Attractions and Places To See around Seale And Sands - Top 20

The picnic area at the Devil's Punch Bowl provides an ideal outdoor setting to relax and dine before or after exploring the Surrey Hills. Located right next to the main Devil's Punchbowl Car Park, this family-friendly zone serves as the central hub for visitors preparing to take on the nearby walking trails. The area is beautifully integrated into the surrounding landscape, featuring open, grassy spots sheltered by mature trees.

Erected in 1786 along the Old Portsmouth Road, the Sailor’s Stone is a historic boundary marker commemorating a notorious local tragedy. It marks the exact spot where an unknown seafaring traveler was brutally murdered and robbed by three men he had just befriended in a nearby pub. The stone features a stern biblical inscription condemning the crime and features a famous, ominous curse on its reverse warning anyone against moving it.

Erected in 1851 by judge Sir William Erle, the granite Celtic cross on Gibbet Hill was built to dispel local fears of evil spirits. It marks the notorious site where three highwaymen were hanged and displayed in chains in 1787 for the brutal murder of an unknown sailor.

The most typical feature in the design of Celtic crosses is the circle connecting the horizontal and vertical bars. This is sometimes interpreted as a symbol of the sun; in this sense, Celtic crosses are sometimes also called sun crosses. I found the following meditative reflection on this topic while working as a chaplain in the Protestant deanery of Nassauer Land: "The sun cross is a special symbol of Celtic Christianity. It can become a symbol of spirituality. + What you can practice – the horizontal arm of the cross. Your conscious rituals, prayers, quiet moments. The attention you give to the sacred. + What happens to you – the vertical arm of the cross. Experiences that touch and transform you. Moments in which you sense something greater than yourself. + What gives you interpretation – the circle that encloses both. Words, stories, and traditions that help you understand and share these experiences. Spirituality connects you to sources of strength that reach deeper than what you can see. For me as a Christian, spirituality is a word for encountering the God who revealed himself in Jesus."

Big views which are rare in these parts!

The Sailor’s Stone actually has a curse written on the back of it cursing any man that would remove it.

This is the point where the local hangings used happen, including the three murderers of the unknown sailor. The persons hung would remain in their gibbets and chains here for three years.

The excellent Guildford Castle Grounds are unique, interesting and well worth visiting during a hiking, cycling or running tour. The Grounds are famous for their excellent flower displays in the valley that surrounds the Castle Keep. Other free attractions include the remains of Castle walls, passageways, a Victorian bandstand (where music concerts take place), a delightful 17th century bowling green bordered on one side by specimen beech trees, an impressive war memorial and a life-size statue of Alice Through the Looking Glass. Guildford Castle Grounds has a fascinating history. The Castle is thought to have been built either by William the Conqueror or by one of his barons soon after the Norman invasion of England in 1066. The Castle has been used as a Royal Palace, a prison and as a private residence. The grounds at the Castle were opened as public gardens in 1888 to mark the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. You might wish to explore the Guildford Castle Grounds or to simply admire its scenery during a stop for a snack and a drink. However, should you have time, you may also wish to climb the Castle Great Tower via its spiral staircase. This will give a panoramic view of Guildford and its beautiful surrounding countryside, and provide an appreciation of why the Castle’s location is strategically good.