About us
The Chiltern Young Walkers are a friendly and sociable walking group aimed at people in their 20s, 30s, a little beyond and run by volunteers. We love to discover new places and share the stunning views we know with others through walks every weekend. From leisurely 5 miles strolls to strenuous 15+ mile hikes in the Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire and West Hertfordshire, often within 30 minutes from Aylesbury, Hemel Hempstead or High Wycombe. Join us to exercise in the countryside, expand your social scene, explore the fantastic scenery on your doorstep or further afield and have fun, we look forward to seeing you soon!
Join the CYW Facebook group
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We are part of and funded by the Ramblers, Britain's biggest and most vibrant walking community and a charity working to open the way for everyone to enjoy the simple pleasures of walking. We step up to protect the places we all love to wander. You are free to enjoy three different events before you decide to join us as a full member.
Make new friends
We are over 150 people from their 20s, 30s and a little beyond who enjoy walking and socialising. Most of our walks end at the pub, a great way to get to know fellow members. You will see familiar faces and often meet new people each time you come. Along with our walks, we have an active socials programme with regular pub nights and other social events.
Weekends Away
We explore the UK with occasional weekends away including seaside trips, long-distance trails and mountain hikes. We organise some weekend trips within easy reach of the Chilterns, without the need to take time off work, recent examples include the Cotswolds and the South Downs. Some trips to places such as the Peak District, the Lake District, Wales, or the Scottish Highlands offer more challenging mountainous walking in spectacular scenery.
### Join Our Tribe as Part of the Ramblers
Try us for free
We will welcome you on any walk; just choose one suitable for you. RSVP to one of our walks on Meetup and just turn up. You are free to enjoy three different events before you make it official and join us as a member. We look forward to meeting you on a walk soon.
#### Affordable Membership Options
Discover Great Value Enjoyed up to three trial walks with us? Make it official and become a Ramblers member. For £3.75 per month (or £45 per year) for an individual or £5.08 per month (or £61 per year) for two adults at the same address, join ***CYW ***with no extra charge. Concessionary discounts make membership accessible.
#### How to Join
Visit Ramblers Website "Join the Ramblers" In the final step after payment, select our group to ensure a seamless connection with us.
Group Selection Check the "Your Group" section - ensure "Buckinghamshire, West Middlesex, and Milton Keynes" is in the 'Area' box. Choose "Chiltern Young Walkers" in the 'Group' box so we can become connected.
Join us Today
### Exclusive Access with Ramblers Membership
- Exclusive Events Participate in weekends away and members-only events, creating lasting memories with fellow members.
- Unlock the Ramblers App Gain exclusive access to fresh air at your fingertips with a library jam-packed with over 4000 tried-and-tested quality Ramblers Routes, and enjoy the perks of being part of a vibrant community.
- Access Walks Nationwide Enjoy unlimited free access to 50,000 Ramblers group walks across the country.
- Discounts on Gear Save on walking gear and gadgets with a 15% discount at Cotswold Outdoor and select outdoor stores by presenting your Ramblers membership card.
- Be inspired by stories of places, people, and campaigns in our quarterly Walk and South-East Walker magazines.
- Get Involved Have your say at the group AGM or consider joining the team.
- Insurance Cover Public Liability Insurance when you lead a walk for us
- Access and Conservation Be a driving force behind increasing access to green spaces, improving countryside, opening up more places to walk and boosting Britain’s wellbeing one step at a time and supporting campaigns like Don't Lose Your Way to save 49,000 miles of unrecorded paths.
Please note:
- We advertise our walks in a number of places and you may find other walkers on each walk in addition to those you see on meetup.
- Chiltern Young Walkers is part of The Ramblers. The Ramblers Association is a charity and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales, charity num:1093577, company num:4458492 Ramblers Privacy Policy
Upcoming events
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Berkhamsted, Autumnal Ashridge 🍂 Famous Films 🎥 and Haunted Halloween Hike 👻
HP4 2AJ, Berkhamsted, GBModerate 10.3 miles / 16.6 km 300 m ascent
Led by Paul: 07974 696 802
Meet at the rear entrance to Berkhamsted Station.It's Halloween, and there's no better way to mark it than a full day's walk through Berkhamsted's castle ruins, old wartime trenches and the ancient, atmospheric woods of the Ashridge Estate, including a genuinely haunted sunken lane. Boots are recommended as the ground may be muddy, and waterproofs are worth packing too. Please bring a packed lunch.
Leaving the station past Berkhamsted Castle, we climb into Frithsden Beeches, where the hollows are WWI practice trenches, dug by soldiers training for the front. Continuing further into the beech woodland used as the Quidditch World Cup campsite in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) and the woods outside Paris in Les Misérables (2012). From here we cross Berkhamsted Common, into the wider Ashridge Estate; we pass a dark and spooky icehouse, one of the largest and best-preserved in the country, before reaching Ashridge House itself. An imposing early Gothic-style mansion whose castellated walls doubled as a prison in The Dirty Dozen (1967). The Ashridge Estate has also featured in Maleficent (2014), Into the Woods (2015), Stardust (2007), Enola Holmes and Bridgerton series two.
Dropping into Capability Brown's sweeping Golden Valley, designed to show off Autumnal colours with sweeping, woodland-fringed dips and curves. Climbing out of the valley, we head towards Little Gaddesden and after a short distance on the Hertfordshire Way, we pass the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery and descend into the village of Great Gaddesden. The village is overlooked by the grand Palladian mansion of Gaddesden Place, the setting for films Legend of Tarzan (2016) and The Current War (2018). As we climb out of the village of Nettleden via haunted, sunken 'Spooky Lane' under Devils Bridge, said to be haunted by a monk and a Roman soldier. One final hill takes us past the War memorial at Potten End and back past the other side of Berkhamsted Castle to end the walk with a visit to a local pub.Travel: There is free parking along the roads around the station on Sundays, White Hill (HP4 1LJ) and Castle Hill (HP4 1HB) Lower Kings Road Multi-storey is 5 mins away (HP4 2AB) is £6 or the station at £8 for the full day! Trains arrive: Northbound at 10:17 & 10:26, Southbound 10:20 & 10:30
Please wear suitable shoes and bring a packed lunch. Look forward to seeing you on the walk. If you sign up and later find out you cannot attend, please change your RSVP on Meetup so we don't wait for you.
We're on Instagram: Follow us @ChilternYoungWalkers to see pictures from our walks!
Become a full member: CYW are part of the Ramblers and you may try up to three walks free. When you decide to continue walking with us, please join the Ramblers via 'Become a member'.44 attendees
Autumnal Hike in Berkhamstead (before Fireworks Social!)
Berkhamsted Railway Station, Lower Kings Road, Berkhamsted, GBStart time: 14:00 (Estimated finish time: 17:45)
Moderate: 7.4 miles / 11.9 km
Led by Beth S: 07956 242703
Grid reference: SP993081
Nearest postcode: HP4 2AJElevation gain: 694ft / 211m
Join the CYW for a moderate and relaxed afternoon hike that starts and ends at Berkhamsted train station, and is perfectly timed for those who want to head to the Berko Fireworks event after.
We start by heading past the cricket club up through woodland on our way to the village at Frithsden, famed for the Alford Arms pub. Heading to the top of the hill and down into the Golden Valley created by Capability Brown, showing off its autumnal colours.
We're now on the edge of the Ashridge Estate and as we continue through Frithsden Beeches, if we are lucky, we'll encounter some deer which roam through Ashridge forest. As we return to Berkhamsted we pass some of the practice trenches dug by soldiers before they went to fight in France for the first world war. Emerging near the Castle, if we have time before the next event we'll head to the pub for a drink.
## Transport
Lower Kings Road Multi-storey (floors 4-7 for long stay) is 5 minutes walk away (HP4 2AB) is £5 or the station car park at £8 for the whole day.
Trains arrive: Southbound (from MK) at 13:59, Northbound (from London) 13:46 (please drop a comment if you're on this train so we know to wait for you)
## Additional notes
This is a circular walk
On 28 September 1914 troops from the Inns of Court Officers' Training Corps, arrived in Berkhamsted to train before heading for the battlefields of northern France. More information on this from the Chilterns AONB Berkhamsted WWI troop training trenches
Well-behaved dogs are welcome, but are the responsibility of the owner and must remain on a lead at all time.
It helps us if you to sign up and tell us you're coming. If you sign up and later find out you cannot attend please change your RSVP on Meetup so we're not waiting for you.
Did you know we're on Instagram? Follow us at @ChilternYoungWalkers to see pictures from our walks!
Become a full member: CYW are part of the Ramblers and you may try up to three walks free. When you decide to continue walking with us, please see details at 'Become a member' to join the Ramblers.
27 attendees
Remember, remember, the ...7th of November? (Fireworks Night with the CYW)
Berkhamsted Railway Station, Lower Kings Road, Berkhamsted, GBMeeting time: 18:00
Meeting point: Berkhamsted Train Station
How to buy tickets: Here, or on the door!
Contact: Beth 07956242703Want to see some fireworks this year but not sure where to go? Or want some people to stand next to and go "ooh" and "aah" with? Come join us at Berkhamsted Fireworks show!
Run by the Rotary Club, Berkhamsted Fireworks show is open to anyone and promises to be a great show! There's a bar and food stall on site, and the professional firework show kicks off at 7pm. More info about the event can be found here
If you'd like to join us, please meet at Berkhamsted Train station, or at the show itself if coming later (text Beth if you can't find us and she'll tell you where we are). Please note that the gates shut before the show starts at 7 so please plan to be at Berkhamsted Cricket Club by 18:50.
We'll set off together at 6.15pm and walk the 10 mins up to the Cricket Club, where the display is.
There will also be a 7 mile walk with the same start point earlier in the afternoon, timed to finish just before this event starts. Check out the event here!
Tickets are £12.75 (inc. booking fee) if bought in advance, or £14 on the door - link here to book in advance
There is a possibility that they might reach capacity so if you're sure you'd like to come we recommend booking your ticket in advance.
Wrap up warm, bring a raincoat etc if it looks like rain.
Please allow plenty of time for parking as it might be busy.
Parking is available at:
Canal Fields (HP1 1HR): Free
Lower Kings Road (HP4 1PB): Free after 6, £2 for the hour between 5-6pm
Berkhamsted Train station: £8
St John's Well Lane (HP4 1HA): Free after 6, £2 for the hour between 5-6pm
Water Lane (HP4 3AP): Free after 6, £2.10 for the hour between 5-6pmTrain:
From London Euston/Hemel direction: there is a train arriving at Berkhamsted at 17:46
From Milton Keynes direction: trains arriving at 17:59Bus:
The 500 bus serves Berkhamsted from Aylesbury/Aston Clinton and Hemel/Boxmoor, see here for timetables.
There's also the 302 bus from St Albans and the 508/20 from Watford which links with the 500 at Hemel if travelling from further afar.
28 attendees
Past events
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