Reigate and Banstead - Elevations, Landscape and Wildlife

Elevations, Landscape and Wildlife

The northern third of the borough is on the North Downs or its upper slopes. Commanding viewpoints exist in several locations in this area with the southern aspects of Colley Hill and Reigate Hill noteworthy enough to have had an major memorial and a picnic area with large café respectively. Historically much of this third was named Walton Heath and Banstead Heath. For tourists, Box Hill on the southern ridge with its visitor centre and greater than 180 degree viewpoint over the River Mole attracts higher numbers less than 3 miles (4.8 km) west along the Pilgrims' Way in Mole Valley.

The softer Greensand Ridge which is parallel to the south breaks up in the middle of the borough, forming the Redhill basin and various mounds around Reigate before continuing in both directions at higher elevations, see the Greensand Way. The Mole forms a section of the western border of the borough down to Wonham Mill at the western extreme of Flanchford in the Reigate post town, itself at a millpond at the foot of the wooded Snag Brook a tributary which rises near the A25 Dorking Road. Most of the county is Metropolitan Green Belt.

There are significant areas of forest and heath management, including five reserves within the national wildlife trust scheme: see Surrey Wildlife Trust.