Golden Hour on Pitch Hill: Late Start, Sunset Finish | 20 km (12.5 mi)

📈 Grade: 🥾🥾🥾 Level 3/5
🔦Sunset will be around 16:35, so it might get a bit dark towards the end. Please bring a head torch or hand light just in case!
——
📖 ABOUT:
Yes, the 10am train is on purpose 😴 It's the morning after our late-finish Halloween hike, and a gentle start for anyone who had a big Saturday night 🎃🎉

We set off across the heather and pines of Blackheath Common and Farley Heath, where a Roman temple once stood, then pass through the pretty village of Shamley Green and climb through the autumn woods of the Hurtwood to Pitch Hill (257 m), one of the finest viewpoints in the Surrey Hills, looking out across the Weald to the South Downs 🍂

🧡The late start means we catch Pitch Hill in that lovely low autumn light. The sun sets as we head down through the woods to Gomshall 🌅 We finish at dusk, so a head torch is a must 🔦
——
SUMMARY:
🥾 20km (12.5 mi) | ⚠️Point to point | Ascent: 554m | Descent: 516m | ~5.5 h including breaks and lunch
🚆 Train from London Waterloo station
⛳️ Meeting Point: 2 Options
1- London Waterloo, in front of the ticket office / opposite platform 15 | 09:35 (Train is at 10:00)
2- Chilworth, outside train station | 11:05
📍 Hike start: Chilworth, outside train station | 11:10
🏁 Hike finish: Gomshall train station | approx. 16:45 (after sunset, head torch needed 🔦)
——
🚊 TRAIN TICKET INFORMATION:
🎟️Buy an Off-Peak Day Return London Victoria ⇆ Gomshall and hop off one stop early at Chilworth on the way out 🎟️
£18.10 with a Network Railcard (£27.20 without)
No railcard? A Sunday Out Return on the same journey is £22.00
➡️Outbound: London Waterloo 10:00 → 11:06 Chilworth (change at Guildford)
⬅️Inbound: Gomshall, any Off-Peak train → London Victoria or London Waterloo (1 change)
——
💷COST: Free
This hike is completely free to join but participants need to purchase their own transport tickets.
——
🎒WHAT TO BRING:
2L Water
Snacks, plus money for lunch at the pub (card preferred), or bring a packed lunch if you prefer
Waterproof hiking boots with good grip (some steep sandy and muddy paths)
Warm layers, waterproofs, hat and gloves (it gets chilly fast once the sun goes down)
Head torch with charged batteries: essential, we finish at dusk 🔦
Optional: trekking poles, camera, a flask of something hot ☕

✅WHO CAN JOIN:
Our hikes are open to adults aged 21 and over.
You should be comfortable hiking 20 km with some steady climbs and finishing in the dusk.
For safety reasons, we're not able to include children.
We love animals, but pets (including dogs) can't join our hikes.
——
🚨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.
——
☯️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.
——
⚠️ 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.