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A wonderful place to explore

Your guide to , and the South East Key Guildford facts Key Guildford facts

34 70,000+ 240+ MINUTES POPULATION RETAILERS TO BY RAIL

100+ 27 PLACES MILES FROM THREE TO EAT LONDON THEATRES AND DRINK BY ROAD

35 50 MINUTE DRIVE MINUTE DRIVE TO LONDON ONE TO THE CASTLE GATWICK SOUTH COAST AIRPORT

30 MINUTE DRIVE £36M ONE TO LONDON WORLD CLASS TOP TEN HEATHROW SPORTS PARK UNIVERSITY AIRPORT

2 A wonderful place to explore University of Introduction Practicalities

The best of South of UK both worlds London

Guildford The sits in bustling Guildford, in the heart of South East .

The town of Surrey, Guildford offers a vibrant blend of entertainment, culture and history and was named as one of 2014’s Best Places to Live in Britain by The Sunday Times. Just ten minutes’ stroll from campus, the town is an attractive, affluent and Location of Guildford in conjunction with London appealing location to live and work.

A relaxed campus University combined with the amenities of a lively town on your doorstep? At Surrey, you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

Easy A walkable Come to reach town and stay

Adjacent to the A3 main road and Once you’re in Guildford, the A warm, friendly, safe place on the direct railway line between University is only ever a short walk in which to live and work, London Waterloo and , away. A frequent bus service also Guildford also offers plenty Guildford is easily accessed by links the town with the University of accommodation options for both car and train. It’s also less campus and runs late into the friends and family who come than 35 minutes from each of the night, perfect for keen shoppers to visit. From comfortable bed UK’s two largest international and weary revellers alike. and breakfasts to hotels and airports, Heathrow and Gatwick. countryside escapes, there are arrivabus.co.uk All this makes the town easy to lots of places to stay, whatever reach for students and visitors the budget. alike, as well as a great base from visitsurrey.com which to explore further afield.

nationalrail.co.uk

4 A wonderful place to explore University of Surrey 5 Arts and culture Socialising and shopping

Cultural delights

Culturally, Guildford offers plenty to explore – including the £26 million entertainment venue, which plays host to music, comedy and theatre. The town is also home to a range of events throughout the year, from the Guildford Book Festival to the Surrey County Show. GuilFest is the town’s independent music and arts festival, offering a summer weekend’s entertainment to up to 20,000 partygoers each day.

Guildford is also home to Eat, drink the renowned Theatre (one of the country’s and be merry leading regional theatre venues), hosts an annual Fringe Festival, and even has its own .co.uk Guildford offers over 100 places to eat Shakespeare company. glive.co.uk and drink, with a variety of restaurants and eateries – from the budget-friendly to the cool An Odeon cinema shows the guildfordbookfestival.co.uk and upmarket – sitting alongside cosy , latest film releases, while the stylish bars and lively clubs. The range of is one of a surreycountyshow.co.uk coffee shops and cafes around the town range of smaller music venues, electrictheatre.co.uk provide an alternative to those on campus, art galleries and performance whether you’re socialising outside in the sun spaces that populate the streets guildfordfringe.com or looking for somewhere warm to chat and of Guildford and ensure that guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk study in the months. you’re never short of options for entertainment. yvonne-arnaud.co.uk experienceguildford.co.uk

6 A wonderful place to explore University of Surrey 7 Socialising and shopping Sport, exercise and activities

A shopper’s paradise Fantastic facilities Guildford’s cobbled high street is home to some of the best shopping in the region – over £900 million is spent on the street each year, in its range of stores and independent boutiques. The town also boasts three shopping There are boundless opportunities centres and a variety of markets, including a monthly farmers market to get out and exercise in Guildford stocked with local foods and produce. – notably at the University’s own exceptional Surrey Sports Park. experienceguildford.co.uk One of Europe’s premier sites for sport, health, wellbeing and leisure, the Sports Park is a £36 million development that will excite anyone with a sporting interest.

surreysportspark.co.uk

surrey.ac.uk/virtualtour/sports

Activities Sport around in the town Guildford

Aside from the Sports Park, In and around Guildford you there are plenty of ways to be can find a huge range of sports active in and around Guildford. teams and clubs, including rugby, From the new treetop Wild Wood , athletics, (the first aerial adventure course, which known record of the sport comes pits you against rope bridges from Guildford), , golf, and zip wires high up in the tennis and more. There’s even a trees, to the ice skating, tenpin dry ski slope. All this complements bowling, swimming pool and the University’s own vast range of gym at , there’s sport and exercise facilities, to suit always something new to discover. even the most eclectic of tastes.

guildfordspectrum.co.uk sportguildford.co.uk

wildwood-adventure.com ccski.co.uk

8 A wonderful place to explore University of Surrey 9 Out and about Out and about

Parks and Guildford green spaces Castle

Lanes and side streets wind around Guildford, Offering panoramic views for miles around from revealing parks, waterways and even a 900 the top of its Great Tower, and year-old castle. The runs through the its grounds are a popular attraction for visitors and heart of the town and offers boating and rowing, residents alike. An atmospheric ruin, the castle has as well as scenic walks along its banks. On the been partially restored and was first opened to the edge of town you’ll find Stoke Park, a Green Flag public in 1888. The gardens provide the town centre’s award-winning park with woodland areas, formal main park, famous for their colourful floral displays gardens, tennis courts and sports pitches. and unique character.

guildford.gov.uk/castle

10 A wonderful place to explore University of Surrey 11 Map Map

Guildford and the surrounding area

1 Boileroom 27 Gardens Close up of Guildford Key Indicates the Guildford 2 Electric Theatre 8 area on the map 28 Legoland 5 12 University of Surrey 3 Friary Centre University 13 29 London (Eurostar) of Surrey 10 11 1 16 4 G Live 4 30 National Park 6 3

5 Guildford Lido 14 31 9 31 2

6 Guildford Station 17 7 32 Portsmouth 26 41 29 28 24 42 27 Royal Horticultural 7 Guildford Castle 15 34 33 39 Society Garden, 33 37 40 Guildford Sandown Park 8 19 20 22 34 Spectrum Racecourse 38 21 South Downs 9 High Street 35 36 23 National Park

London Road 10 36 Stonehenge Station

35 11 Odeon Cinema 37 25 30 18 32 12 River Wey 38

13 Stoke Park 39

14 Surrey Sports Park 40 Olympic Park

Chessington World 15 Surrey Hills 16 University of Surrey 18 20 of Adventures 21 Dover 23 25 41

Hampton Court 17 Yvonne Arnaud 19 20 Twickenham 22 Racecourse 24 26 42 O2 Arena Theatre Palace

20 Wimbledon

12 A wonderful place to explore University of Surrey 13 The surrounding area Surrey - key facts

POPULATION OF OVER 1 .1 M PEOPLE Delving deeper

Head outside Guildford to explore Attractive local towns and farnhamcastle.com the surrounding area and you’re abound. Some, like nearby , HOME visitsurrey.com SURREY sure to be rewarded. are so picturesque that they’ve TO , even provided the scenic backdrop surreyhills.org The University campus is IS ENGLAND’S for Hollywood movies. THE LARGEST situated within sight of the MOST WOODED beautiful Surrey Hills, a designated The area around Guildford is VINEYARD COUNTY Area of Outstanding Natural also packed with history. From IN THE UK Beauty. Dotted with pretty country Castle, built in 1138, pubs, local vineyards and National to the spectacular stately homes Trust sites, the Hills encompass of , Clandon Park acres of rolling countryside that and , there are can be explored on foot or constant reminders of the area’s AT by bicycle. rich heritage. 294M ABOVE SEA LEVEL, SURREY’S IS THE HIGHEST POINT IN SOUTH-EAST ENGLAND

THE LONDON HOME TO THE 2012 OLYMPICS WORLD’S FIRST VISITED SURREY, PURPOSE-BUILT MOST NOTABLY IN THE CYCLING RACE CIRCUIT, ROAD RACE AT BROOKLANDS VIA BOX HILL

14 A wonderful place to explore University of Surrey 15 Introduction to Surrey Arts, culture and heritage

Elegance and energy

Nestled in the prosperous South East of England, Surrey is quintessential England – from the picturesque countryside and rolling hills to the pretty villages and historic market towns that dot the county.

Amid all the beauty, though, beats a vibrant economic and cultural heart. Thanks to Surrey’s proximity to London and outstanding connections to the rest of the region, it has long Close A literary been established as one of the most affluent and successful to nature heritage in England.

In Surrey, you can find the An array of famous authors have world’s largest collection of living lived and worked in Surrey over A historic plants – over 30,000 of them, the centuries. Here are just a few: at the world-famous Royal Botanic • J. M. Barrie county Gardens in Kew. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the gardens are • over 250 years old and one of • Surrey is rich in heritage and the region’s most popular • culture. Similar to Guildford and tourist attractions. its surrounding area, the county • Sir Surrey is also home to the Royal is replete with historic properties Horticultural Society gardens in • – with spectacular Hampton Wisley and to the British Wildlife Court Palace chief among them. • E. M. Forster Centre, which is appropriate, Such royal connections run deep given that it’s England’s most • in Surrey; the county was also the wooded county. site of the signing of the Magna • Carta, at in 1215. britishwildlifecentre.co.uk • E. H. Shepherd hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace kew.org • Alfred Lord Tennyson

nationaltrust.org.uk/runnymede rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley • H. G. Wells

16 A wonderful place to explore University of Surrey 17 The local economy Sport, exercise and activities

Home to business A sporting heritage Thrilling Surrey

More organisations and companies have their Surrey is blessed with notable sporting venues. At the other end of the spectrum to the lanes and headquarters in Surrey than any other county in the can be found at Sandown Park and at fields of rural Surrey, the county is home to two of UK, from non-governmental organisations like World Epsom (home to the world-famous ), the Oval the UK’s biggest theme parks: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) UK to multinational giants like hosts international cricket and the headquarters of Adventures and Thorpe Park. Thrill-seekers can also , McLaren, , , , and of PGA European Tour golf are at . explore the high-octane side of life at Mercedes-Benz Procter & Gamble. As such, Surrey boasts outstanding World, which offers off-roading and other activities. Just beyond the county border you can also visit the connections with industry and a thriving economy races at Ascot and tennis at Wimbledon - plus you thorpepark.com throughout the county. can enjoy major sporting events at Chelsea FC, Surrey chessington.com The proximity of such successful organisations to the Club and Twickenham, home of University opens up a range of opportunities both for Harlequins team. mercedes-benz.co.uk/days_out Professional Training placements and for potential wentworthclub.com careers upon graduation. kiaoval.com

epsomdowns.co.uk

18 A wonderful place to explore University of Surrey 19 London & London & South East England

The South East

Surrey lies in the heart of South East England, the Surrey – and Guildford in particular – is perfectly third largest region in the country and one renowned placed to take advantage of all this. Depending for its affluence and strong economy. It’s the most on which direction you head, in under 90 minutes region of England, largely thanks to its you could be basking on a Brighton beach, walking in proximity to London. the New Forest, gazing at Stonehenge, learning about the Norman invasion of 1066 in Hastings, boarding Along with Surrey, South East England encompasses a ferry in Dover, or wandering through the dreaming the counties of , , East spires of Oxford. , , , and . The region packs vast variety into this space, from beautiful villages, country lanes and visitsoutheastengland.com ancient cathedral cities to the seaside resorts, white cliffs and maritime legacy of the south coast. visitengland.com

20 A wonderful place to explore University of Surrey 21 London & South East England London & South East England

Chelsea

London

And then there’s London. One of History Museum and the National This diversity is found in the the world’s most visited cities, the Gallery, while the Royal Opera day-to-day pleasures of the city, historic, diverse, vibrant delights House, Wembley Stadium and O2 too. From greasy spoon cafes to of the capital are easily accessible arena regularly host major events. glamorous restaurants, covered – just 34 minutes’ train journey markets to high-class , O2 Arena Serpentine Bridge in Hyde Park As much interest and from Guildford train station. old-fashioned pubs to fashionable enjoyment is to be found in Whether heading up for a show, clubs – the possibilities are endless. simply wandering around, a sightseeing tour, a night on the exploring the city’s spectacular And through it all runs the ‘liquid town or a spur-of-the-moment day variety. Gentrified areas like history’ of the Thames river, its trip, Guildford is an ideal base for Chelsea and Mayfair are banks home to attractions new exploring the city. juxtaposed with the creative and old, from the Houses of The list of attractions in the capital edge of Camden and Shoreditch, Parliament and to the is as long as it is familiar. Royal nightlife buzzes in Soho and artistic , home to the and historic sites abound, from , and the wheels National Theatre, , Abbey and St Paul’s of government and business turn museum and Cathedral to the in Westminster and the Square Shakespeare’s Globe. and Palace. Art and Mile. If it all gets too much, you culture is packed into every corner can always escape to the green timeout.com/london of the city, most notably in the spaces of , grand exhibitions of the Natural Hyde Park or . visitlondon.com Tower of London Tate Modern

22 A wonderful place to explore University of Surrey 23 Visit: surrey.ac.uk

University of Surrey Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK T: +44 (0)1483 681 681 E: [email protected]

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press (June 2014). The University undertakes all reasonable steps to provide the services described in this guide but reserves the right, however, to introduce changes to the information given. Should industrial action or circumstances beyond the control of the University interfere with its ability to provide services, the University undertakes to use all reasonable steps to minimise any resultant disruption. Please refer to our website for up-to-date information.

June 2014