What we’re about
Welcome to Chiltern Explorers a walking social group aiming to do a wide range of guided walks across the Chilterns and further afield exploring other fantastic British 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.
The walks are very varied with a relaxed feel, mainly around ten miles and at the weekend but some short walks from seven miles to longer faster paced walks of up to 20 miles and some mid-week walks. We are enthusiastic about photography and encourage sightseeing.
We are twined with a more city urban walking group London 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 country walks have covered the Chiltern and Surrey hills, the Seven Sisters and Beachy Head and the Lake District amongst many others.
IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT WORLD HEALTH CRISIS I AM HOSTING SOME LIVE VIDEO EVENTS ON LONDON EXPLORERS & CHILTERN EXPLORERS MEETUP GROUPS.
I hope you decide to join us!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Box Hill & Country Park– Short Afternoon Country HikeDorking (Main) Train Station - Southern Railway, Dorking£7.00
Walk length 8miles/13 km approx. Circular.
A chance to explore a section of the North Downs with panoramic views from the summit of Box Hill and exploring Box Hill Country Park.
The walk follows a part of the North Downs Way, a long distance footpath of 156 miles long running along the chalk ridge of the North Downs.
THIS HIKE IS SHORT IN LENGTH BUT UNDULATING AND DOES CONTAIN SOME HILL CLIMBS ESPECIALLY UP TO BOTH BOX HILL.
As this is an afternoon walk we will only be be stopping for a short early snack stop close to the visitor centre at Box Hill.
The walk should finish at about 5.00pm but maybe slightly earlier or later, however time will depend on the weather and pace.
Cost
Walk Cost: £7 cash on the day organizer fee. For paypal it is 'colin45@hotmail.co.uk' Please send as friends and family to avoid charges. For bank transfer message organizer.
Transport and meeting please read..
Various meeting points see below..
The meeting point is London Bridge Train Station. Meet next to the main ticket office opposite the WHSmith from 12.15pm to give us time to get tickets. See photo below. The organizer is getting the train for this hike.
Train at 12.41am gets to Dorking (main) for 13.40pm. Ticket price from £12.20 discounts avialable with a group save or network railcard.
Meet outside Dorking Main Station for the walk to start at 13.40pm (after the train from London arrives). Saturday Parking at Dorking main station is £4.10. Some side roads such as Calvert Road a short walk away are free (please check any restrictions before parking).
Please make a note of the organizers numbers - Colin 07709305681.
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 boots, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. Please see our Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/Chiltern-Explorers/pages/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.
- Hill Views of Ivinghoe & Dunstable Downs – Long Country HikeTring, Tring£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 10.02am. 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 (this 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) payable on the day guided walk & meetup costs. You can do paypal or bank transfer if you prefer, please message the organizer. If you do paypal please send as friends and family to avoid charges.Please make a note of the organizers numbers - Colin 07709305681..
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/Chiltern-Explorers/pages/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.
- St Martha's Hill & Chilworth Gunpowder Mills – Short Afternoon HikeGuildford Station, London GU1 4UT£7.00
Walk length 8.5miles/14km approx. Circular.
A chance to explore the Surrey Hills and the fantastic views from Pewley Down and St Martha's Hill and exploring a heritage trail past Chilworth Gumpoder Mills.
The walk passes the grounds of historic Guildford castle built shortly after the 1066 invasion of England when Guildford was sacked by William the Conqueror along with other towns along the Pilgrims Way.
We will stop for a short coffee/drink stop at a pub near Chilworth.
St Martha's Church is on the Pilgrims' Way an historic footpath supposed to have been used by pilgrims walking to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury.
The walk also follows a short part of the River Wey just south of Guildford.
The walk includes some hill climbs but also level ridge sections and river paths.
Lunch and Finish
The walk should finish at about 5.00pm however the time may be earlier or later than this depending on the weather and pace.
Transport and meeting
There are two meeting options for this walk, see below!
Meeting: Train from London: Meet outside the main WHSmith next to the rail information point and Pret A Manager on the main concourse at Waterloo Station from 12.15pm (see photo below) to get the 12.45pm train that gets to Guildford for 13.24pm for the walk to start. We need time to get tickets/group saves so please be prompt (3-9 people with a group save).
Cost
Train about £18.10 return from London to Guildford but with a group save (3 or more and must travel together) or individual network railcard should be less.
Walk Cost: £7 cash on the day organizer fee (For paypal it is 'colin45@hotmail.co.uk' Please send as friends and family to avoid charges. For bank transfer message organizer.
Car: Meet outside Guildford Station for walk to start at 13.30pm, after the train arrives from London at 13.24pm. The organizer is coming by train.
Parking: Guildford, main car parks may charge but side streets may be free (please check for restrictions and leave enough time to park).
We will use a pub in Guildford after the walk, there are regular trains back to London Waterloo.Please make a note of the organizers numbers - Colin 07709305681.
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 boots, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. Please see our Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/Chiltern-Explorers/pages/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.
