What we’re about
HIKE - "To walk a long way usually for pleasure, especially in the country"
Our hikes are typically 8 - 10 miles (12.8 - 16 km), sometimes shorter or longer.
- Local hikes in Hertfordshire and surrounding areas
- Day hikes elsewhere in South-East England
- Hiking weekends away in England and Wales
WELCOME!
If you would like to explore the countryside of England and Wales on foot, you are welcome to join us.
Bienvenue
Willkommen
Benvenuti/Benvenute
Bienvenido
Witamy
Dobrodošli
Καλώς Όρισες
ยินดีต้อนรับ
歡迎光臨
Plus many other languages, too numerous to list.
MEMBERSHIP
To join one of our events:
- Log in to Meetup if you already have a Meetup login. If not, please see below.
- Join the South Herts Hikers Meetup Group by clicking the 'Join Us' button above. This gives you immediate free trial membership of our group and you can attend our events.
- Select an event and click 'Attend'. You should receive an email confirming your place. If the event is already full you will be put onto a waiting list.
If you don't have a Meetup login yet, you can create one easily using the login details of an existing Facebook or Google login or you can create a separate Meetup login.
To cover the costs of running this Meetup Group and other associated costs, we suggest a voluntary annual membership donation of £1 (50p if you join July onwards) at your first event of each year plus a voluntary donation of £2 for each hike for every participant. Cash is preferred or you can use Paypal https://paypal.me/SouthHertsHikers
MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA
Membership is open to anyone aged 18 or more who has an interest in hiking, regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs, provided they fulfil the following criteria:
- Being friendly towards all other Group members, treating other members with respect and as equals.
- Avoiding any conduct likely to discourage any other member from participating in future Group events or from organising future group events. In particular, this group is a “Grump Free Zone” especially on Group weekends away!
ETIQUETTE
These aren't rules but advice for a friendly group
- The walk leader sets the pace suitable for the slowest member, as long as we can complete the walk in a reasonable time. It is not a race to finish first nor a training event nor a non-stop work-out. We stop from time to time to regroup (for example after going through a gate), to have a rest, a drink or a snack, admire the view or take photos, etc. You may need extra clothing to put on for stops in colder weather.
- We have members of different ages and genders and we like everyone to relate to each other on an equal basis.
- We have members from different nationalities and cultures. We like to make everyone welcome and we don't quiz anyone about their background or country of origin, they can tell us if they like but this is optional.
- Conversations on a group walk or other event can often be overheard by others so we avoid discussing anything that is out of place in a friendly social group. This would include avoiding heated debates or any discussions about controversial or unpleasant subjects that others may not wish to hear about, including religion, UK politics or politics of any other country.
WHAT TO TAKE
Most of our routes are on public footpaths in the countryside. Some of these may be slippery, muddy or stony in places. You need adequate footwear, preferably hiking boots, with thick soles and good grip. You need a waterproof jacket in case it rains and in cold weather, you also need a warm outdoor jacket and an extra layer to put on for outdoor stops.
We have some info pages on what to take for day hikes and weekends away. Please see the Hiking Info http://southhertshikers.uk/info/ page on our web site for further details.
PAST EVENTS
You can find a photo album for each past event on this Meetup Group.
AFFILIATION
We are affiliated to The Ramblers https://www.ramblers.org.uk/
Hertfordshire & North Middlesex Area https://www.hnmramblers.org.uk/
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
Please see the FAQ page http://southhertshikers.uk/faq/ on our web site or click the Organizers https://www.meetup.com/SouthHertsHikers/members/?op=leaders link on Meetup to contact the organizers via Meetup messaging.
Upcoming events (1)
See all- Sunday Hike High Barnet - Highwood Hill - Arkley - Hadley Common Circular 9.5 mlHigh Barnet Tube Station (by Coffee@Cals), Barnet
Join like-minded outdoor enthusiasts to discover some little-known scenic trails and woodland in the Green Belt countryside near Barnet. Stop for lunch in the midst of a little known Rhododendron wood that may still be in flower. This Sunday getaway is perfect for nature enthusiasts and hikers looking to explore new trails and embrace the great outdoors. It starts right at the end of the Northern Line tube line.
Meet 10:30 for 10:45 start outside the ticket office at High Barnet Underground Station (by the Coffee@Cal's kiosk, a little way up the path from the car park) Barnet Hill, Barnet EN5 5RP. See photo in photo album for this event. Look for our Meetup sign.
HIKE DESCRIPTION:
From the start towards Underhill then west along the Dollis Valley Green Walk/London Loop - Whitings Hill Open Space - Whitings Wood - Totteridge Fields Nature Reserve - Highwood Hill - Barnet Gate Wood (outdoor lunch stop) - The Gate Pub (indoor lunch stop). After lunch Arkley Windmill - Galley Lane - St Albans Road - Monken Hadley Common - King George's Field - and back up Meadway to the start. Total distance is 9.5 mls (15.2 km) but you could finish at lunch time and take a bus or you could shorten it a bit at the end if you like
Approx 80% of this route is on footpaths and 20% on roads with pavements. Footpaths may be muddy in places if the weather has been wet.
PLACES OF INTEREST:
Totteridge Fields Nature Reserve, London Wildlife Trust http://www.wildlondon.org.uk/reserves/totteridge-fields
Barnet Gate Wood, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnet_Gate_Wood
Arkley Windmill http://www.windmillworld.com/millid/2594.htm
Whitings Wood (Woodland Trust) https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/wood/4629/whitings-wood/
The Gate pub: http://thegatearkley.co.uk/
HIKING MAP:
Ordnance Survey 'Explorer' 1:25,000 scale, Sheet 173, London North
ONLINE MAP:
This route was devised by South Herts Hikers. There is a static map in the event photo above and we have also uploaded it to Wikiloc. See: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/high-barnet-tube-station-highwood-hill-arkley-monken-hadley-common-loop-v2-36973557
You can select map or aerial view (OpenStreetmap recommended) and you can zoom in. Navigating the trail outdoors using the Wikiloc app needs the premium version but it is also possible to download a .GPX file to a mobile device to use with any GPS app. You need to set up a Wikiloc login but it's free and then use a web browser e.g. Google Chrome or Apple Safari rather than the Wikiloc app to follow the Wikiloc link above. You can use a .gpx or .kml file with any GPS app such as OSMand, Komoot, All Trails, Outdoor Active, Organic Maps or Google Maps
PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO MEETING LOCATION:
London Underground Northern Line, TfL buses 34, 107, 234, 263, 307, 326, 384.
CAR PARKING NEAR MEETING LOCATION:
High Barnet Tube Station car park is expensive (£6.00 Sundays) https://www.sabaparking.co.uk/car-park/high-barnet-station-car-park-tfl Alternatively, you could park free in nearby streets such as Vale Drive EN5 2ED without parking restrictions on Sundays. Please park considerately.
• What to bring
Most of the route is on public footpaths in the countryside. Some of these may be slippery, muddy or stony in places. We recommend:- adequate footwear, preferably hiking boots, with thick soles and good grip
- waterproof jacket or umbrella for rain
- sun hat if sunny
- drink essential (1 - 2 litres)
- packed lunch (recommended).
• Important to know
There will be a mid morning stop 4.2 km from the start in Whitings Wood. Outdoor lunch stop is 7.3 km from the start in Barnet Gate Wood where you can eat your packed lunch. Indoor lunch stop is 7.7 km from start at The Gate pub, Barnet Road, Arkley, EN5 3LA. Before going into the pub, please be prepared to remove or cover your boots if muddy.
We can spend up to 60 minutes at the pub lunch stop and this may allow time to order food, if available but the pub can be busy on a Sunday and they may only have tables for people who pre-book. We recommend you to bring your own food but please do not consume your own food or drink in the pub or in their garden. We have a quiet woodland lunch spot.
We plan to finish by 16:30 - 17:00.
Although this event is shown on Meetup as free, from 1st Jan 2025, this group has introduced a monthly membership subscription of £4 per month. You only pay for months when you actually attend an event. Anyone who attends an event needs to be a member of South Herts Hikers, including guests and your membership subscription lasts for one month from the date when you pay. During that time you can attend any other Group events with no extra charge. There will normally be at least one more event in the 31 days after you join, possibly more. This subscription contributes towards the costs of running this Meetup Group including the fees that organisers need to pay Meetup which increased by 80% from July 2024. You can use cash or Paypal https://paypal.me/SouthHertsHikers
Please note our membership criteria and guidelines. From this Meetup Group's home page https://www.meetup.com/southhertshikers/ see What we're about > Read More
For our policy on dogs on our hikes, please see our FAQ page, http://southhertshikers.uk/faq/
