What we’re about
Welcome to London Explorers a walking social group aiming to do a wide range of guided walks across London and further afield exploring other fantastic British towns and countryside.
Most of our walks start at a convenient tube or railway station and aim to get the best deals on any group save tickets for trains and try when possible to look for free car parking giving you as many travel options as possible.
All our walks are well researched, leaving you free to relax and enjoy the lovely scenery or urban views in the company of other like-minded individuals and of course you will be keeping fit. Most walks end with a well-deserved pub stop with a strong social ethos.
Most of the London guides have done professional guiding courses such as the Islington and Clerkenwell Guiding Diploma or City of London Guiding Certificate, some have both or others even.
The walks are very varied from just a couple of miles covering historical sights to longer urban or country walks of over over ten miles and are either just a couple of hours or longer day trips mainly at the weekend but also some during the week or evening.
We are enthusiastic about photography and encourage photographs walking at a leisurely pace but also sometimes with harder faster and longer walks.
We are twined with another country hiking group Chiltern Explorers and often do events together. Chiltern explorers is based to the west of London in the gorgeous Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and also does a wide range of weekends away to other UK National Parks and other AONBs.
Chiltern Explorers is unusual for many outdoor meetup groups in that it currently only arranges the walks and leaves the accommodation up to the members giving members the option to go on the days they want and stay according to their budget, many members also car share for trips away. The weekends have a good social atmosphere and comradery.
The London walks have covered such diverse subjects as Jack the Ripper, James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, Wren Churches, Fryscrapers and Walkie-Scorchies, London Parks and Canals amongst many other themed walks.
The country walks have covered the Chiltern and Surrey hills, the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head and the Lake District amongst many others.
I hope you decide to join us!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Hill Views of Ivinghoe & Dunstable Downs – Long Country HikeLondon Euston, London£7.00
Walk length 20 miles/32 km approx. Circular.
A very panoramic walk that crosses paths over chalk grassland and woodland from Dunstable Downs to Ivinghoe Beacon.
The mid point/lunch stop is close to the National Trust visitor centre at Dunstable Downs The Visitor Centre at Dunstable Downs is 243m (797ft) above sea level and Ivinghoe Beacon stands at 233m (757ft) above sea level, the views from both are fantastic.
Some features on this walk include a chance to see the Whipsnade Tree Cathedral before taking a route along the edge of the Whipsnade Wildlife Park.
The Tree Cathedral was created by Edmund Blyth in memory of fallen comrades after the First World War as a spirit of 'faith, hope and reconciliation, he was inspired by the beauty of a sunlit group of trees seen on the way home from a visit to the Anglican Cathedral at Liverpool. It is now owned by the National Trust.
This walk also follows some of the oldest tracks in Britain, with paths such as the Icknield Way; extending from Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire to Knettishall Heath in Norfolk and a small section of the Ridgeway, 87 miles (139km) long, an ancient chalk ridge route used in prehistoric times.
Meeting: We are meeting outside Tring station (main station car park) for the hike to start after the train from London arrives at 10.05am. Tring Station, Tring HP23 5QS. (please note Tring station has no facilities however there are facilities at the Ashridge Vistor Centre less than and hour into the walk).
The 9.25am train from London Euston arrives at Tring station at 10.02am. Train ticket approx £17.50 or less using a group save or national railcard. If you want to meet to get any group saves meet close to the ticket office at 9.00am in case you need to queue (photo below). The organizer is not coming by train but will meet you at Tring station.
By car to Tring: The car park at Tring Station is charged at weekends. Other road parking around close to the station is limited. If coming by car you could meet us at Aldbury as there is more off street parking, meet us in the main village green, it is only a small village, if you want to do this be on the green no later than 10.30am when we pass by, the village is 1mile from Tring Station (please let me know you are doing this so I can lookout for you).
Lunch & Finish
Please bring a packed lunch and water for the walk. This walk should finish about 5.30pm and include a 30 min snack lunch stop, however the time maybe earlier or later than this depending on the weather and pace (this is a complete day event and you are advised not to arrange plans for the evening).
Tring rail station station has no facilities. We pass the Bridgewater monument and Visitor Centre 1.5 miles into the walk.
We are stopping close to the Dunstable Downs Visitor Centre for lunch.
Cost: £7 cash or paypal (colin45@hotmail.co.uk), please do paypal friends and family to avoid charges. Guided walk & meetup costs. You can do paypal or bank transfer if you prefer, please message the organizer for bank transfer.
Please make a note of the organizers numbers - Colin 07709305681..
THIS IS A LONG AND SUBSTANTIAL HIKE WITH NUMEROUS HILLS & SOME SHARP ACCENTS & DESCENTS, TIME FOR SIGHTSEEING BUT ALSO TAKEN AT A GOOD STEADY PACE, PLEASE ENSURE YOU ARE HAPPY WITH THIS BEFORE YOU RSVP.
Walking Safety
Walking is a great way to keep fit and generally very safe; however it does contain an element of risk. Before going on any of these walks you need to be reasonably fit and be prepared to be responsible for your own safety. You should wear appropriate clothing such as proper walking shoes, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. Please see our Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/London-Explorers/pages/3170152/Terms_and_Conditions/)
COULD EVERYONE PLEASE AVOID COMMENTS BELOW THAT ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO THE EVENT AS THIS GENERATES SPAM, JUST CHANGE YOUR RSVP IF YOU CAN'T GO. YOU CAN MESSAGE ME. MANY THANKS.
