Norbury Park

A historic estate with diverse habitats, offering scenic walks and rich biodiversity.

Nestled between Leatherhead and Dorking in the heart of the Mole Valley, Norbury Park is one of Surrey’s most diverse and accessible wildlife reserves. Managed in part by Surrey Wildlife Trust, the park blends ancient woodland, chalk grassland, and the River Mole’s meandering course through dramatic valleys. With historic footpaths and changing elevations, Norbury Park is a FeatherFrame favourite for mixed-habitat storytelling and close encounters with woodland birds, river species, and seasonal change.

Woodland Birds, River Scenes, and Landscape Variety

Norbury Park’s wide variety of microhabitats offers something in every season. Kingfishers and grey wagtails frequent the Mole’s banks, while the woods echo with woodpeckers, nuthatches, and treecreepers. You’ll find butterflies and orchids in sunlit glades, and views from the chalk slopes above the valley make for stunning landscape backdrops. FeatherFrame photographers recommend this site for its flexibility—whether you’re chasing fast-moving birds or composing peaceful woodland layers, Norbury Park delivers depth.

Best Times to Visit:

  • Spring: Bluebells, nesting birds, and river reflections

  • Summer: Dragonflies, chalk grassland bloom, and butterfly trails

  • Autumn: Rich leaf colour, fungi, and wildlife preparing for winter

  • Winter: Frosted branches, low light through trees, and minimalism along the river

Plan Your Visit

  • Parking at Young Street or Fetcham car park (KT22 9BS)

  • Well-established footpaths with varied elevation—good walking shoes essential

  • Best gear: 300mm+ for birds, wide-angle for woodland and river scenes, macro for forest floor detail

  • FeatherFrame tip: walk slowly along the river trail in the morning—early light hits the bank-side trees and kingfishers are most active just after dawn

Did you know?

Norbury Park’s ancient woodlands have been continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD, forming part of one of the oldest ecosystems in Surrey. These long-standing habitats support specialist lichens, fungi, and insects rarely found in secondary woodlands. FeatherFrame includes Norbury Park to honour both its scenic diversity and the quiet resilience of its ancient roots.