Walk length 9miles/15km approx. Circular.
A very picturesque walk from Saunderton to West Wycombe with a Halloween theme.
The historic village of West Wycombe is maintained by the National Trust and features many interesting buildings built between the 16th and 18th centuries. The Mausoleum and Golden Ball above West Wycombe village are impressive local landmarks.
The old village of West Wycombe and Wycombe Hill supports around 8 ghosts wandering the graveyards, caves and pubs! The hike will include a ghost walk mentioning some of the ghosts.
The Hellfire Caves
West Wycombe hill has been used for a quarry for centuries for roads and houses in the area and the quarrying was extended in the middle of the 18th century to help employ local workers after serious crop failures.
The caves were supposed to have been used by Sir Francis Dashwood in the 18th century for his notorious Hellfire Club that may have involved Satanic or Pagan rituals but also a lot of partying!
Lunch & Finish
Please bring a snacks and water for the walk. The hike should finish at about 4.30pm and include a pack lunch stop, however the time may be earlier or later than this depending on the weather and pace (please don't arrange any definite evening plans).
For this walk we going to have an hour and a half for the lunch stop to give everyone the chance to explore the hellfire caves should they wish. You can bring a pack lunch or visit one of the local pubs in the village or the hellfire cafe, I would suggest a pack lunch as the pubs could be busy for food and allow time to visit the caves. There are some public loos close to the caves and the village. The hike will include a ghost walk.
We will go for optional drinks at the end of the walk at Saunderton, the pub is very close to the station.
The final hike back to Saunderton from West Wycombe is fairly short but it may start getting dark in the woods so please bring a torch for light and to ward off any ghosts!
ALTHOUGH THIS IS A SHORT HIKE IT WILL BE UNDULATING AND HILLY IN PLACES, PLEASE ENSURE YOU ARE HAPPY WITH THIS.
£7 cash payable on the day guided walk & meetup costs. You can do paypal (colin45@hotmail.co.uk) please use friends and family with paypal to avoid charges. Bank transfer if you prefer, please contact the organizer.
Train: Should be about £18 with a group save or network railcard.
The Hellfire Caves are open from 11am to 5pm; as this is Halloween the caves are decorated and will have some ghost actors wandering around too! If you want to visit the caves its £10.50 payable at the cave entrance, no group discount for this day.
Meet outside Saunderton Rail Station for the hike to start after the train from London arrives at 10.52am (there are no facilities at Saunderton station).
Train from London: The 9.53am train from London Marylebone gets to Saunderton for 10.52am. If coming from London I suggest meeting close to the WHSmiths (see photo below) from 9.30am to give you time to get tickets. Discounts available with a network railcard or a groupsave. If you get a groupsave you must travel back in small groups. The organizer will not be getting the train, but will meet you at Saunderton.
Car: Saunderton train station car parking is free on a Sunday (please check for restrictions and leave enough time to park).
Please make a note of the organizers numbers - Colin 07709305681.
Walking Safety
Walking is a great way to keep fit and generally very safe; however it does contain an element of risk. Before going on any of these walks you need to be reasonably fit and be prepared to be responsible for your own safety. You should wear appropriate clothing such as proper walking shoes, warm and wet weather clothing and carry sufficient food and water. Please see our Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/Escape-London-City-Explorers/pages/23195445/Terms_and_Conditions/)
COULD EVERYONE PLEASE AVOID COMMENTS BELOW THAT ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO THE EVENT AS THIS GENERATES SPAM, JUST CHANGE YOUR RSVP IF YOU CAN'T GO. YOU CAN MESSAGE ME. MANY THANKS.