FREE HIKE - Into the Wild: Marden Park North Downs Escape
Details
📅 Saturday, 11 April 2026
⏰ Meet at 10:30 AM and we start at 10:45 AM sharp.
📍 Meet outside Oxted Train Station (main entrance)
🅿️ Parking: Limited on-street parking nearby / station car park
🚶 Distance: Approx. 15 to 16 miles
🔁 Type: Circular woodland & downs hike
⚡ Pace: Medium/fitness pace
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## 🌲 Quiet Woodlands of Marden Park (Oxted Circular)
This Saturday hike explores the quiet woodlands and rolling terrain of Marden Park, tucked into the North Downs just outside Oxted. It’s a countryside route with a strong sense of seclusion, despite being easily accessible by train.
We’ll head out from Oxted and climb gently into wooded hills, following forest tracks and footpaths that weave through ancient woodland, open clearings, and chalk downland edges. This area feels especially peaceful — bare trees, wide skies, and long views when the canopy opens.
Marden Park itself sits within a historic landscape shaped by farming, hunting, and estate woodland. The paths we follow link long-established tracks rather than formal parkland walks, giving the route a slightly wild, exploratory feel while still being well-defined.
Expect a mix of forest trails, uneven ground, and occasional muddy stretches, with rewarding viewpoints and quiet corners away from busy roads.
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## 🌄 Highlights Along the Way
• Woodland and forest trails through Marden Park
• Gentle climbs typical of the North Downs
• Open viewpoints when the trees break
• A peaceful, rural feel close to London
• A satisfying circular route
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## ⚠️ Group Guidelines (Important)
• Please stay with or behind the hike leader at all times
• You must be able to see the person in front of you at all times
• Trails may be muddy, slippery, and uneven — proper hiking shoes/ boots recommended
• Bring water, food, warm layers, and maybe a torch
• The hike is at a medium/fitness pace
• This is a voluntary activity — you are responsible for your own safety
• The organiser accepts no risk or liability
• Repeated no-shows may result in removal from the group
Please read the About Us section before signing up:
👉 https://www.meetup.com/free-hiking-outdoor-fitness-and-social-activities
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## ☕🍻 After the Hike
We’ll finish back in Oxted, with the option to head to a local pub for a drink and food before heading home.
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📱 Contact
If you’re running late or lost, message me on WhatsApp: 07830 374 629
(Please don’t call during the hike as I’ll be leading and navigating.)