The Saturday Walkers Club

The Saturday Walkers Club (SWC) is a London based walking group.

Southeast England is criss-crossed by public footpaths, it includes the chalk cliffs of the South Coast, the gentle hills of the North, South and Wessex Downs, the blubell woodlands of Kent and Surrey, the Chiltern beechwoods, the Thames, the secluded valleys of the Weald, ancient forests, remote heathlands, fields full of wildflowers, and Purbeck's dramatic coast.

There is also plenty of historical interest - from towns (Oxford, Cambridge, Canterbury, Rye, Chichester) to castles and palaces in landscaped parks (Arundel, Windsor, Blenheim, Knole), from gardens (Nymans, Wakehurst, Kew) to more intimate pleasures such as unspoiled country villages, cosy pubs, medieval churches, ancient hillforts and Roman remains.

All of this countryside is an hour or 2 from London via an excellent rail network.

This Week's Walks

New Members

The club organises several walks each week in South East England, about an hour by train from central London. The walks are public transport friendly (but you are welcome to drive), and stop at a pub for lunch (but you are welcome to bring a picnic).

All club walks are free, and everybody is welcome, especially visitors to London. Just turn up!

SWC (Free) Walks

The club is creating new walks, over 60 so far. These walks are public transport friendly, pass historic properties and gardens, and stop at a pub for lunch. Most contain detailed walking instructions (the other require an OS map), and all can be downloaded and printed.

Time Out Book of Country Walks Near London Volume 1
Time Out Book of Country Walks Near London Volume 2

TOCW Book 1

TOCW Book 2

Walk Photos

The club wrote and maintains the 2 Time Out Books of Country Walks near London.

The 2 book's feature:

Due to copyright, we regret that the walking instructions for most of the Time Out book walks are not online. However, the following are available:

The Nicholas Albery Foundation, a registered charity, publishes the 2 walking books. Royalties from sales pay for this website, and help the charity's other projects.

Walking in Southeast England

Swimming

Walking in the southeast is safe and easy, and doesn't need too much expensive equipment. Besides an introduction to walking, and using 'detailed walking instructions' rather than maps, there are features on the many long distance paths in the southeast and even naked walking.

In the summer, many of the coastal walks are great for swimming - the Southeast Coastline stretches from Essex, via the Thames and London, via Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire (not forgetting the Isle of White) to Dorset

Nature and Weather

A monthly almanac of the seasons

Hills and Mountains

Map of Hills in the Southeast

There are over 3,000 British and Irish hills and mountains. There is a list and OS map of each one.

Besides Munros (Scottish hills over 3,000 feet - about 1000 metres) and Wainwrights are 'Humps' and 'Marilyns' and Humps. These are relatively high hills, of which there are many, even in the Southeast.

Historic Houses and Gardens

Many of the walks pass historic houses, gardens and ancient sites. There is a Google map of all English Heritage and National Trust properties, and many independent (HHA) ones as well.

Complete List of Walks

SWC Walks (free walks, complete with walking instructions)

Time Out Country Walks, Volume 1

Time Out Country Walks, Volume 2

1. Lenham to Charing1. Henley (round walk) [updates]1. Wendover Circular [updates]
2. Woldingham to Oxted2. Wanborough to Godalming [updates]2. Saunderton via Bledlow Circular [updates]
3. Cowden to Eridge3. Netley to Botley [updates]3. Saunderton via West Wycombe Circular [updates]
4. Merstham to Epsom Downs4. Pangbourne (round walk) [updates]4. Chesham to Great Missenden [updates]
5. Wadhurst via Bewl Water Circular5. Great Missenden to Amersham revised [updates]5. Tring Circular [updates]
6. Bradford-on-Avon to Bath6. Liphook to Haslemere revised [updates]6. Henley via Stonor Circular [updates]
7. Knockholt Circular7. Garston to St Albans [updates]7. Henley via Hambleden Circular [updates]
8. Billingshurst to Amberley8. Bures to Sudbury revised [updates]8. Marlow Circular [updates]
9. Pulborough to Amberley9. Shiplake to Henley revised [updates]9. Kintbury to Great Bedwyn [updates]
10. Little Kimble to Saunderton10. Beaconsfield (round walk) [updates]10. Alton Circular [updates]
11. Amberley Circular11. Tring to Wendover [updates]11. Petersfield to Liss [updates]
12. Faversham to Whitstable12. Farnham to Godalming revised [updates]12. Guildford to Farnham [updates]
13. Folkestone Circular13. Oxford round walk [updates]13. Guildford to Gomshall [updates]
14. Pulborough Circular14. Gomshall to Guildford revised [updates]14. Effingham Junction to Westhumble [updates]
15. Winchester Circular15. Leigh to Tunbridge Wells revised [updates]15. Coulsdon South Circular [updates]
16. Dorking to Reigate16. Balcombe (round walk) revised [updates]16. Hurst Green to Chiddingstone Causeway [updates]
17. Goring Circular17. Bow Brickhill to Woburn Sands [updates]17. Snodland to Sole Street [updates]
18. Petersfield to Rowlands Castle18. Sunningdale to Windsor [updates]18. Wadhurst Circular [updates]
19. Frant to Tunbridge Wells19. Hever to Leigh revised [updates]19. Stonegate Circular [updates]
20. Sevenoaks to Westerham20. Milford to Godalming revised [updates]20. Robertsbridge Circular [updates]
21. Sevenoaks Circular21. Leigh to Sevenoaks revised [updates]21. Pluckley Circular [updates]
22. Balcombe Circular via Ardingly Reservoir22. Haslemere (round walk) [updates]22. Amberley to Arundel [updates]
23. Forest Row Circular23. Otford to Eynsford revised [updates]23. Hassocks to Upper Beeding [updates]
24. North Downs Way : Sandling to Wye24. Cookham (round walk) revised [updates]24. Lewes via Rodmell Circular [updates]
25. South Downs Way : Eastbourne to Glynde or Southease25. Rye (was Winchelsea) to Hastings [updates]25. Lewes via West Firle Circular [updates]
26. South Downs Way : Amberley to Lancing26. Shelford to Cambridge revised [updates]26. Southease to Seaford [updates]
27. Forest Row to Sheffield Park27. Milford to Haslemere revised [updates]27. Berwick to Eastbourne [updates]
28. Birchington to Herne Bay28. Chilham to Canterbury [updates]28. Seaford to Eastbourne [updates]
29. Ashdown Forest and Medway Valley29. Hassocks to Lewes [updates]29. Hastings to Rye [updates]
30. Battle Circular30. Wivenhoe (round walk) revised [updates]30. Dover to Deal [updates]
31. Huntingdon Circular31. Glynde to Seaford revised [updates]
32. Holmwood to Reigate32. Arundel to Amberley [updates]
33. South Downs Way : Amberley to Petersfield33. Mortimer to Aldermaston or Theale revised [updates]
34. Newbury Racecourse to Woolhampton34. Balcombe to East Grinstead revised [updates]
35. Cuxton to Sole Street35. Crowhurst to Battle [updates]
36. Amersham Circular via Chalfont St Giles36. Borough Green to Sevenoaks revised [updates]
37. Knockholt to Otford37. Southbourne to Chichester revised [updates]
38. Whyteleafe to Hayes38. Hanborough to Charlbury [updates]
39. Amberley to Pulborough39. Manningtree (round walk) revised [updates]
40. East Grinstead Circular40. Gerrards Cross to Cookham [updates]
41. Yalding to Sevenoaks41. Bow Brickhill to Leighton Buzzard [updates]
42. Greenford to Osterley42. Holmwood to Gomshall revised [updates]
43. Whyteleafe Circular43. Otford (round walk) revised [updates]
44. Appleford Circular44. Witley to Haslemere [updates]
45. West Byfleet to Hampton Court45. Princes Risborough to Great Missenden revised [updates]
46. Wimbledon to Kingston46. Wakes Colne to Bures revised [updates]
47. Lewes Circular via Glynde and Southease47. Ockley to Warnham revised [updates]
48. Haslemere to Midhurst48. Whitchurch to Andover [updates]
49. Cholsey to Goring49. Boxhill to Leatherhead revised [updates]
50. Hassocks to Brighton50. Yalding to Borough Green [updates]
51. Sandling to Folkestone via the Sea51. Henley to Pangbourne [updates]
52. Clacton-on-Sea to Walton-on-the-Naze52. Princes Risborough to Wendover revised [updates]
53. Whitchurch to Overton53. Wye (round walk) [updates]
54. Tyneham via Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door Circular
55. Harlow Circular
56. Maidenhead to Marlow
57. Guildford via Chantries Hill Circular
58. Dunbridge to Romsey
59. Eynsford Circular
60. Eastbourne to East Dean
61. Thames Path : Reading to Henley
62. Lymington to Barton-on-Sea
63. Oxted Circular
64. Boxhill Circular
65. Southease to Rottingdean or Brighton
66. Thames Path : Marlow via Cookham Circular
67. Salisbury to Amesbury via Stonehenge
68. Rowlands Castle circular
69. Welwyn Circular

Last Updated: Mar-09