Downe on the Downs - An Origin of the Species walk from Zone 6 (14 miles)

"Besides love and sympathy, animals exhibit other qualities connected with the social instincts which in us would be called moral."

Let's face it the Galapagos are probably better suited to studying evolution than Little Britain :) and on this day in 1836 Charles Darwin returned on HMS Beagle after 5 years at sea. This walk leads to his home in the picturesque village of Downe, which as the name suggests sits on a hill in the North Downs. There will be a chance to rest in one of the village inns where Darwin refreshed following his local wanders in search of answers, and to pass through the downland woods and meadows he knew intimately. Or if not so thirsty, why not use the lunch break to visit his house, managed by English Heritage.

All travel costs covered by Oyster or Travelcard. Both start and finish points are in Zone 6

Outward Travel: Take the train departing 10.51 AM from London Victoria to UPPER WARLINGHAM. Beforehand from 10.30 AM the organiser will be easy to spot near the central WH Smith on the main concourse wearing a yellow coat or shirt.

The walk ends at KNOCKHOLT for trains to London Bridge

Walk start: 11.20 AM from Upper Warlingham rail station
Bring a packed lunch. Pub stop in Downe.

How to join?

• The walk is entirely free of charge;
• You only arrange for your own travel and pub expenses;
• Understand our terms and conditions below (the "IMPORTANT" part);
• Understand how to stay safe outdoors, as you will be responsible for yourself. See our quick safety tips:
  https://www.meetup.com/Free-Outdoor-Trips-From-London/about/
• Please answer the RSVP question; Guests with missing or incorrect answers will be removed from the list!

What to bring

• Plenty of water, 1-2 litres recommended
• Enough snacks and packed lunch to keep you energized along the walk
• Extra snacks and an extra packed lunch just in case
• Rainproof (ideally waterproof) clothing, sturdy shoes/boots you don't mind getting muddy
• Spare socks
• Walking poles and/or an umbrella :-)
• Yourself...
• ...and your camera!
• Cash for train ticket
• Cash for pub at the end of the walk?

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section!

IMPORTANT
Please bear in mind this is a free of charge, self-guided trip with a hobby group. It is not organized by a business nor any entity with commercial purposes.
Any trip details, travel advice, route planning, instructions and other content in our group merely represent our shared personal knowledge, research and suggestions as outdoor enthusiasts. As this is no business, there is no "product", "service" or "package" and also no "tour guide", "operator" or "walk leader".
Each participant is responsible for their own safety. Even if some of us are very experienced walking outdoors, nobody assumes responsibility for any kind of injury, damage or loss that may happen.
Despite this, we take extreme precautions and all trips we plan are very safe, fun, highly educational and popular. Our experienced members volunteer their time and effort to shape a pleasant and quality adventure for everyone :-)
By participating you acknowledge and agree with this disclaimer.

Here are our tips on staying safe during outdoor trips:
https://www.meetup.com/Free-Outdoor-Trips-From-London/about/

TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION, INSURANCE
Although we provide detailed suggestions, each participant is expected to arrange their own travel - this gives everyone the freedom and choice. Anyone interested in travel or outdoor insurance should also arrange this on their own. As mentioned above we always take extreme precautions, but some people may still feel safer if covered.
As most of our trips are confirmed or postponed very close to the event date - heavily depending on the weather forecasts - we advise not to buy this until the last minute. People getting tickets from the same station are encouraged to meet early on the day to benefit from discounts such as GroupSave.

Any questions, feel free to ask below or send a private message!