Hike For Charity

Mon, Dec 29 · 10:30 GMT

You don't have to be a Pilgrim ~ 3rd Day > 17 km / 11 miles

Bramley Rail Station, The Street, Bramley, GB

Do this walk because - this is the third of three consecutive days walking from Reading to Basingstoke on the St James' Way.

You are welcome to join us on any, or all, of the three days.

During 2026 we plan to continue to Winchester and on to Southampton to complete this section of the Camino de Santiago in England.
St James' Way, Reading to Southampton - British Pilgrimage Trust

Walk facts
Form: Linear walk from Bramley railway station to Basingstoke.
Distance: Approximately 17 km / 11 miles.
Duration: actual walking time, circa 5 hours.
Grade: Easy/Moderate depending on the weather. The walk has a total ascent of 170m.
Donation to GOSH: £5 cash on the day. If this is your third consecutive day walking with this group you are not expected to make a donation on this walk.

What to take: A good packed lunch and plenty of water to keep you going for the full distance. A flask with a warm drink could be nice to have. Also something waterproof to sit on in case we have to sit on the ground as Pilgrims may have done.

Also, we're not insured, so please have your own insurance for this type of activity.
Bramley - BBC Weather

Walk description
Starting from Bramley station its a short walk to join St James' Way where we head for the Hamlet of Pamber End and Pamber Priory . We will see it from the outside as we continue towards Monk Sherborne.

We'll find somewhere to stop and have a short break to eat our packed lunches. There is a lack of shops, cafes and pubs so please bring adequate provisions to keep you going.

Next we'll set off across country for the second part of our journey that takes us to the outskirts of Basingstoke where we'll leave the St James' Way and walk a few minutes to a bus stop. We have the choice to nip into The Kestrel pub for refreshment here if we wish.

Next we take the No.8 bus to Basingstoke station. Its scheduled every 30 minutes with a travel time of 20 minutes. The station has several Cafes so this may be a good place to grab a coffee before heading home.

Trains from Basingstoke to Bramley/Reading are scheduled every 30 minutes with a travel time of 7 minutes to Bramley and 26 minutes to Reading.

Meeting at
Bramley Railway station. Please be there by 10.30am. The walk will start at 10.35am.

If you would like a lift from Reading station to the start of the walk please contact Carl R to check availability & meeting place. The 7 seater vehicle will leave Reading promptly at 9.30am.

TRAVEL
by train
The day starts at Bramley railway station and finishes at Basingstoke railway station.

From London: buy a day Return to Basingstoke which will cover both journeys. It will cost £36.40 (as of 15/11).

Catch the 9.33am from London Paddington, arrives Bramley at 10.26 (change at Reading).

Plan your route: TFL and The Trainline

KEY INFORMATION
YOU MUST READ THE THREE SECTIONS BELOW - if you join this trip, you're confirming that you have.

1. The perilous bit
2. Our FAQs, including an explanation of Group save tickets which will save you money.
3. See here for what to wear and take. Specifically make sure you bring good hiking boots and that you are ready for muddy conditions . Please - no trainers, they are not suitable for walking in the wintry muddy conditions.

AND FINALLY

• We're raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

We’ll deduct Meetup fees but all the profits will go to GOSH. After each hike, we’ll let you know exactly how much we’ve all raised. And if you’d like to join us and raise money by leading some hikes, please get in touch – the more the merrier 😊

Sat, Jan 3, 2026 · 11:00 GMT

New Year wake-up walk ~ 14 km / 8 miles

Dorking Deepdene Railway Station, London Rd, RH4 7TY, Dorking, GB

Do this walk because - you'll welcome in 2026 with a breath of fresh air to clear the mind.

Walk facts
Distance: Approximately 14 km / 8 miles
Duration: Walking time circa 4 hours.
Grade: Moderate. We will maintain a steady pace over varied surfaces.
Donation to GOSH: £5 cash on the day
What to take: A packed lunch and plenty of water.
Also, we're not insured, so please have your own insurance for this type of activity.

Walk description
Starting from Dorking Deepdene railway station, we'll follow the Mole Gap Trail for a short distance before joining the North Downs Way. Heading west, the trail leads us up Denbies Hill where we'll be rewarded with stunning views - a great spot to pause, take it all in and enjoy our snacks.

Refreshed, we’ll continue along the North Downs Way until we reach Hackhurst Downs. From here, we'll join Beggars Lane which takes us towards our final destination.

At Gomshall, we'll celebrate the walk with some well deserved refreshments before catching the train home.

Meeting at
Dorking Deepdene railway station. We'll be outside the station exit holding a GOSH banner, please see the photo below.
Meeting time: 10.55 am. We'll leave at 11 am.

TRAVEL
by train
The day starts at Dorking Deepdene station and finishes in Gomshall.

From London: buy a day Return to Gomshall which will cover both journeys. It will cost £17.60 but with Groupsave or a Network Railcard, it's £11.70 (as of 14/9/25).

Catch the 9.54 am from London Blackfriars, arriving Dorking Deepdene at 10.52 am (change at Redhill).

Plan your route: TFL and The Trainline

KEY INFORMATION
YOU MUST READ THE THREE SECTIONS BELOW - if you join this trip, you're confirming that you have.

1. The perilous bit
2. Our FAQs, including an explanation of Group save tickets which will save you money.
3. See here for what to wear and take. Specifically make sure you bring good hiking boots and that you are ready for muddy conditions . Please - no trainers, they are not suitable for walking in the wintry muddy conditions.

AND FINALLY

• We're raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

We’ll deduct Meetup fees but all the profits will go to GOSH. After each hike, we’ll let you know exactly how much we’ve all raised. And if you’d like to join us and raise money by leading some hikes, please get in touch – the more the merrier 😊

Fri, Jan 9, 2026 · 12:00 GMT

Winter activities in beautiful Alpine locations, France

Pra Périer, Prunières, FR

UPDATE (19/12/25)
Please note that the holiday start/finish dates & the transfer dates have changed to suit our guests.
One of our guests plans to depart on 16th & you are welcome to do join us for more winter activities at no additional accommodation cost, however transfers to Aix-en-Provence or Marseille airport are not available after 14th.

What are we doing
Winter activities in some beautiful Alpine locations. This will be our 5th year of winter activities for beginners. Experienced skiers are welcome to join us.

We need to have some flexibility to cater for prevailing weather conditions and group ability, however our plan includes the following:

• Walking below the snow line near Embrun and Lac de Serre-Ponçon.
• Downhill skiing or snow boarding at reallon. This is a good location for beginner's or 'warm up' for more experienced skiers. Ski lessons can be booked here.
• Snowshoeing from the ski resort of Reallon or Ancelle
• Downhill skiing or boarding at Risoul, Vars or Serre Chevalier. These are good locations for all abilities. This will be a full day on the slopes with evening meal in a restaurant.
• Cross country skiing at Crévoux or Ancelle.
• If possible we will repeat our groups favourite activity/location.

Accommodation
Our accommodation will be a well-equipped former farmhouse in the mountain hamlet of Pra Perier, Ecrins National Park, Hautes-Alpes, France.

• There are two twin bedrooms and one double bedroom available to us. We have exclusive use of a large living room with fully fitted kitchen. Https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/40886293
• There is a separate self contained apartment that may be available, subject to availability at the time of booking. https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/24909526

Amber & Christer are our hosts. They live in a separate part of the building. They both love outdoor activities and they hope to join us some activities, meals, drinks etc.

Shorter or longer stay may be possible by arrangement.

Eating and drinking

• Full self-catering facilities are available to us with 'help yourself' tea & coffee.
• In the evening we can drive to a local village to eat out or get a takeaway or self cater.
• Catering may be provided by our hosts on one or two evenings if there is sufficient demand.
• Beer and wine are available on a 'pay as you go' basis at our accommodation. Red wine from a box is available free of charge in the evenings.
• On at least one evening we will go out to try some local beer.
• We will take a trip to the local vineyard where you can taste before you purchase. Carl can transport some wine back to UK for you if requested.

Outbound travel from UK to Pra Perier

• You can take the train to Aix-en-Provence or fly to Marseille. One of our guests is flying with Ryanair from Stanstead to Marseille.
• The holiday price includes transfer by car from Aix-en-Provence or Marseille airport to our accommodation at Pra Perier on 9 January 2026.
• You should book you own train or flight. If you are choosing a different method of travel please check options with Carl before booking.

Return travel from Pra Perier to UK

• Transfer by car from our accommodation at Pra Perier to Aix-en-Provence or Marseille airport on 14 January is included in the holiday price.
• You should book you own train or flight. If you are choosing a different method of travel please check options with Carl before booking.

Basic holiday price of £399 includes:

• Accommodation at Pra Perier. Sharing a twin or double room. Please contact Carl R for rates for sole occupancy or the separate self contained apartment.
• A reserved seat in our 7 seat vehicle. This includes return transfers between Aix-en-Provence or Marseille airport and our accommodation at Pra Perier. Also daily travel from Pra Perier to locations for winter activities, meals etc. There are no additional cost for parking fees, tolls, fuel etc.
• Donation of £5 for GOSH Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

If you wish to provide your own transport for the entire holiday please discuss options with Carl R.

Costs not included in the basic holiday price

• Travel between UK and Aix-en-Provence or Marseille airport.
• Pay as you go for ski lift pass, equipment hire, eating out, personal expenses, professional ski lessons etc.
• Travel insurance.
• Provisions for self catering other than tea, coffee & cooking oil.
• Drinks available at Pra Perier other than the free red wine available from a box, tea & coffee.

How do I secure a place on this trip

• Request full details from Carl R.
• Confirm your requirements and receive a price breakdown.
• Pay £50 non-refundable deposit to secure your accommodation.
• Pay balance of full holiday cost before January 1st.

Notes

• The organisers operate this Meetup group for the enjoyment of the participants and themselves, not for profit.
• Please ask if you need more information to assist you in making your own travel plans. Also advice on typical costs of ski lift pass, equipment hire, ski lessons etc.
• Please secure your place on this trip before booking any flights or other transport.
• Seats in our 7 seater vehicle are subject to availability at the time of booking.
• If you sign up for this trip you will be added to a WhatsApp group.

Important information

• You sign up for and attend our activities at your own risk.
• Lessons are bookable at the ski resorts if required. The organisers of this Meetup event do not offer any training.
• You are strongly advised to purchase you own travel insurance that includes winter sports. This Meetup group does not have insurances to cover your activity.

Sat, Jan 31, 2026 · 11:30 GMT

The London Loop 9 ~ Kingston Bridge > Hatton cross (16 km, 10 miles)

Kingston Railway Station, Wood Street, Kingston Upon Thames, GB

Do this walk because – its the 9th Section of the London Loop and a positive way to start the new year.

In cases where a section is less than 16km in length we may increase the distance by combining two sections, or by extending the walk.
See.... London LOOP - Transport for London

(We're doing this hike with Variety is the Spice Meetup group.)

Walk facts (Section 9)
Length: Approximately 16 km /10 miles.
Duration: actual walking time, circa 4 hours.
Walk grade: Moderate.
Weather: London - BBC Weather

Donation to charity: £5 cash on the day
What to take: A packed lunch and plenty of water.
Also, we're not insured, so please have your own insurance for this type of activity.

Walk description
For details and walk highlights, please see the Ramblers website
https://www.innerlondonramblers.org.uk/images/RingandLoop/guides/LL09-kingston-bridge-to-hatton-cross-Feb25.pdf

Pushed for time?
Public transport options are fairly good if you need to bail out along the way. You can shorten the route by taking a bus at Hampton Road or, a little later, a train from Fulwell station. A bus from Staines Road in Hampton takes you to Twickenham station.

Facilities along the route

• Cafés and pubs in Kingston
• Coffee stalls in Bushy Park
• Café in the Woodland Gardens.
• Sainsbury’s supermarket at Hampton.
• Toilets at Kingston station, near the Diana Fountain in Bushy Park, in the Woodland Gardens and at the Sainsbury’s in Hampton and in the BP garage at Hatton Cross.

Meeting at
Kingston railway station. We'll be outside the station at 11.30 am. We'll start walking at 11.35 am.

TRAVEL
by train
Plan your route: TFL and The Trainline

KEY INFORMATION
YOU MUST READ THE THREE SECTIONS BELOW - if you join this trip, you're confirming that you have.

1. The perilous bit
2. Our FAQs, including an explanation of Group save tickets which will save you money.
3. See here for what to wear and take. Specifically make sure you bring good hiking boots and that you are ready for muddy conditions . Please - no trainers, they are not suitable for walking in the wintry muddy conditions.

AND FINALLY

• We're raising money for charity

We’ll deduct Meetup fees but all the profits will go to charity. After each hike, we’ll let you know exactly how much we’ve all raised. And if you’d like to join us and raise money by leading some hikes, please get in touch – the more the merrier 😊