After many years of partying as the clock struck midnight, I decided a change of scenery was more of the vibe I was going for this year. So, as the bells rang and the fireworks began on the TV, I found myself nestled in the heart of Surrey, England, on a three-day escape with friends.
Living in London, Surrey is only about 40 minutes away by car, making it a very quick and easy escape from the chaos of New Year's Eve in the touristy capital.
On day one, we drove to Boxhill, a place which is part of the National Trust, 'Europe's biggest conservation charity'. Once you arrive, you can pick from a wide range of trails. We were only looking to walk for around 2 hours, as we had booked a table at a nearby pub for lunch. Therefore, we went with the 'Stepping Stones Walk' - featuring great views of the villages below and varied agriculture. It was rather muddy and slippery, especially when going downhill (which is how it was for half of the route), so I would definitely recommend bringing walking boots or wellies.
Then, we got back in the car and drove to The Watermill - a pub dating back to the 1930s which is surrounded by the Surrey hills. It's a traditional English pub, which includes seasonal specials as well as Sunday Roasts.
After a filling lunch here, we drove to a nearby big Sainsbury's to purchase some food for the next three days, as we were aware the cottage was kind of in the middle of nowhere.
Then, in the early evening, we finally arrived at our Airbnb - https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1037438064067838562?adults=1&children=0&enable_m3_private_room=true&infants=0&pets=0&check_in=2024-01-04&check_out=2024-01-09&source_impression_id=p3_1704210573_gXwZSyDlEjPK8n4t&previous_page_section_name=1000&federated_search_id=9a1a5e25-64f5-4256-82a7-8ca46277550f&modal=PHOTO_TOUR_SCROLLABLE
AND it looked exactly like the pictures online.
Within the picturesque town of Albury, Surrey, we had found this charming and quaint cottage that seemed to have stepped right out of the film "The Holiday". Much of our trip actually resembled the scenes from the movie, from driving down the narrow country lanes to staying in a place with the backdrop of lush greenery. What's more, our cottage was actually only a 5 minute drive from the little village called Shere, where Jude Law and Cameron Diaz actually wined and dined in the film.
It was the perfect place to be for a quiet New Year's Eve. We ushered in the beginning of 2024 by roasting marshmallows with the outdoor fire (slightly didn't go to plan due to the rain), playing various games, eating food bits and bobs that we'd prepared from our shop, having chats and laughs, and doing a midnight toast once the clock struck midnight.
On day two, after having breakfast in the cottage, we walked into Shere Town (which took around 35-40 mins). In the town there are lots of small gift shops to explore, and also cosy little cafes where you can get a hot chocolate or coffee. The walking route we took to get to the village was a footpath which we had found through Google Maps. We also ate in the White Horse, a pub known for its feature in "The Holiday", as well as its historical nature as a 15th century farmhouse and Grade II listed building.
Then, we returned to the cottage for another quiet night in of games, films and chats. The next morning we, once again, ate a homemade breakfast, before having to say goodbye to the tranquillity of the countryside. From seeing horses outside our window to breathing in the fresh country air, we were not too keen on returning to busy city life.
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