Outdoors & Nature

Ideal for a sunny day. And for a cold rainy day: "There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing".

Waterloo: Surrey, Hampshire and the New Forest by train

Box Hill in fifty minutes, Windsor and Hampton Court in less, the New Forest in an hour and a half, and the sea beyond.

Day trips by trainCountrysideSeaside

Two New Forest ponies walking across open heath in early-morning mist, silhouetted against a low sun, a line of trees behind them. — The New Forest at sunrise. Brockenhurst is an hour and a half. Photo by Joana Kruse joanaimages.com, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The east front of Hampton Court Palace across the Long Water: a pedimented centre of pale stone between red-brick wings, a fountain playing in front, and two huge clipped yews either side of it. — Hampton Court, half an hour. Photo by Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The square stone keep of Guildford Castle on its mound, with a flag on top, a path leading up past trees and a notice board on a summer day. — Guildford, the castle keep above the Wey. Photo by Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Winchester Cathedral from above: the long grey roof and squat central tower of the cathedral, with the Close's old houses and gardens in front and the town beyond. — Winchester, an hour. Photo by Tim Sheerman-Chase, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A straight gravel track across open heath in winter, brown bracken and pools of water either side, silver birches on the right and a line of pines in the distance. — Heath near Brockenhurst. Photo by Ian S, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Salisbury Cathedral's tall spire rising above trees at the far side of a meadow, seen through tall grass under a blue summer sky. — Salisbury, from the meadows south of the city. Photo by Richard Avery, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Salisbury Cathedral's spire beyond a flat green meadow, seen over a wooden five-bar gate in a field fence, with bare trees framing the view. — The Harnham water meadows, Constable's view of the spire. Photo by Michael Dibb, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The standing stones of Stonehenge under a grey sky: the tall trilithons with their lintels, fallen stones around them, on a green plain with a few visitors at the far side. — Stonehenge, by bus from Salisbury. Photo by DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Weymouth's sandy beach curving round the bay to a seafront of Georgian terraces and hotels, a few people walking dogs on the sand in winter sun. — Weymouth, the far end of the line. Photo by Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The natural limestone arch of Durdle Door standing in a calm green sea, a small boat passing through the arch and a shingle beach in front. — Durdle Door, on the Dorset coast beyond Weymouth. Photo by Grorge formby, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The busiest station in Britain sends its trains into the best day-trip country London has: Hampton Court in half an hour, Windsor along the river, Box Hill and the Surrey Hills for the North Downs, Guildford for the Wey, and on to Winchester's cathedral in an hour, the New Forest's ponies and heath at Brockenhurst in an hour and a half, and Salisbury for Stonehenge. Further still are Portsmouth for the ferry to the Isle of Wight and the Dorset coast at Weymouth. Almost all of it is one ticket, no change, and back in time for dinner.

Where: Waterloo Road, SE1 8SW

Google Maps visitsurrey.com

Trains from early morning until after midnight

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Data is compiled from public sources including OpenStreetMap, under the ODbL. Hours change often, so check before making a journey.