Property rocks close to the Box – but choose your village with care
Prior to the summer of 2012 and the Olympic Games few people had heard of Box Hill let alone visited this National Trust site unless you were a local, fortunate enough to live on the North Downs in Surrey.
Today, however the story is very different.
- Walton on the Hill property prices up 8.27% in 5 years
- Box Hill, owned by the National Trust, featured prominently in 2012 Olympic cycling events
- Recommended as top London commuter village by Evening Standard
Ever since the infamous Zig-Zag was used as part of the 9 times loop on the Men’s long distance cycling event, Box Hill has become a national treasure.
During the week this sizeable hill retains the peace and quiet that it always enjoyed. The breath-taking views across the surrounding countryside are enjoyed by local walkers, runners and horse-riders. But come the weekend Box Hill is invaded by thousands of keen cyclists dedicated to beating their Zig-Zag personal bests.
More adventurous types use their mountain bikes to ride the off-road trails across the hill; one particularly challenging route involves dragging your two wheels up an almost vertical slope with the hope that the downhill does not result in any broken bones! Known locally as ‘soiled pants’, small groups of daredevils can be seen through the trees high above the River Mole attempting this gravity defying drop.
As reported by the BBC recently, the number of cyclists on Box Hill has increased dramatically since last summer with hundreds of thousands of cyclists now enjoying the North Downs however this volume of cyclists are having a knock-on effect, creating hazards for elderly or inexperienced drivers and environmentally impacting upon this Special Area of Conservation.
But it’s not all bad news for the residents in the area. Admittedly if you live on the main cycle route you might be a little disgruntled about its new found fame but many local villages are positively benefitting from the attention. Property hunters seeking peace and quiet need to select a village just off the main route enabling you to enjoy this outstanding area for hiking, cycling or just good old fashioned observing – without the hassle of having to fight your way down a single track road with a peloton coming the other way!
One such village which sits just a couple of miles away from the madness is Walton on the Hill boasting one of the finest golf clubs in Surrey (Walton Heath hosts one of the qualifying rounds for the US open) and open footpaths to the North Downs Way and its stunning views. It was also recently cited by the Evening Standard as a top London commuter village. Property stats according to Zoopla say that property prices are up 8.27% over the past five years here.
The area’s outstanding beauty was just one of the reasons that award-winning house builders Millgate chose Walton on the Hill as the location for their latest luxury development. Jonathan Cranley, Sales and Marketing Director for Millgate comments:
“A good number of our clients are affluent professionals who work in the city but wish to live in the countryside, surrounded by nature to relax and good schools for the children to attend. The village of Walton on the Hill is perfect for this. A great choice of local pubs and restaurants in the area coupled with a scenic undisturbed village boasting its own historic church and village pond is about as good as it gets in Surrey.”
Millgate has designed and built a collection of 6 luxury detached homes in this picturesque village. The houses are each individual but all share the distinctive quality of design and specification that is synonymous with the Millgate marque.
Prices start from £1,495,000; for more details on these luxurious country homes contact Millgate on 01189 343 344 or visit www.millgatehomes.co.uk.