Ashford: Sailing, Golf and Distinctive Discoveries

Ashford combines a small-town centre with an unusually diverse range of travel ideas: you can learn to sail, discover a traditional golf course, compare church architecture and explore the Queen Mary Reservoir. Despite its proximity to London, the town centre retains its small-town character. When choosing holiday accommodation in Ashford, it is therefore worth first considering whether water, sport, architecture or a peaceful exploration of the town should be the main focus of your trip.

Sailing at the Queen Mary Reservoir

The Queen Mary Sailing Club offers opportunities to learn to sail and develop sailing skills at an RYA-accredited training centre. This makes the offering suitable both for people who want to gain their first experience and for those who wish to deepen their knowledge on the water. Through the RYA Sailability programme, the club also offers sailing experiences to children and adults with physical, sensory or learning disabilities. Anyone wishing to combine their trip with an active experience on the water can take this focus into account when planning their days.

The Queen Mary Reservoir, which opened in 1925, is also part of Ashford's character. Together with the sailing facilities, it makes the town's connection with the water a distinct travel theme. Accommodation in Ashford may therefore be particularly appealing if, alongside cultural impressions, you would also like to set aside time for a sporting activity.

Golf between Parkland and Ashford Manor House

The Ashford Manor Golf Club course has 18 holes and is 6,400 yards long. As a parkland golf course, it is characterised by tree-lined fairways and approach areas to the greens that are well equipped with bunkers. These specific features give golf travellers clear guidance when choosing their activities, without requiring the entire stay to be focused on sport.

A distinctive connection between landscape and history is created by the original Ashford Manor House. It still stands and serves as the clubhouse of Ashford Manor Golf Club, overlooking the golf course. This adds another aspect to your trip planning: alongside the game itself, you can also appreciate the historical dimension of the golf grounds.

Church Architecture with Distinctive Stylistic Influences

The Parish Church of St Matthew is designed in the Decorated Gothic style and built from Ragstone with dressings and bands of Bath Stone. It was constructed in 1856–1858 to a design by William Butterfield; the tower was added in 1865. Anyone interested in architectural history will find a clearly documented example here of the relationship between style, materials and individual construction phases.

The Roman Catholic Church of St Michael represents a different architectural emphasis. It was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in a restrained Romanesque Revival style and built in phases between 1927 and 1960. Together with St Matthew, it offers a comparison between two churches and different periods of construction. The Ashford War Memorial also commemorates 219 former pupils of the West London District School who died in the war, preserving a specific historical connection with the town.

Green Spaces and Active Day Ideas

A Miyawaki forest has been planted at Hengrove Recreation Ground in North Ashford/South Stanwell. This site complements the broader themes of water, golf and architecture with a more recent form of urban greenery. For an active part of the day, public tennis courts are available for public court hire at Ashford Recreation Ground. This allows you to vary your trip without committing to just one activity.

Which Location Suits Your Trip?

Mainline trains to London Waterloo make it easier to plan your arrival and also make Ashford an interesting option for a trip centred around excursions. If you want to focus on the small-town character and architecture, you should consider the town centre an important reference point when searching for holiday accommodation. For sailing, golf or tennis, however, your personal daily objectives may be decisive. It is best to choose suitable accommodation according to the experience profile of your trip: culture-oriented, sporty, or a combination of water, green spaces and local history.

More Places for Your Trip Planning

If you would like to compare other destinations alongside Ashford, here are the direct neighbouring pages: Sunbury-On-Thames, East Molesey, Guildford, Newchapel, Godalming, Godstone, Bookham and Betchworth.

Return to the higher-level travel overview: Surrey.