Effingham & Leatherhead RFC

Surrey is a County which lies in the South East of England, to the South West of London. It has a population of about one million, and is mainly residential and light industrial in character whilst over the years having retained a certain rural character to large parts of it.

Surrey, combines city and country, tradition and innovation. Historic towns sit comfortably alongside hi-tech industry, olde-world charm melds with commercial prosperity. Surrey is a county of culture and style, with a rich, historic past as well as a thriving present.

The County boasts a travel and communications infrastructure that cannot be bettered. Situated between Heathrow and Gatwick airports and traversed by three of the UK's main motorways - M3, M23 and the M25 (Leatherhead is at Junction 9) Surrey has fast, direct links with both Channel ports and the rest of the UK. Surrey has excellent rail links in and out of London, and to the South Coast. Rail services from Kingston and nearby Surbiton run at least every 15 minutes to central London's Waterloo Station, along with services from Effingham Junction and Leatherhead, which is also home to Eurostar and services to Paris and Brussels. A one-day travelcard costing around Ł5 will give you unlimited travel on the city centre's underground system and bus routes. It is also served by a quite extensive bus network, details of which can be obtained from the County Council

There are a number of parks and places of interest, not the least of which is Box Hill in Dorking and it is particularly well known to horse racing fans, having Sandown Park in Esher, and the home of the world famous Derby in Epsom.

Its County Town is the bustling city of Guildford, which is full of pubs, shopping and nightlife. Guildford is also noted for its modern Cathedral. Surrey is administered by the County Council with its headquarters in Kingston, just outside the County.

Kingston upon Thames is located on the south west edge of London. Wimbledon and Richmond are close neighbours and, just out of town in the opposite direction, the Surrey countryside is within easy reach. The town is large enough to offer an impressive range of services and entertainment, but small enough to avoid the anonymity of the big city. Many people also associate Kingston with its strong royal connections: it is one of just four royal boroughs in England and Wales.

The coffee shops and stalls in the old market place are good for daytime diversion. And at night its many pubs and restaurants come alive, together with the three-screen cinema and several popular clubs.

Combining big-name stores with a range of smaller, specialist shops, Kingston has built a name for itself as one of the busiest retail centres in South East England. There are plenty of part-time jobs in the town centre and plenty of opportunities to spend your hard-earned cash!

Many also make regular visits to sample the international cuisine on offer in the hundreds of restaurants and cafes. And night buses mean you can stay until the early hours to enjoy the West End's fantastic nightlife.

There are two Universities in close proximity for those of you wishing to further your educational needs, there is the University of Surrey in Guildford, along with their Sports and Recreational department and Kingston University in Kingston-Upon-Thames.

There are various Sports Centres in Surrey, with one of the best is the Spectrum at Guildford.

Bearing this in mind, Effingham & Leatherhead RFC (map) is located at the junction of Guildford Road (A246) and Browns Lane, Effingham, Surrey.

Effingham is on the A246 linking Leatherhead and Guildford. Effingham Golf Club is located at the traffic lights 100 yards from the Club. Slightly further afield are the towns of Dorking, Epsom, Guildford, Kingston and Woking. London is approximately 20 miles to the NE.

Effingham Junction on the London Waterloo (and London Victoria) - Guildford line, is the nearest railway station about 2 miles to the north of the ground. There is a non existent bus service, but there is a taxi office 100 yards away next to the Lord Howard pub.

Browns Lane, Effingham

Close by to the ground is the Howard of Effingham School. Sibleys newsagent is opposite the ground and is therefore a good 'marker' for the location of the Club.

Leatherhead (map) is a small market town situated between Epsom and Dorking and is close to the M25. It has a character and charm of its own, mainly due to a pleasing blend of architectural styles that sit comfortably together in the landscape. This is particularly noticeable in Church Street, where local council services are housed in an 18th century mansion close to the town centre. Leatherhead's central shopping area has been pedestrianised, allowing the town to become a more enjoyable place in which to shop and relax. There is also a small shopping mall, The Swan Centre, while further along in Bridge Street the River Mole runs through the town, dividing into several small streams close to the bridge.

Leatherhead is also on the London Waterloo and London Victoria - Guildford line, but follows a different route. Leatherhead also serves Dorking and trains onto Horsham.

Those wishing to partake in summer sports, when rugby is not played! there is the Leatherhead Golf Club, Leatherhead Cricket Club and Leatherhead Hockey Club. There is also Leatherhead Leisure Centre where various activities are available for the those with a sporting nature.

For those of you who are interested in playing for the Eagles and would like to know some more about Surrey and what Surrey has to offer, here are a few websites:

Small and large scale maps of the area can be found on the Club page showing the location of the Club.