Editing Surrey (section)

== Geography ==
[[File:Boxhill surrey viewfromtop.jpg|thumb|left|View from [[Box Hill, Surrey|Box Hill]]|alt=view of hills, trees and fields across a meadow]]
{{Main|Geology of Surrey}}

Surrey is divided in two by the chalk ridge of the [[North Downs]], running east–west. The ridge is pierced by the rivers [[River Wey|Wey]] and [[River Mole|Mole]], tributaries of the Thames, which formed the northern border of the county before modern redrawing of county boundaries, which has left part of its north bank within the county.<ref name=Natural_England>{{cite web |url=http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/geodiversity/englands/counties/area_ID34.aspx |publisher=Natural England |title=Geodiversity of Surrey |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002010627/http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/geodiversity/englands/counties/area_ID34.aspx |archive-date=2 October 2013 |access-date=2 October 2013}}</ref> To the north of the Downs the land is mostly flat, forming part of the basin of the Thames.<ref name=Natural_England/> The geology of this area is dominated by [[London Clay]] in the east, [[Bagshot Sands]] in the west and [[alluvial]] deposits along the rivers.

To the south of the Downs in the western part of the county are the sandstone [[Surrey Hills AONB|Surrey Hills]], while further east is the plain of the Low [[Weald]], rising in the extreme southeast to the edge of the hills of the High Weald.<ref name=Natural_England/> The Downs and the area to the south form part of a concentric pattern of geological deposits which also extends across southern Kent and most of Sussex, predominantly composed of [[Wealden Group|Wealden Clay]], [[Lower Greensand]] and the chalk of the Downs.<ref name=Natural_England/>

Much of Surrey is in the [[Metropolitan Green Belt]]. It contains valued reserves of mature [[woodland]] (reflected in the official logo of Surrey County Council, a pair of interlocking oak leaves). Among its many notable beauty spots are [[Box Hill, Surrey|Box Hill]], [[Leith Hill]], [[Frensham Ponds]], [[Newlands Corner]] and [[Puttenham & Crooksbury Commons]].<ref name=Natural_England/>

Surrey is the most wooded county in England, with 22.4% coverage compared to a national average of 11.8%<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspages.nsf/LookupWebPagesByTITLE_RTF/Surrey's+woodlands?opendocument |title=Surrey's woodlands |publisher=Surrey County Council |access-date=16 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930185138/http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspages.nsf/LookupWebPagesByTITLE_RTF/Surrey's+woodlands?opendocument |archive-date=30 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and as such is one of the few counties not to recommend new woodlands in the subordinate planning authorities' plans. In 2020 the [[Surrey Heath]] district had the highest proportion of tree cover in England at 41%.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stephenson |first1=Wesley |title=Gardens help towns and cities beat countryside for tree cover |work=BBC News |date=17 October 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54311593 |access-date=20 October 2020 |archive-date=19 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019023014/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54311593 |url-status=live}}</ref> Surrey also contains England's principal concentration of lowland [[heath]], on sandy soils in the west of the county.

[[File:Leith hill tower.JPG|thumb|right|[[Leith Hill]] Tower|alt=beige stone tower with cylindrical tower attached standing on a grassy hill]]
Agriculture not being intensive, there are many [[Common land|commons]] and access lands, together with an extensive network of [[Rights of way in England and Wales|footpaths and bridleways]] including the [[North Downs Way]], a scenic [[long-distance path]]. Accordingly, Surrey provides many rural and semi-rural leisure activities, with a large horse population in modern terms.

The highest elevation in Surrey is [[Leith Hill]] near [[Dorking]]. It is {{cvt|295|m|ft}} above sea level{{sfn|Bathurst|2012|pp=132-137}} and is the second highest point in southeastern England after [[Walbury Hill]] in [[West Berkshire]] which is {{cvt|297|m|ft}}.{{sfn|Bathurst|2012|pp=148-154}}

===Surrey rivers===
The longest river to enter Surrey is the [[Thames]], which historically formed the boundary between the county and [[Middlesex]]. As a result of the [[Historic counties of England#1965 and 1974|1965 boundary changes]], many of the Surrey boroughs on the south bank of the river were transferred to [[Greater London]], shortening the length associated with the county. The Thames now forms the Surrey–[[Berkshire]] border between [[Runnymede]] and [[Staines-upon-Thames]], before flowing wholly within Surrey to [[Sunbury-on-Thames|Sunbury]], from which point it marks the Surrey–Greater London border as far as [[Surbiton]].

The [[River Wey]] is the longest [[tributary]] of the Thames above London. Other tributaries of the Thames with their courses partially in Surrey include the [[River Mole|Mole]], the [[River Bourne, Addlestone|Addlestone branch]] and [[River Bourne, Chertsey|Chertsey branch of the River Bourne]] (which merge shortly before joining the Thames), and the [[Hogsmill River]], which drains [[Epsom]] and [[Ewell]].

The upper reaches of the [[River Eden, Kent|River Eden]], a tributary of the [[River Medway|Medway]], are in [[Tandridge District]], in east Surrey.

The [[River Colne, Hertfordshire|River Colne]] and its [[anabranch]], the [[Wraysbury River]], make a brief appearance in the north of the county to join the Thames at Staines.

===Climate===
Like the rest of the [[British Isles]], Surrey has a [[maritime climate]] with warm summers and cool winters. The Met Office weather station at [[Wisley]], about {{convert|6.5|mi|km}} to the north-east of Guildford, has recorded temperatures between {{convert|37.8|C|F}} (August 2003)<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[UKMO]] |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/aug03maxtemps.html |title=2003 temperature |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209163022/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/aug03maxtemps.html |archive-date=9 December 2010}}</ref> and {{convert|-15.1|C|F}} (January 1982).<ref>{{cite web |publisher=PlantNetwork |url=http://plantnetwork.org/directory/royal-horticultural-society-garden-wisley/ |title=1982 temperature |access-date=16 June 2022 |archive-date=22 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122225803/https://plantnetwork.org/directory/royal-horticultural-society-garden-wisley/ |url-status=live}}</ref> From 2006 until 2015, the Wisley weather station held the UK July record high of {{convert|36.5|C|F}}.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[UKMO]] |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/july2006/ |title=2006 temperature |access-date=9 November 2011 |archive-date=18 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018051826/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/july2006/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
{{Weather box
|location = [[Wisley]], Guildford (1981–2010)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan high C = 7.9
|Feb high C = 8.3
|Mar high C = 11.2
|Apr high C = 14.1
|May high C = 17.7
|Jun high C = 20.6
|Jul high C = 23
|Aug high C = 22.7
|Sep high C = 19.5
|Oct high C = 15.4
|Nov high C = 11
|Dec high C = 8.2
|Jan low C = 2.1
|Feb low C = 1.7
|Mar low C = 3.4
|Apr low C = 4.4
|May low C = 7.3
|Jun low C = 10.1
|Jul low C = 12.4
|Aug low C = 12.1
|Sep low C = 9.8
|Oct low C = 7.4
|Nov low C = 4.2
|Dec low C = 2.3
|Jan precipitation mm = 61.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 45.4
|Mar precipitation mm = 44.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 47.1
|May precipitation mm = 51.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 44.4
|Jul precipitation mm = 46.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 52.8
|Sep precipitation mm = 54.4
|Oct precipitation mm = 77.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 67.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 64.4
|Jan rain days = 11.4
|Feb rain days = 8.9
|Mar rain days = 9.3
|Apr rain days = 9.3
|May rain days = 9.2
|Jun rain days = 8
|Jul rain days = 7.1
|Aug rain days = 7.7
|Sep rain days = 8.6
|Oct rain days = 11.1
|Nov rain days = 10.8
|Dec rain days = 10.9
|Jan sun = 54.8
|Feb sun = 75.2
|Mar sun = 110.9
|Apr sun = 161.9
|May sun = 192.6
|Jun sun = 195.4
|Jul sun = 206.3
|Aug sun = 200.4
|Sep sun = 144.1
|Oct sun = 113.6
|Nov sun = 65.1
|Dec sun = 44
|source 1 = Met Office<ref>{{cite web |title=UK Climate Averages Wisley (Surrey) |url=https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcpevmgzn |website=Met Office |access-date=19 October 2020 |archive-date=22 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122214655/https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcpevmgzn |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}