North Downs

The North Downs are a long ridge of chalk hills running from Farnham in Surrey to the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent. They form the northern edge of the Weald, a landscape bounded by the South Downs to the south. Two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty cover much of the ridge: the Surrey Hills and the Kent Downs. The North Downs Way National Trail follows the crest from Farnham to Dover, offering walkers continuous views. The hills rise highest near the Surrey–Kent border, where Botley Hill reaches 270 metres above sea level. The Downs are shaped by layers of chalk laid down in a warm Cretaceous sea. Over millions of years the land was lifted and eroded, exposing the soft rock and creating steep south-facing slopes and gentler north-facing dip slopes. Rivers such as the Wey, Mole and Medway have cut valleys through the chalk, while wind gaps mark ancient water courses. The ridge is crossed by dry valleys and small heaths where sand and gravel lie near the surface. Visitors find open grassland rich in wildflowers and butterflies, patches of woodland and scrub, and long-distance paths with wide horizons. The scarp slopes carry alkaline soils that support up to forty plant species in a single square metre. Sheep and cattle grazing keep the turf short and the landscape open. From the crest there are views across the Weald to the South Downs on clear days.