🎅🎄🍺🍻 FUN HIKE - Harry Potters Xmas Market & Churchill's Blenheim Park-12-14k

Fun hike around Harry Potter Tree & Churchill's birth place - UNESCO World Heritage Site - Blenheim Palace & Park in Cotswolds including a visit to arguably the best Christmas market in the UK.

Note: My main group HappyHikers is a hugely popular group .There will be lots of people ( around 20) attending from that group.

Following Happyhikers tradition of bringing world class original hikes , We will be visiting arguably the best Christmas market in the country at Cotswold's hidden gem of UNESCO World Heritage site of Blenheim Palace & Park - Birthplace of War Time UK Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill . We will explore & visit famous Harry potter tree (shown in 2007 film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ), column of victory , Vanbrugh's grand bridge , Grand cascade , The Great lake designed by Capability Brown , Winston Churchill's Grave yard etc.

About Blenheim Palace & Park

Home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill,, Blenheim Palace is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture that boasts over 300 years of history to discover. This World Heritage Site is set within more than 2000 acres of Parkland landscaped by 'Capability' Brown
I will meet you at London Paddington station in front of the ticket office at 8.35 for 8.52 Train to Hanborough.

🎟️Train Tickets
I would help you on getting the cheapest group save tickets & will group you into groups of 3 or 4 for group save tickets and taking split tickets, if you don't have network rail card.
If you do these type of trips frequently , I would recommend you to invest in a network railcard.
I would recommend e-tickets using great western app/ Trainline app. Install these apps in advance for any eventuality.

🚅Train schedule
8.52 (Destination: Great Malvern) Great Western from London Paddington (9.19 Reading , 9.45 Oxford ) reaching Hanborough at 09.53.

💵Train Fare
25.65£ ( with rail card or group save and splitting at Oxford )

Ticket Type
Super Off-peak Day Return Paddington - Oxford + Off Peak Day Return Oxford - Hanborough

WhatsApp group Link (For Train ticket & hike coordination of the event)
Please join the whatsapp group only if you rsvp YES and commit to the event.
https://chat.whatsapp.com/F2x9aE1gG4T5aQI7LYdyef

📆Date: Saturday 21 December 2024
🕔Hike Start time & location : Sharp 09.55 Hanborough Station
👣Length – 12 - 14 kms ( May vary , depends on the day light)
🧗Altitude - 143 m
🚥Grade – Easy/Moderate
Hike Starting/Ending Point:- Hanborough Station
🅿️Driving
Car Park (If driving) - Hanborough station car park
https://www.apcoa.co.uk/parking-in/long-hanborough/hanborough-station/

🍻Pub
We will eat/drink from the Christmas market - No separate pub due to time restrictions.
Always bring a fruit / sandwich , in case , we cant get food due to some reason.

🦺🥾🚰What to bring: You must bring a backpack with Waterproof Jacket , a picnic lunch (if you didn't book the table at the pub ), hiking foot wear and 1.5 L water.

📝Note : Paths can be muddy at this time of the year. Bring gaiters if you use them (I don't like them personally). It is a good idea to pack an extra trouser in your backpack so that you can change at the end of the hike.

📝Note : Dedicate entire evening for the hike as return time cant be guaranteed.

HappyHikers fun walks

These walks are highly rated for being fun, welcoming,engaging & personalised. These walks are very different from other normal walks. There are improv games , funny introductions (don't come if you can't laugh :-) ) etc . Also there is always a pub lunch with us . Walks are more `explore` themed & dynamic (we have planned multiple paths & will select most interesting one one the day ). Normally limited to around 20 people so that you can talk to everyone . You will definitely leave this walks by making new friends. A feedback screenshot with 17 , 5 stars and 100% would attend again for one of our previous events is attached as an image to this event.

⚠️Disclaimer⚠️

Please note that I am NOT qualified as a hike leader or first aider. This is just a free self guided gathering of like minded people. The event is purely based on hobby. Each participant is responsible for their own safety. Hiking and hill walking are activities with a danger of personal injury. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.