Farnham combines a strong craft tradition with several ways to explore its history and city life on foot. During your stay, you can choose between historical themes, art in public spaces and different types of walks: some routes are self-guided, while experts lead the walks at the Farnham Walking Festival. One important distinction for planning concerns Farnham Castle: the keep is currently closed because of falling masonry and for safety reasons. Check the visitor notice again before your trip. This is separate from the tours of the Bishop's Palace, which take place on Wednesdays from 2 to 4 pm; the schedule may vary. Such a tour should not be understood as access to the closed keep.

History and crafts in Farnham

The motte-and-shell keep at Farnham Castle was founded in 1138 by Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester. The Museum of Farnham presents local history, crafts, costumes and art in a Grade I listed Georgian town house. It is part of Farnham Maltings. This brings historical themes together with insights into art and crafts. Farnham itself is a designated craft town and was named a World City of Craft in 2020. Those looking to give their stay a cultural focus will find several points of interest: the history of the castle, the museum’s themes and Farnham’s craft heritage.

City walks with different themes

Peter Bridgeman’s Tree Trail is a self-guided, roughly circular tree trail through the centre of Farnham. The Heritage Trail uses numbered plaques to explore the centre on foot. The Industrial Heritage Trail offers a different perspective: it is a self-guided circular walk through the town centre, focusing on the town’s industrial roots. The routes therefore differ not only in format but also in subject: trees, heritage or industrial history can each be the focus of a walk.

Art in public spaces can also be explored as a theme in its own right. The Farnham Public Art Trail includes sculptures, wood carvings, terracotta works and ironwork. The interactive Farnham Bee Trail, by contrast, leads through green spaces, gardens and hidden corners of the town. These routes cater to different interests, without requiring you to settle on a single theme. If you want to look beyond the town centre, consider the North Downs Way: it runs from Farnham to Canterbury via Guildford and the White Cliffs of Dover. This route has a different geographical focus from the town trails centred on Farnham.

Guided walks and festival programme

The Farnham Walking Festival includes around 30 walks. They are led by experts in their respective fields, and vary in difficulty. Topics range from art and creativity to nature and wildlife, history and heritage, health and wellbeing. You can choose walks not only by the amount of exercise you want, but also by their subject. As the annual programme may change, check the details for the relevant year if you have specific festival walks planned.

For planning purposes, it helps to distinguish between a specific tour and a changing festival programme: tours of the Bishop's Palace are listed for Wednesday afternoons from 2 to 4 pm, while the Walking Festival is put together each year. If a particular date or walk is important for your trip, check the relevant schedule or annual programme in advance.

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For the broader travel overview: Surrey.