What we’re about
All our day walks should be easily accessible for Manchester, Sheffield, East Midlands, West Midlands, West Yorkshire and many with good rail links even from London and the South.
Browse our Meetup site and you'll find lots of cracking walks and one or two bike rides as well.
We also have a big schedule of low cost weekends away throughout the year summarised at the link below.
https://www.peakmeetupgroup.com/weekends
We're a group for all ages and stages and I guarantee you'll be made very welcome at any of our events.
If unsure about anything please ask.
Although everyone can join our group without charge, we are a a subscription based group which means that rather than make a charge for individual walks or require members to join the Ramblers Association to take part as some walking groups do, we levy a recurring Annual Membership charge of £10 or offer Life Membership for a one off payment of £35 but we allow your very first THREE MONTHS ABSOLUTELY FREE after which you need to make a decision about your continuing membership of the group. (Free period does not apply to re-joining members)
Full details are at:- https://www.peakmeetupgroup.com/membership
Most of our active members have at some point taken out Life Membership of the group but once achieved requires no further membership payments throughout the life of their membership.
We understand that new members may be little uncomfortable at parting with payments no matter how small without knowledge and experience of our lovely group so also give THREE MONTHS UNCONDITIONAL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE from the date of payment on any subscription payments you make.
The kitty we generate through membership payments enables us to offer a massive program of budget weekends away and to pay our Meetup Fees, Liability Insurance and other expenses. All our activities are entirely NOT FOR PROFIT and none of our organisers or walk leaders draws any income whatsoever. Any income surplus is ploughed back into creating new events.
Please note that we do consider it essential for our group where members do meet each other 'live' that new members should use a sensible screen name that they expect to be addressed by and that they are prepared to upload/show a recognisable profile picture of themselves on our Meetup site.
Regards
Gordon Conway
Co-organiser and Founder
Peak District Walkers, Hikers, Ramblers and Leisure Group
gordon@peakmeetupgroup.com
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- West Highland Way Adventure 2024Milngavie, Glasgow£350.00
Our 2023 West Highland Way walking adventure was amazing in every respect. Fantastic 96 mile journey through the most beautiful scenery in the UK with a lovely group who encouraged and supported each other every step of the way. Some even managed to bag a few of those soaring munros en route but this was entirely optional. A small band of brave souls even tackled the scary Ben Nevis CMD Arrete route (with a professional guide) after a rest day at the end of the walk. Unbelievably the weather was amazing too as it has been so far every time we have done the WHW!
We are now making this available again in 2024 for a similar price which is equally amazing as we found another Meetup group there at the same time as us charging more than THREE times our price. Unbelievable. Our event included highly rated hostels and one full service Hotel whilst theirs included 2 nights camping and by the sound of it an awful lot of midges which we barely experienced. Our philosophy of keeping costs as low as we can using volunteer unpaid hosts and without profit generation of any sort once again pays off big time for our lovely group of members. Yes, we do charge a small annual membership subscription which helps to make it all work but on weekends and longer breaks this saves our members hundreds of pounds every year.
So what's it all about.
The West Highland Way is without doubt the most well loved long distance walking route in the UK. 96 miles of pure delight along the banks of Loch Lomond and along the valleys of the Highlands like Glencoe until eventually reaching Fort William.
Seven days walking in some of the most stunning scenery in the UK generally avoiding big ups and downs although as we have proved those that want to bag a few munros on the way can certainly do so.
The West Highland Way is surely a "must do" for anyone who loves walking
Friday is a traveling up day for most, although as long as you make it to Milngavie (above)for 08:00am Saturday you can still be there at the start. There is limited free or low cost parking in Milngavie so we recommend traveling up by public transport on the Friday and staying in Glasgow centre ready for an early train from Glasgow Queens Street Station to our start point. Flixbus and Megabus are lower cost alternatives to trains for your journey up.
Here is an interactive map of our planned route:-
http://www.peakmeetupgroup.com/whw2024/
Although spread over 7 days our walking days are not entirely equal and can stretch to 18 miles (even without munros) but with limited ascents and starting early making it highly doable for any regular walker. We do allow for a very short day half way to stay in a full service hotel with twin or double en suite rooms and just relax and chill which is appreciated by all.
Food is mostly taken at nearby pubs or in some cases catering by the hostels but self catering is available at about half the venues if participants want to do that. There is no included food.
Our costings include all accommodation between the Saturday departure from Milngavie and our arrival in Fort William and baggage transfer (20kg per person) for each overnight stay in between.
Our costings do not include travel, to and from Scotland, accommodation for the Friday night in Glasgow or accommodation once we arrive in Fort William due to everybody's differing arrival and departure requirements.
Overall cost for the trip for 2024 is the very low price of £350 which is now payable when you book. You will incur Meetup Booking Fees if you RSVP so suggest you use BACS for the payment but let us know so we can add you to the event.
Those who have paid staged payments have one further one of £100 to make on or before 01/07/24. Balance payments are fully refundable if forced to cancel prior to 01/07/24 but after which all payments will be lost unless the event is otherwise full and your place can be re-sold. The deposit amount of £50 is non-refundable and will be lost on any cancellation.
BACS Details
Account Code: 40848442
Sort Code: 56-00-61
Account Name: Peak Activities & Leisure LimitedEveryone who did this trip last time raves about it and it is after all so much more fun in a group. Join us! Absolute maximum 16
Once we arrive in Fort William, we shall certainly get together for a celebration dinner and we'll also organise an optional guided walk up Ben Nevis via the CMD Arrete for the final Sunday after a much needed days rest so factor this into your travel plans and don't miss out.
Overall distance: 96 miles (i.e. 14 miles per day approx)
Accumulated ascent: 4,800 m (i.e. < 700m per day)
Total days walking: 7
Nearest postcode at start: G62 6PB
What 3 Words: eaten.hello.remote
Up to date availability on all of our weekends away is viewable at a glance at:-
- Ben Nevis Ascent via the Carn Mor Dearg (CMD) RouteNorth Face Car Park, Fort William£49.00
This is surely a "must do" event for everyone who loves walking UK mountains.
Ben Nevis is on everybodies bucket list but the conventional tourist / mountain route is crowded and painful up all those dreadful zigzags.
The CMD route is something else again.
First you ascend Carn Mor Dearg a Scottish top ten hill adjacent to Ben Nevis which is a tough walk but not technical in any sense. Then just beyond the CMD summit after a short descent you find a sliver of land that joins the two mountains together. It is mostly walkable although you will want to hold in places as there is a 2000 ft drop on both sides. Once you reach Ben Nevis there is then a short scramble to the top.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/carnmordeargarete.shtml
We have done this as an unguided event in the past and some question the need for a professional guide but we think it is essential in unfamiliar territory where visibility and wind conditions can change in an instant.
We use only qualified local professional guides.
To arrange this as a guided trip for yourself could cost hundreds of pounds so asking for a contribution of just £49 + Meetup booking fees is a real bargain.
Refunds are not possible unless the event is cancelled by ourselves.
Please arrange your own accommodation presumably for before and after the event.
Cheap bus transport to Scotland is available via Megabus and Flixbus from Sheffield or Manchester to Glasgow and Scottish Citylink buses to get you to / from Fort William. MUCH cheaper than driving or the train.
This event will also be attended by group members who have just completed our West Highland Way event.
