Twin Peaks - the Heights of Haslemere (14 miles)

After Leith Hill, both second and third highest summits around London abut Haslemere. In honour of the town's resident John Tyndall on his birthday, this walk offers the chance to tick both in one day. Stand at 272m / 894ft on Gibbet Hill in the morning, then climb to 280m / 914ft in the afternoon on Black Down.

Both hills have features of note. The NW slopes of Gibbet Hill plunge into the Devil's Punch Bowl. Black Down is better known as the Temple of the Winds. Both hills offer unrivalled views stretching from Hampshire to a distant London. Add to two prominent hills, a sprinkling of Tyndall connections, and you have the recipe for a perfect day out.

So often the people who do what we do turn out to be quite remarkable. Tyndall was part of Alpinism's Golden Age, most notably in 1861 making the first ascent of the Weisshorn. When not in the Alps, two years earlier he was the first to prove the greenhouse effect.

Naturally as a scientific Alpinist he also studied glaciation, identifying characteristics of glacier flow. It is a bitter irony that the effect of a phenomenon whose existence he proved, is laying waste to the environment he loved.

TRAVEL DETAILS:
The 9.30 AM train from Waterloo arrives at HASLEMERE at 10.20. Buy an off peak day return to HASLEMERE which is £19.75 with Groupsave or Network Card. Summit stops. Pub stop for drinks. Circular walk

From 9 AM the organizer will be outside the ticket office at Waterloo wearing yellow to act as a focal point for people to arrange group tickets.

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.