Leaving London for the odd day at the weekend, taking a train into its glorious green environs and walking through woods and pastures new in search of a nice pub and pint at the end, and possibly on the way (not excluding the possibility of tea-rooms either). Oh, and meeting all sorts of people.

A word to the wise, though: while pub food and pints are part of the package, the walking is moderately ambitious. Except for the shortest winter months when sundown looms large on our horizons, the walks tend to be 10-15 miles (16-25 km) - and on the odd occasion, when midsummer madness strikes, more.