Saturday Walkers' Club

The Saturday Walkers Club

The Saturday Walkers Club (SWC) is a London and Southeast England 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

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!

As there walks have no leader, we do ask however, that you bring a copy of the route - either the appropriate Time Out book or a printout.

Free Walks

The club is creating new walks, over 80 so far, which you can download and print

The walks:

  • are public transport friendly - they start and finish at train stations about an hour from London
  • pass through glorious countryside, with historic sites and fine views.
  • stop at country pubs for lunch and finish at places for tea or a drink afterwards.

Most of the walks contain detailed walking instruction (no OS map required). A few however, do require an OS map, but there are links to websites where OS maps can be printed for free.

There are over 3,000 walks photos to give you an idea of what a walk is like.

Each walk has a feedback facility - read what others have said, or if something has changed, please let us know

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

Time Out Country Walks near London, volumes 1 and 2

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

  • Volume 1 contains 53 walks (1 for each week of the year, and 1 to spare) from 7 to 14 miles in length.
  • Volume 2 is more car friendly, and contains 30 walks, most of which have shorter options for new walkers.

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

  • Revised Volume 1 walks : We are currently in the process of fully revising Book 1 - these walks are online to download and print.
  • New walk options : These are alternative routes or endings to the book walks.
  • Updates : These are changes since the books were published - before doing a book walk, we recommend you check its updates page (especially for book 1)

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

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

British Mountains

There are over 3,000 British and Irish hills and mountains. There are lists, and an 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 Charing 1. Henley (round walk) 1. Wendover Circular
2. Woldingham to Oxted 2. Wanborough to Godalming 2. Saunderton via Bledlow Circular
3. Cowden to Eridge 3. Netley to Botley 3. Saunderton via West Wycombe Circular
4. Merstham to Epsom Downs 4. Pangbourne (round walk) 4. Chesham to Great Missenden
5. Wadhurst via Bewl Water Circular 5. Great Missenden to Amersham 5. Tring Circular
6. Bradford-on-Avon to Bath 6. Liphook to Haslemere 6. Henley via Stonor Circular
7. Knockholt Circular 7. Garston to St Albans 7. Henley via Hambleden Circular
8. Billingshurst to Amberley 8. Bures to Sudbury 8. Marlow Circular
9. Pulborough to Amberley 9. Shiplake to Henley 9. Kintbury to Great Bedwyn
10. Little Kimble to Saunderton 10. Beaconsfield (round walk) 10. Alton Circular
11. Amberley Circular 11. Tring to Wendover 11. Petersfield to Liss
12. Faversham to Whitstable 12. Farnham to Godalming 12. Guildford to Farnham
13. Folkestone Circular 13. Oxford round walk 13. Guildford to Gomshall
14. Pulborough Circular 14. Gomshall to Guildford 14. Effingham Junction to Westhumble
15. Winchester Circular 15. Leigh to Tunbridge Wells 15. Coulsdon South Circular
16. Dorking to Reigate 16. Balcombe (round walk) 16. Hurst Green to Chiddingstone Causeway
17. Goring Circular 17. Bow Brickhill to Woburn Sands 17. Snodland to Sole Street
18. Petersfield to Rowlands Castle 18. Sunningdale to Windsor 18. Wadhurst Circular
19. Frant to Tunbridge Wells 19. Hever to Leigh 19. Stonegate Circular
20. Sevenoaks to Westerham 20. Milford to Godalming 20. Robertsbridge Circular
21. Sevenoaks Circular 21. Leigh to Sevenoaks 21. Pluckley Circular
22. Balcombe Circular via Ardingly Reservoir 22. Haslemere (round walk) 22. Amberley to Arundel
23. Forest Row Circular 23. Otford to Eynsford 23. Hassocks to Upper Beeding
24. North Downs Way : Sandling to Wye 24. Cookham (round walk) 24. Lewes via Rodmell Circular
25. South Downs Way : Eastbourne to Glynde or Southease 25. Rye (was Winchelsea) to Hastings 25. Lewes via West Firle Circular
26. South Downs Way : Amberley to Lancing 26. Shelford to Cambridge 26. Southease to Seaford
27. Forest Row to Sheffield Park 27. Milford to Haslemere 27. Berwick to Eastbourne
28. Birchington to Herne Bay 28. Chilham to Canterbury 28. Seaford to Eastbourne
29. Ashdown Forest and Medway Valley 29. Hassocks to Lewes 29. Hastings to Rye
30. Battle Circular 30. Wivenhoe (round walk) 30. Dover to Deal
31. Huntingdon Circular 31. Glynde to Seaford
32. Holmwood to Reigate 32. Arundel to Amberley
33. South Downs Way : Amberley to Petersfield 33. Mortimer to Aldermaston or Theale
34. Newbury Racecourse to Woolhampton 34. Balcombe to East Grinstead
35. Cuxton to Sole Street 35. Crowhurst to Battle
36. Amersham Circular via Chalfont St Giles 36. Borough Green to Sevenoaks
37. Knockholt to Otford 37. Southbourne to Chichester
38. Whyteleafe to Hayes 38. Hanborough to Charlbury
39. Amberley to Pulborough 39. Manningtree (round walk)
40. East Grinstead Circular 40. Gerrards Cross to Cookham
41. Yalding to Sevenoaks 41. Bow Brickhill to Leighton Buzzard
42. Greenford to Osterley 42. Holmwood to Gomshall
43. Whyteleafe Circular 43. Otford (round walk)
44. Appleford Circular 44. Witley to Haslemere
45. West Byfleet to Hampton Court 45. Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
46. Wimbledon to Kingston 46. Wakes Colne to Bures
47. Lewes Circular via Glynde and Southease 47. Ockley to Warnham
48. Haslemere to Midhurst 48. Whitchurch to Andover
49. Cholsey to Goring 49. Boxhill to Leatherhead
50. Hassocks to Brighton 50. Yalding to Borough Green
51. Sandling to Folkestone via the Sea 51. Henley to Pangbourne
52. Clacton-on-Sea to Walton-on-the-Naze 52. Princes Risborough to Wendover
53. Overton to Whitchurch 53. Wye (round walk)
54. Lulworth Cove via Tyneham 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
70. Norfolk Coast Path : Hunstanton to Cromer
71. Isle of White Coastal Path : Lake to Ryde
72. Yarmouth Circular
73. Branksome to Swanage or Corfe Castle
74. Bournemouth to Barton-on-Sea via Hengistbury Head
75. Wareham to Lulworth Cove
76. Purbeck Way: Wareham to Swanage or Kingston
77. Weymouth via Isle of Portland Circular
78. Cowden to Hever
79. Edenbridge to Westerham
80. Staplehurst to Headcorn
81. Chorleywood to Chesham
82. Hayes to Knockholt

Last Updated: Mar-09