London Explorers - Walks, Hikes, Socials

Walk length 14.5miles/23km (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) aLoughton earthworks (Iron Age Camp) thought to date back to 500 BC.

Lunch and Finish

Meeting point for walk: Meet outside Loughton Underground Station for the walk to start at 11.00am. This is a linear hike and finishes at Wanstead underground Station. There are some points when you could leave early close to Loughton, Chingford or Woodford.

Please bring a snack lunch and water for the walk. The walk should finish at about 4.30pm 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.

Car: Car Park is £3 on Saturday at Loughton Station, other options or free road parking may be available (please leave allow enough time to park and check for restrictions) Remember as this is a linear hike you will need to collect your car at the end of the walk

Loughton is in Zone 6 and on the Central Line 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 shoes, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. Please see our Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/London-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.

Walk length 13miles/21km approx. Linear.

A scenic hike from Goring to Reading using a mixture of landscapes across fields and woodland using a number of sections of the Chiltern Way which is a waymarked national long-distance footpath. There is also a small section of the Thames path at Reading.

THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL HIKE WITH A NUMBER OF HILL CLIMBS AS WELL AS FLATTER SECTIONS CLOSE TO THE RIVER.

Lunch and Finish

Please bring a snack lunch and water for the walk. The walk should finish before 4.30pm and include a 30 min snack lunch stop and classy 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 station for the hike to start at 10.43am (after the train from London arrives).

By train: The 9.38am train from London Paddington gets to Goring & Streatley for 10.43am.

Please note this is a linear hike so you get a return ticket to Goring & Streatley but you will return from Reading which is one the same line.
If driving you need to park near Goring or Reading station to collect your car at the end.

From London it is suggested you meet from 9.00am 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.

Cost: £7 cash payable on the day guided walk & meetup costs. You can do paypal (colin45@hotmail.co.uk) if you prefer.

Train price should be approx. £19 return 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 shoes, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. Please see our Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/London-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.

This event is a chance to explore a small number of historic pubs that lurk in or close to the City of London.

Ye Olde Mitre (6.30pm-7.30pm)
Was Built in 1546 for servants of the Bishops of Ely. The Ye Olde Mitre is famous for having a cherry tree, (now supporting the front) that Queen Elizabeth once danced around with Sir Christopher Hatton. The pub was actually a part of Cambridge (Ely being in Cambridge) and the licencees used to have to go there for their licence.
Ye Olde Mitre, 1 Ely Court, Ely Place, London, EC1N 6SJ

The Penderel's Oak (7.30pm-11.00pm), 283-288 High Holborn, WC1V 7HP, London.

Times of leaving and arriving at each pub are approximate and will involve some short walks and we may have to adapt a little on the day, again updates will be posted and I may change some of the pubs nearer the date, again updates will be posted. please make a note of my number Colin 07709305681.