside close by. Excellent schools and employment possibilities. Commuting to London possible but expensive and tedious. House prices high but no indication that they will drop.
Word on the Street: Dorking
27 March 2002
A delightful market town close to the Surrey Hills and within a short drive of London, major airports and the ports....
Excellent schools and motorway/rail links. Small individual shops, good entertainment at Dorking Halls. Plenty of green space and a variety of good restaurants.
Word on the Street: Dorking
04 February 2002
Nice, well balanced town with great countryside surroundings...
Great range of pubs and restaurants. Strangely, has 3 stations but service to London is slow and dreadful. Signs that commercialism is starting to take its toll. Large Sainsburys is due so how long before the reps from McDonalds start eyeing up property?
Word on the Street: Dorking
09 August 2001
Fantastic...
Brilliant countryside excellent for walking and mountain biking. Nice pubs and not bad restuarants.
Word on the Street: Dorking
07 August 2001
Dorking is a small town, it has lovely surroundings...
I have lived in Dorking all my life and I feel it's a very conservative area. It's close to the main railway line to London. The only thing Dorking needs is a nightclub for people to go after drinking to stop people causing trouble when the pubs close.
Word on the Street: Dorking
26 July 2001
Very nice in the town...
...and beautiful countryside around the outskirts and surrounding villages.
Service to London stations (Victoria and Waterloo) from central station is slow and gets crowded by the time you get close to London - however, getting on at Dorking means you will get a seat.
Word on the Street: Dorking
22 May 2001
Small town...
...but has surprisingly everything you could ever want to buy.
They have a market every Friday and once a month a farmers market.
A new Sainsburys is planned so watch out for properties around the church.
Close to Junction 9 on the M25 (5 minutes away). Plenty of train stations (3 in all).
Word on the Street: Dorking
15 January 2001
A medium sized market town with excellent schools both primary and secondary...
A wide variety of local shops for the day to day needs and a lovely park, pond and play area. Lots for a young family to get involved in and good links to London,Guildford and Redhill. Small local hospital; nearest A & E 12 miles to Redhill or Epsom.
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