About us
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
12
- £7.00
Chingford to Leytonstone, Epping Forest Linear – Country Hike
Chingford Station, Station Road, Chingford, E4 6AL, GBWalk length 12miles/19km (approx) linear.
Epping Forest is one of a number of green spaces that lie just outside London. It covers around 6,000 acres of ancient woodland consisting of various tree species including oak and beech, many pollarded (pruned) from medieval times.
The forest was a royal hunting ground and is now run and managed by The City of London Corporation that also manages Burnham Beeches and Hampstead Heath.
Some features on this walk include Queen Elizabeth's Tudor hunting lodge (outside view), a number of lakes and ponds such as Connaught Water (named after the Duke of Connaught) Loughton earthworks (Iron Age Camp) thought to date back to 500 BC.
Lunch and Finish
Meeting point for walk: Meet outside Chingford Rail Station for the walk to start at 11.00am. This is a linear hike and finishes at Leytonstone. The 10.31am from Chingford gets to Leytone gets to 11.00am (single £3.60).
This is linear walk and you can return via Leytonstone (there are places to leave early).
Please bring a snack lunch and water for the walk. The walk should finish at about 5.00pm and include a 30 min snack lunch stop (probably one of the visitor centres) and optional classy pub at the end, however the time may be earlier or later than this depending on the weather and pace.
Chingford is in Zone 5 so you can use an oyster/debit or travel card.
Walk Cost: £7 cash on the day organizer fee (the host is a qualified London guide). For paypal it is 'colin45@hotmail.co.uk' Please send as friends and family to avoid charges. For bank transfer message organizer.THIS HIKE IS FLAT AS WELL AS UNDULATING IN PLACES BUT ALSO FAIRLY LONG, PLEASE ENSURE YOU ARE HAPPY WITH THIS.
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.
4 attendees - £7.00
Goring, Moulsford Downs & Thames – Long Hilly Country Hike
Goring & Streatley Station Car Park, Gatehampton Road, Reading, GBWalk length 15miles/24km approx. Circular.
A very scenic walk from Goring to Moulsford using a mixture of landscapes from woodland trails to river paths.
The hike starts from the small Chiltern Town of Goring-on-Thames, which has many historic buildings dating back to the 16th century before entering Streatley across the river and exploring the Mousford Downs and the Thames path.The hike uses parts of a number of important national trails including the Ridgeway and the Thames Path. The Ridgeway is an ancient trail described by many as the oldest road in Britain and is about 87 miles long. The Thames Path follows the Thames River from its source near Kemble to the Thames Barrier at Charlton and is about 184 miles long.
THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL HIKE WITH A NUMBER OF HILL CLIMBS AS WELL AS FLATTER RIVER SECTIONS.
Lunch and Finish
Please bring a snack lunch and water for the walk. The walk should finish at about 5.30pm and include a 30 min snack lunch stop and pub at the end, however the time may be earlier or later than this depending on the weather and pace.
Transport and meeting
Meet Outside Goring and Streatley station for the hike to start at 10.37am (after the train from London arrives).
By train: The 9.38am train from London Paddington gets to Goring and Streatley for 10.37am.
I would suggest you meet from 9.10am next to the WHSmith shop at London Paddington to give you time to get a group save/buy tickets (see photo below). The organizer will not be catching the train from London but will meet you at Goring.
£7 cash payable on the day guided walk & meetup costs. You can do paypal ([colin45@hotmail.co.uk](mailto:colin45@hotmail.co.uk)) please use friends and family with paypal to avoid charges. Bank transfer if you prefer, please contact the organizer.
Train price should be approx. £20 return approx. with a groupsave or national railcard discount.
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 must 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.
4 attendees - £7.00
Beacon Hill & The Ridgeway – Long Country Hike
Saunderton train station, Saunderton, England, GBWalk length 19miles/30km approx. Circular.
A really picturesque circular walk from Saunderton Station to Lewknor across a variety of landscapes from scenic views to wooded tracks, with a number of hill climbs and exploring Beacon Hill Nature Reserve.
Some of this walk is on the Ridgeway National Trail, a path that follows tracks going back to prehistoric times and was used by travellers and herdsman.
Lunch and Finish: Please bring a snack lunch and water for the hike, lunch will be close to a pub at Lewknor.
The hike should finish before 6pm, however the time may be slightly earlier or later than this depending on the weather and pace.
There is a nice pub very close to the station at the end which we can use for drinks if you need to wait for the train.
THIS HIKE IS A HARD LONG HIKE WITH A NUMBER OF SUBSTANTIAL HILLS, PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP IF YOU WANT AN EASY SHORT HIKE.
If the weather is not suitable for a long hike close to the day I may change the hike for a shorter version.
Meeting
Train from London. The 8.53am from London Marylebone gets to Saunderton for 9.52am for the walk to start at 10.00am.
If coming from London I suggest meeting close to the WHSmiths at London Marylebone for any group saves (see photo below)
You are advised to meet from 8.15am to give you time to get tickets or groupsaves.The organizer is not coming by train for this hike but will meet you at Saunderton.
Please make a note of the organizers numbers - Colin 07709305681.
Train cost £20.00 return approx. with a groupsave or network railcard.Meet outside Saunderton Rail Station for the hike to start promptly at 10.00am after the train from London arrives.
£7 (cash on the day, can do paypal, [colin45@hotmail.co.uk](mailto:colin45@hotmail.co.uk)) guided walk & meetup costs, please do paypal as friends and family to avoid charges.
Car: Car parking at Saunderton Station is free (check for any restrictions when parking).
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.
3 attendees
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