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 (2)
See all- Sunday Hike, Radlett - Aldenham - Ver-Colne Valley Walk circular 8.6 mlsRadlett station, Radlett
Join like-minded outdoor enthusiasts and hikers to discover some little-known scenic trails and woodland in the Hertfordshire Green Belt countryside around Aldenham and Radlett, including part of the Ver-Colne Valley Walk.
Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a beginner, this 8.6 mile (13.8 km) hike is perfect for exploring new trails and embracing the great outdoors. It starts and ends at Radlett Station, accessible by train from St Albans, Elstree or London St Pancras or by bus from Hatfield, St Albans or Watford.
Meet 10:30 for 10:45 start by the ticket machines outside Radlett Train Station,
Station Approach,
Watling Street,
Radlett,
Herts
WD7 7AJ.
Nearest post code WD7 7AJ
Lat/Long (WGS84): 51.68519,-0.31724
OSGB Grid Reference: TQ164998
What3Words https://w3w.co/prefer.fired.properHIKE DESCRIPTION:
From Radlett along the Ver-Colne Valley walk to Aldenham with a lunch stop at the Roundbush pub. Then via Letchmore Heath back to Radlett. Total distance is 8.6 miles (13.8 km) with slight hills, total 58 metres (190 ft) ascent and descent. We plan to finish the hike by 16:45 or earlier.HIKING MAP:
O.S. 'Explorer' 1:25,000 scale, Sheets 173 London North and 182 St Albans & Hatfield.ONLINE MAP:
This route was devised by South Herts Hikers and is on Wikiloc: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/radlett-aldenham-ver-colne-valley-walk-v2-118541938You 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 you can also set up a free Wikiloc login then use a web browser such as Chrome (not the Wikiloc app) to download a .GPX or .kml file to a mobile device. Then you can open it with a mobile phone GPS app such as OSMand, Komoot, All Trails, Outdoor Active, Organic Maps or Google Maps.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO MEETING LOCATION:
Thameslink trains from Bedford, St Albans City, Elstree and Borehamwood, Mill Hill Broadway, London St Pancras.
Bus 602 to Radlett from Hatfield, St Albans, London Colney, Bushey, Watford. Hike starts and finishes at Radlett Station.CAR PARKING NEAR MEETING LOCATION:
Parking in station car park or nearby streets (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. You need adequate footwear, preferably hiking boots, with thick soles and good grip. You also need an outdoor jacket and a waterproof jacket in case it rains.
Drink essential, packed lunch recommended. For further details, please see South Herts Hikers Information Page 'A' Day Hikes http://southhertshikers.uk/info/• Important to know
There will be a 10 minute mid-morning stop 4.5 km from the start. Lunch stop is at The Roundbush pub, 8.9 km from the start https://www.theroundbush.co.uk/ We recommend you to bring a packed lunch to eat outdoors (not in the pub garden) as there may not be time to order food at the pub.Although the event is shown on Meetup as free, so you don't need to pay when you sign up, group organisers have to pay Meetup and this cost has increased by 81% from July 2024 so we invite voluntary donations to cover group running costs. We suggest a voluntary annual membership donation of £2 (£1 from July onwards) at your first event of the year plus a voluntary donation of £3 for each hike for every participant. That's £4.00 for your first hike in 2024 or £3.00 per event after that. Cash is preferred or you can use Paypal https://paypal.me/SouthHertsHikers
Please note our membership criteria and guidelines for etiquette. 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/
- Sunday Afternoon Hike Hadley Green - Arkley - Saffron Green - circular 6.2 milesHadley Green Road, Greater London
Join like-minded outdoor enthusiasts for a Sunday afternoon hike in the Hertfordshire Green Belt countryside just outside London. Discover some scenic footpaths and green spaces including Saffron Green.
Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a beginner, this 6.2 mile (10.0 km) hike is perfect for exploring new trails and embracing the great outdoors. It starts and ends at Hadley Green which is near a number of Transport for London Bus routes and 15 mins walk from High Barnet tube station (Northern Line).
Meet at 1:00 p.m. for 1:15 start at junction of Hadley Green Road and Hadley Green opposite CYMA Classic Car wash, 242 High St, Barnet EN5 5TD. Please see the Google Map on Meetup. Look for our Meetup sign.
Nearest post code: EN5 5TD
Lat/Long (WGS84): 51.658465,-0.200431
O.S. Grid Ref: TQ245970
What3Words https://w3w.co/expect.labels.fieldHIKE DESCRIPTION:
From the start, we take footpaths to Arkley then Saffron Green (short stop). We continue via Dyrham Park and past the Green Dragon pub (no stop), then on a public footpath across Old Fold Manor Golf Course back to the start at Hadley Green.Most of the route is on public footpaths in the countryside and these may be muddy in places if the weather has been wet. Total distance 6.2 miles (10.0 km) and it is fairly flat with only 61 metres (200 ft) of ascent and descent.
We expect to finish the hike by 4:45 p.m. or earlier.
PLACES OF INTEREST:
Saffron Green Meadows, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron_Green_MeadowsHIKING MAP:
We use Ordnance Survey 'Explorer' 1:25,000 scale, Sheet 173, London North.ONLINE MAP:
This route was devised by South Herts Hikers and is also on Wikiloc: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/hadley-green-arkley-saffron-green-loop-v3-115154674
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 you can also set up a free Wikiloc login then use a web browser such as Chrome (not the Wikiloc app) to download a .GPX or .kml file to a mobile device. Then you can open it with a mobile phone GPS app such as OSMand, Komoot, All Trails, Outdoor Active, Organic Maps or Google Maps.PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO MEETING LOCATION:
By tube: Hadley Green is at the Northern end of Barnet High Street, about 15 mins walk from High Barnet Station (Northern Line)
By bus: TfL buses 34, 107, 184, 234, 263, 307, 326. The Central Connect 84B bus service between Potters Bar and Barnet does not run on a Sunday.By train: Great Northern trains from London King's Cross, Finsbury Park, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City etc. to Hadley Wood Station (HDW) then 2 km walk (30 mins) to Hadley Green.
CAR PARKING NEAR MEETING LOCATION:
Free parking on Sundays by the A1000 road at Hadley Green near the meeting place. Please see first photo in photo album.• 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. You need adequate footwear, preferably hiking boots, with thick soles and good grip. You also need an outdoor jacket and a waterproof jacket in case it rains.Drink is essential, some food is recommended. For further details, please see South Herts Hikers Information Page 'A' Day Hikes http://southhertshikers.uk/info/
• Important to know
There will be a half way stop at Saffron Green 5.1 km from the start at around 2:30 p.m.. There are seats here and you could make this a short lunch stop or you could have lunch before you start the hike.Although the event is shown on Meetup as free, so you don't need to pay when you sign up, group organisers have to pay Meetup and this cost has increased by 81% from July 2024 so we invite voluntary donations to cover group running costs. We suggest a voluntary annual membership donation of £2 (£1 from July onwards) at your first event of the year plus a voluntary donation of £3 for each hike for every participant. That's £4.00 for your first hike in 2024 or £3.00 per event after that. Cash is preferred or you can use Paypal https://paypal.me/SouthHertsHikers
Please note our membership criteria and guidelines for etiquette. 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/