What’s Dorking like to live in?

[Sunnyfields26]

Hi everyone!

DH and I (no kids yet) looking to move somewhere outside of London. Anyone live in Dorking and can give any info about what it’s like to live there?

We’d be commuting into London a few days a week and have about 550k budget for a house.

thank you!

Bump?

The shopping is dreadful

Good train connections though

I don't live in Dorking so I'm really only bumping this for you.
The town centre can get quite congested. There are a lot of cyclists in Dorking. I'm not sure if the big cycling competitions happen there anymore but there were a lot after the Olympics, which did lead to some tensions.
There are a lot of independent shops on the High street and a theatre with a reasonable line up.
There seems to be a good community spirit in Dorking. The team behind the Mid-Surrey Community Fridges are truly inspirational. They also love a bit of yarn bombing in Dorking and have a guerrilla knitting group.
Sorry I can't add anything constructive but hopefully a knowledgeable individual will be along soon.

It seemed quite nice to me when I stayed there. Not a lot of help but a bump.

If you need train connections I'd choose Woking over Dorking.

Lovely area, nice walks, good train service, terribly boring high street. My niece lives there, I grew up near there.

Reigate might be better - just down the road but better shops and more going on.

Dorking is nice, but it's not great for train connections. Woking would be better but nowhere near as pretty!

I’m sorry but Woking is an absolute fucking dump. The villages around the outside are ok but Woking itself is just awful. Dorking is much nicer. A pleasant little town.
Other nice towns in that area - Horsham is lovely and has good train links to Victoria (and possibly another station I can’t remember) or heading west, Farnham is also nice.

Or head towards Kent as the trains there are very quick into London. Sevenoaks and villages around there have a direct train to London Bridge and it only takes half an hour or so.

Dorking is a lovely town, gorgeous countryside, great walks. Easy to get to Guildford if you want a bit more going on, right on M25, trains to London and Gatwick.

I love Brockham, v close to Dorking, if you are up for cycling to the station at Dorking. Lovely being so close to Box Hill and the surrounding heaths and commons.

I grew up in Dorking and mum still lives here so visit often. Decent schools, a nice town and surrounded by the Surrey hills … there seem to be plenty of trains going there when I’m waiting for mine at Vauxhall. I like Denbies - nice vineyard and place to eat. Lots of cyclists from London descend especially at weekends!

Does it make you a Dork if you are from there?

You’re a Dorking chick if you’re from there like I am

Train takes forever in to Waterloo, often cancelled/terminated early at Leatherhead. Station not central to town. Your budget won’t buy you much of a family house. Schools good, leisure centre and theatre. Small Sainsbury’s, big Lidl and Waitrose.