Denbies Wine Estate

About
Gallery
Parking
Poo bins?
Self-guided walk

About

Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking is one of England’s largest single estate vineyards. The estate is independently owned and run. 265 of its 380 acres are currently under vine and it has a production capacity of 1 million bottles. The first vines were planted on the estate in 1986. In 2024, Denbies was the first UK vineyard to be awarded carbon net zero status, reflecting its ongoing commitment to sustainable and responsible wine production.

As well as the vineyard and gift shop, the estate is home to a number of businesses, including the Chimney Fire coffee roastery, the Surrey Hills Brewery, a farm shop, a wellbeing company and Just Pedal, from which you can hire bikes. There’s also a coffee shop and a coffee hatch for those or us with dogs (as dogs are not allowed inside the buildings).

Denbies is a working vineyard so please take care at all times. It’s private land but walkers are welcome. Keep dogs on lead and pick up after them – there are loads of bins and you could land yourself a £1,000 fine if you don’t.

This really simple route includes the Surrey Hills Arts Inspiring Views ‘Radius‘ artwork by artist James Tunnard. Made from locally sourced oak, the ‘undulating curves of this sculptural seat reflect the shapes of the surrounding hills and valleys as well as the radial symmetries of growth found in trees and other plant life’. Oh.

My photos totally don’t do this justice. I will return to this page later in the year with some better shots.

Parking

Park in the Denbies Wine Estate car park at the end of Bradley Lane. Parking is free.

WHAT3WORDs: https://w3w.co/tapes.risks.birds

GOOGLEMAPS LINK: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Nkoun8rQJTqF2hW5A

NEAREST POSTCODE: RH5 6AA

Poo bins?

Quite a few dotted around the main vineyard and car park. Please make use of them.

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Self-guided walk

Here is a Footpath app route from Denbies car park. Also on AllTrails. It’s a really simple loop up and along the top edge of the vineyard, then down one side. You then pick up the new Leith Hill Greenway, which takes you into the vineyard and back to the start.

Length: approximately 2.5 miles/4km
Terrain: You start with a long, fairly gentle slope up the hills – passing ‘Radius’ – and then you head downhill again. The first half of the walk is on surfaced paths, then as you head downslope, you’ll be on gravel/mud and mud paths through the vineyard.
Stiles/kissing gates? None

Park up and, facing the main Denbies building, walk to your left towards the line of trees that skirts the grass and exit road. At these trees, turn right and walk down the side of the Denbies farm shop and visitor centre (all buildings on your right, vineyard over to your left.) You’ll also pass another car park, which is sign-posted as for residents only.

At the junction of paths with the signpost, continue straight ahead on wide surfaced path that slopes upwards. It’s steeper than it looks!

When you get to the bin (on the right), the surfaced path will snake round to the right. There is also a path continuing ahead. They ultimately end up at the same place, but the one ahead is steep (although doesn’t look it) so follow the surfaced path around to the right into the trees.

This surfaced path will be straight for a very short way, and the it’ll u-bend round to the left. Just keep on it.

When you get to the junction of paths with the signpost to the right of it, continue ahead on the surfaced path (by the way, if you look to the left here you’ll be able to see down to the car park.)

From here, it’s just straight on up the slope with trees either side.

After some way, the trees on the left will come to an end and you’re treated to a lovely view over the vineyard. Continue straight ahead.

A bit further on, there’s a really gentle gravelled path to the left that comes off the main path. It has wooden posts and fences alongside it.

This is an ‘easy access’ track to the Surrey Hills Inspiring Views ‘Radius’ artwork. Come off the main path here and go take a look at this wavy bench, which is a nice spot to have a little rest and enjoy the scenery.

When you’re done, either head up the steps just after Radius or take the easy access track back up. At the main path, turn left and continue on your way up the slope.

A bit further on, you’ll pass through massive gates – you might not notice them. Keep going. Further on again, you’ll pass through another pair of big gates.

At this point, the view to the left is replaced by trees. Keep going. There’ll be a sort of turning spot and then a tarmac path/lane up to the right. Just after this and immediately before the way ahead is blocked off by a metal fence, turn left and head down the slope.

Ignore the large gates and path to the left that you come to almost immediately. Marked private, this is Denbies land and they do allow access, but this particular walk route doesn’t take that path. Keep heading down the slope. The way is narrow.

When you get to the next (wooden) gate on the left, with a sign for Denbies (says about free parking) and a dogs on leads sign, turn left into the vineyard.

Walk straight ahead here, with trees on your left and vines on your right. This is the Leigh Hill Greenway, a link way between Box Hill and Leith Hill.

After some way, this path will bend round to the left by almost a right angle and then bend back to the right. Stay on it.

A little further on, this path turns sharply to the left again, this time taking you through the rows of vines.

The path rises up to a T-junction.

Turn right and then simply just stay on this path all the way back to the start.