Deacon Hill; Cathedral of the Chilterns (16 miles)

The most easterly Chiltern height is Deacon Hill crowning the Pegsdon Hills, 172m high on the chalk escarpment with the views you'd expect. Below, residents of Shillington so taken with their church on a hill, call this the cathedral of the Chilterns.

A succession of pretty villages, remains of two Norman motte & bailey castles, moats and inns, line this walk along the Icknield Way and John Bunyan Trail.

Travel Details: Take the train departing 09.46 AM from LONDON ST PANCRAS to HITCHIN arrives 10.20. Buy an off peak day return to ARLESEY £12.25 with a Network card or Groupsave ticket. The organizer will meet people at Hitchin station.

Walk start: 10.20 AM from HITCHIN rail station. Bring a packed lunch. Summit stop. Pub / village stops. Walk ends at ARLESEY

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/

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.
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.