The Six Woods Trail: Nature Reserves & Hidden Paths | Free Hike 23km (14mi)

GRADE 🥾🥾🥾 Level 3.5/5
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📕ABOUT
Join us for a peaceful, green London-edge escape along the Six Woods Trail.
👉🏻A point-to-point hike that links six different woodlands 🌳between Ruislip Manor and Northwood Hills Underground Stations (Zone6)
This route is all about calm nature time: Forest tracks, quiet nature reserves, open clearings and gentle countryside paths with the soothing feeling of being far from the city even though we’re still on the Tube network.
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🌟HIGHLIGHTS

• 🌲 Ruislip Woods National Nature Reserve – One of London’s most important ancient woodland areas, with a real “deep forest” feel, seasonal colours and loads of birdlife.
• 🍃 Mad Bess Wood – A quieter, tucked-away stretch where the path feels properly secluded—great for that calm, mindful hiking vibe.
• 🌳 Bayhurst Wood – Classic Chiltern-edge woodland atmosphere: soft trails, tall trees and a lovely sense of being enveloped by nature.
• 🌿 Old Park Wood Nature Reserve – A beautiful reserve section with a wilder feel and rich habitat, perfect for slow moments and wildlife spotting.
• 🌲 Bishop’s Wood – A gorgeous woodland network with winding paths and plenty of “choose-your-own-adventure” trail vibes (with the main route keeping us on track).
• 🍂 Copse Wood – A charming final woodland chapter: smaller, peaceful and a lovely way to finish before we return to civilisation at Northwood Hills.
• 🦌 Wildlife spotting – This whole corridor is known for wildlife, so keep your eyes open for woodland birds and other surprises.
• 🚤 Grand Union Canal nearby – Calm waterside atmosphere on the western side of the route with amenities close by.
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  📖SUMMARY
  🥾23.1km (16mi) | Ascent 490m | Descent 470m | Max Elevation 106m
  🚊Train - London Underground Only
  😁This is a Friendly Oyster or contactless (bank card) trip. No advance tickets are needed.
  ⛳️ Meeting Point:
  Ruislip Manor Tube Station | 09:50
  ⚠️This is a Point to Point (not Circular) Hike
  📍Hike start: Ruislip Manor tube station | 10:00
  🔚Hike finish: Northwood Hills tube station | approx. ~17:00
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  🎟️ TRAIN TICKET INFORMATION
• Pay by Oyster / contactless bank card (Tube at both ends)
• Plan your journey at TfL Website
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  💷COST: Free
  This hike is completely free to join but participants need to purchase their own transport tickets.
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  🎒WHAT TO BRING:
• 2L Water
• Packed lunch and snacks
• Comfortable walking/hiking shoes
• Weather-appropriate clothing (layers, waterproofs, hat, sunscreen)
• Optional: trekking poles, camera
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  ✅WHO CAN JOIN:
• Our hikes are open to adults aged 21 and over.
• For safety reasons, we’re not able to include children.
• We love animals, but pets (including dogs) can’t join our hikes.
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  🚨RSVP & ATTENDANCE:
  RSVP only if you plan to attend. Please cancel as early as possible if you can no longer make it so others can join. A no-show means you RSVPed but did not attend or cancelled just before or after the start time. Repeated no-shows or late cancellations without a valid reason may lead to removal. Reliable regulars who end up on a waitlist may message the host for priority consideration.
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  ☯️STAYING TOGETHER:
  A dedicated back marker is not always present, so please keep others in sight and avoid moving too far ahead or falling too far behind. Faster walkers should wait at junctions. The hike leader will pause at key points to regroup and reduce the chance of anyone becoming separated from the group.
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  ⚠️ DISCLAIMER:
  By joining, you confirm that you have read and accepted the group policy on the About page. You are responsible for your own safety, and neither the host nor the group can be held liable for injury, loss, or damage.