Box Hill is the great chalk lump south of Leatherhead, where the River Mole cuts through the North Downs and leaves a steep slope of box trees, yews and wildflower grassland on one side. The box trees give the hill its name, and it is one of the few places in Britain where they grow wild. The National Trust looks after much of it. Down by the river at Burford Bridge, the poet John Keats finished his poem Endymion in 1817, and Jane Austen set the famously awkward picnic in Emma on the hill.
Riders know it for the zig-zag road, a set of nine or so hairpins that climbs the northern slope in a long series of bends. It was a part of the 2012 Olympic cycling road race, and ever since it has been busy with cyclists, especially at weekends, so ride it with respect. The road is smooth and well graded, the bends are open enough to see through, and the view from the top car park over the Weald is wide and calm. It is a good road to ride slowly and well, and it rewards a smooth line more than speed.
The café at the top has been a meeting place for bikers for decades, and on Sunday mornings dozens of machines line up there, from vintage Triumphs to modern sports bikes. It is a good place to look at other people's bikes, drink tea and trade stories. Police patrols and speed checks are common, and noise complaints from residents have led to a firmer line on loud exhausts, so keep it civil. Wet leaves in autumn can make the bends greasy.
Dorking, about three kilometres away, has fuel stations, supermarkets and pubs, and Great Bookham has a few more. If you want a quiet visit, come on a weekday or at dawn, when the mist lies in the valley below and the box trees smell sharp and green. Put your bike on its stand, walk a few hundred yards on the path along the ridge, and you will feel a long way from London.