What we’re about
The Chiltern Young Walkers are a friendly and sociable walking group aimed at people in their 20s, 30s, a little beyond and run by volunteers. We love to discover new places and share the stunning views we know with others through walks every weekend. From leisurely 5 miles strolls to strenuous 15+ mile hikes in the Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire and West Hertfordshire, often within 30 minutes from Aylesbury, Hemel Hempstead or High Wycombe. Join us to exercise in the countryside, expand your social scene, explore the fantastic scenery on your doorstep or further afield and have fun, we look forward to seeing you soon!
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We are part of and funded by the Ramblers, Britain's biggest and most vibrant walking community and a charity working to open the way for everyone to enjoy the simple pleasures of walking. We step up to protect the places we all love to wander. You are free to enjoy three different events before you decide to join us as a full member.
Weekends Away
We explore the UK with occasional weekends away including seaside trips, long-distance trails and mountain hikes. We organise some weekend trips within easy reach of the Chilterns, without the need to take time off work, recent examples include the Cotswolds and the South Downs. Some trips to places such as the Peak District, the Lake District, Wales, or the Scottish Highlands offer more challenging mountainous walking in spectacular scenery.
Make new friends
We are over 150 people from their 20s, 30s and a little beyond who enjoy walking and socialising. Most of our walks end at the pub, a great way to get to know fellow members. You will see familiar faces and often meet new people each time you come. Along with our walks, we have an active socials programme with regular pub nights and other social events.
### Join Our Tribe as Part of the Ramblers
Try us for free
We will welcome you on any walk; just choose one suitable for you. RSVP to one of our walks on Meetup and just turn up. You are free to enjoy three different events before you make it official and join us as a member. We look forward to meeting you on a walk soon.
#### Affordable Membership Options
Discover Great Value Enjoyed up to three trial walks with us? Make it official and become a Ramblers member. For £3.42 per month (or £41 per year) for an individual or £4.58 per month (or £55 per year) for two adults at the same address, join ***CYW ***with no extra charge. Concessionary discounts make membership accessible.
#### How to Join
Visit Ramblers Website "Join the Ramblers" In the final step after payment, select our group to ensure a seamless connection with us.
Group Selection Check the "Your Group" section - ensure "Buckinghamshire, West Middlesex, and Milton Keynes" is in the 'Area' box. Choose "Chiltern Young Walkers" in the 'Group' box so we can become connected.
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### Exclusive Access with Ramblers Membership
- Exclusive Events Participate in weekends away and members-only events, creating lasting memories with fellow members.
- Unlock the Ramblers App Gain exclusive access to fresh air at your fingertips with a library jam-packed with over 3000 tried-and-tested quality Ramblers Routes, and enjoy the perks of being part of a vibrant community.
- Access Walks Nationwide Enjoy unlimited free access to 50,000 Ramblers group walks across the country.
- Discounts on Gear Save on walking gear and gadgets with a 15% discount at Cotswold Outdoor and select outdoor stores by presenting your Ramblers membership card.
- Be inspired by stories of places, people, and campaigns in our quarterly Walk and South-East Walker magazines.
- Get Involved Have your say at the group AGM or consider joining the team.
- Insurance Cover Public Liability Insurance when you lead a walk for us
- Access and Conservation Be a driving force behind increasing access to green spaces, improving countryside, opening up more places to walk and boosting Britain’s wellbeing one step at a time and supporting campaigns like Don't Lose Your Way to save 49,000 miles of unrecorded paths.
Please note:
- We advertise our walks in a number of places and you may find other walkers on each walk in addition to those you see on meetup.
- Chiltern Young Walkers is part of The Ramblers. The Ramblers Association is a charity and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales, charity num:1093577, company num:4458492 Ramblers Privacy Policy
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- CYW Pre-AGM Autumnal WalkLink Road Car Park, Great Missenden, Great Missenden
Start time: 12:30 (Estimated finish time: 15:00)
Leisurely 4.5 miles / 7.2 km
Led by Beth: 07956242703
What 3 words: goal.jacuzzi.incur
Nearest postcode: HP16 9AEJoin the CYW for a leisurely ramble ahead of our Annual Gathering (link here to event which follows directly after this walk and we'd LOVE for you to join us for that too: https://4142298.xyz/chilternyoungwalkers/events/303712709)
Starting off at the Link Road Car Park (3 mins' walk from Gt Missenden station - £2.20 for 3 hours' parking, £3.80 if you are coming to the AGM as well), we'll be taking one of Beth's favourite routes through the quiet back lanes, gorgeous woodland and open fields above Great Missenden. There's a gentle climb for the first third or so, followed by a lovely flat section through open fields towards Little Kingshill - note it could be a bit muddy if it's rained recently!
Once we've descended back into Gt Missenden we're treated to a glorious view of Missenden Abbey and the older part of the village as we head to the pub.
The walk will end at The Cross Keys in Great Missenden for a well-deserved drink.
Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring plenty of water. There's an opportunity to get a late lunch at The Cross Keys afterwards as they are serving food all day and we have a reserved area.
Well-behaved dogs are welcome but must remain on a lead at all times.
Did you know we're on Instagram? Follow us at @ChilternYoungWalkers to see pictures from our walks!
Become a full member: CYW are part of the Ramblers and you may try up to three walks free. When you decide to continue walking with us, please join the Ramblers via 'Become a member'.
- CYW Annual Gathering - Down the pub!The Cross Keys, Great Missenden
Join the CYW for our annual meetup - this time at The Cross Keys in Great Missenden!
Before the event we'll be doing a short walk in the area (link here to this event) - you can come to just the walk if preferred but we do encourage you to stay!
The slightly boring but important bit: Chiltern Young Walkers are part of the Ramblers and along with many other walking groups across the country we help the Ramblers to promote walking as a health and social activity, protecting nature and our access to the beautiful countryside.
To keep the group active and meeting our responsibilities we have a Committee of lovely people who give up their time and energy to put on walks and socials but also do work behind the scenes to keep things ticking over. Part of being a Ramblers group means that we also meet up with all of our members once a year and hold an AGM (Annual General Meeting/Active Gathering of Members), where we review how the year has gone, get feedback and elect (or re-elect) people to the Committee.The fun bit: this year instead of a dusty afternoon village hall type meeting we've been kindly granted permission to use the cosy back room at one of our favourite pubs in the heart of our patch.
So, come and join us for an afternoon of chatting about what we've achieved this year, who's going to be involved next year and what we can do better next year over some tasty food and drink. Included will be some fun stats, a visit from the Area Chair Trevor who will be briefing us on the wider picture and the chance to vote on your committee for next year!
FAQs
If I turn up, do I have to join the Committee?
Not at all - we're grateful to everyone who does volunteer for a role of course, but understand that not everyone can get involved and simply joining the Ramblers and turning up on our walks is such an important part of what we do anyway. Come along and feedback, or just listen along as you soak up the atmosphere.Can I give feedback before the meeting?
Of course! Just drop Beth an email on [email protected]. If you'd rather speak to someone else, you can find their contact details here: https://www.chilterns2030s.org.uk/meet-the-teamI'd like to get involved, but not join the committee - what else can I do?
Become a walk leader! You don't have to be on the committee to lead a walk, or vice versa. Let Beth or Claire know if you're up for occasionally leading a walk. No minimum commitment, some people just lead 1 a year as that works best for them.I'm thinking of joining the Committee, what time commitment would it be?
Some roles are as little as a couple of hours every few months, some are around 1 hour a week, and everything in between.Sounds good, what roles are there?
All roles are up for re-election every year! Here's the list with a brief description of each role:- Chair - overall responsibility for keeping the group running smoothly
- Secretary - takes minutes at the quarterly committee meetings
- Treasurer - keeps the group accounts and authorises expenditure
- Membership - first point of contact for new members and keeps an eye on who is a member of the Ramblers
- Walks Coordinator(s) - Arranging the walks programme, publishing walks and acting as the first point of contact for walks leaders. We currently just have the one coordinator but are keen to recruit a second this year.
- Socials - organises our social calendar and helping others to put on socials.
- Publicity Officer(s) - responsible for contacting the media and promoting the group. They are the first point of contact for press/media enquiries.
- Footpath Officer - arranging our annual footpath checks and coordinating any foothpath issues we might come across on our walks.
- Area Rep(s) - Represent the group at Ramblers area and national meetings
- Web Design and Technical - managing our website and other technical requirements we might have as a group
- General Member - this person represents the rest of the members and helps to make sure they are represented in any decisions we make
Parking is available at Link Road car park (3 mins' walk) - £2.20 for 3 hours' parking, £3.80 if you are coming on the walk as well!
The pub is also 3 mins' walk from Great Missenden station, which is on the Aylesbury-London Marylebone line.
- Hurley Hike: Conquering the 16,845th highest peak in the British Isles (with BW)Hurley Village Car Park, Maidenhead
Start time: 10:00 am
Estimated finish time: 2:30 pm
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 16.1km / 10.0mi
Walk leader: JonathanA 10 mile circular walk from the village of Hurley, encompassing the “twin peaks” of Bowsey and Ashley Hills, the latter being the 16,845th highest peak in the British Isles!
Hurley, nicknamed “Gorgeous-on-Thames” is a linear village, historically important due to the founding of a monastery in 1086. Although the monastery was dissolved in 1536, relics of the monastic buildings can still be seen incorporated in many of the private residences surrounding the small green adjacent to the church. The village is frequently used for filming, with both Midsomer Murders and Doctor Who paying visits, as well as featuring in James Bond’s ‘From Russia With Love’ back in 1963.
We start our expedition from the car park, heading towards the River Thames which we will follow for around a mile before turning off and heading south. Upon reaching Warren Row we start our first ascent along the Chiltern Way up Bowsey Hill, rising to the dizzying height of 140 metres (!). Back down the other side and it’s onto Crazies Hill where we will find a suitable spot for lunch. Disappointingly nothing to do with anything crazy, this hamlet has derived its name from the Old English word for buttercups being cragies of crazies.
We’ll skirt around Bottom Boles Wood, ascending Bowsey Hill a second time before joining the (muddy) Knowl Hill Bridleway circuit, eventually reaching Ashley Hill Forest on Ashley Hill. Ashley Hill is the 16,845th highest peak in the British Isles (3467th in England), with a peak of 145 metres (476 feet) *. There is a trig point at the summit which has been transformed into an ornament. Unfortunately it stands in the grounds of a private garden so no photo opportunity today. From here it’s plain sailing and downhill all the way back to Hurley.
For those that wish, there may be the opportunity for a post walk drink walk at The Olde Belle (weather and space depending). This Inn was founded in 1135 as the hotelry of Hurley Priory, making it one of the oldest hotels in the world. If not, the car park is a couple of hundred metres further along the road.
It is probably worth pointing out that whilst this walk does indeed have a few hills, it is not massively hilly or particularly strenuous. We are however likely to come across plenty of mud so please come prepared - I would personally not recommend brand new white trainers, particularly after rain.
*according to the mountain guide - www.themountainguide.co.ukPlease allow plenty of time for parking
Grid reference: SU 82532 84009
Nearest postcode: SL6 5NB
what3words: parties.snuck.blastDid you know we're on Instagram? Follow us at @ChilternYoungWalkers to see pictures from our walks!
Become a full member: CYW are part of the Ramblers and you may try up to three walks free. When you decide to continue walking with us, please see details at 'Become a member' to join the Ramblers.
