Groups

Hertfordshire walking groups that welcome new members
Photograph courtesy of Sejal Rabone

Are you a solo walker wanting to join a walking groups in Hertfordshire? If so, the list below might come in useful.

It has been compiled from posts made in the Hertfordshire Walker members-only Facebook Group and emails sent using the Hertfordshire Walker contact form. All the groups listed below say they welcome new members.

Some might be free to join, others might charge. Please check with the group you want to join for registration or session details.

If you run a walking group in Hertfordshire that is not listed below, please use our contact form to let us know, or post about your group in a thread I have created in our Hertfordshire Walker Facebook Group.

The Ramblers has an excellent site where you can search for walking groups and organised walks in your area of Hertfordshire. Just go to The Ramblers then scroll down to 'Find a group' or 'Find a group walk', enter your postcode, then choose a group or organised walk you want to join.

Hertfordshire walking groups

East Herts Nordic Walking

East Herts Nordic Walking offers "scenic walks" through "beautiful countryside" using the Nordic Walking technique, which, according to instructor Hazel Smith, offers low impact exercise with "less pressure on the knees, hips, and back and using nature as your gym". The group charges £6 for each class, with pole hire an extra £1.

East Herts Ramblers

All walks are on the East Herts Ramblers website or on its Facebook group. The Ramblers organisation asks that people join after two or three walks.

Finchley & Hornsey Ramblers

The Finchley and Hornsey Group is a friendly Ramblers group based in North London, which meets every week for a country walk. Hertfordshire is close by, so they walk all over the county and in the Chilterns, as well as in and around London. Non-members are welcome to try three Ramblers walks before purchasing membership. Find out more at https://www.ramblers.org.uk/finchley-hornsey.

Friends of the Hertfordshire Way

The Friends of the Hertfordshire Way website states that the group

"meet once a month on Mondays to avoid clashes with weekend and mid-week walks programmes of other groups. Walks are led by our members and are generally between 10 to 12 miles with lunch break with your own sandwiches. The walk organiser will advise if a pub/cafe lunch is an option. Some routes are circular which will commit you to the full distance whilst others are a figure of eight allowing you to walk either morning, afternoon or both. The morning section is generally 60% of the walk length. Also, during the summer months, we do a number of linear walks. All of these walks are published in our newsletter and on our website under Walks Programme. Non-members are very welcome to join these walks at no cost however if you decide to stay with us then we ask you to join our society. We have a policy of No Dogs on walks. Children and vulnerable adults must be accompanied by a responsible adult."

Herts Weekend Walkers

Herts Weekend Walkers is a Ramblers group aimed at people aged in their 40s and 50s who are normally working during the week and can usually only find time to get outside and enjoy a walk at the weekend. The group enjoys varied walks in and around the county of Hertfordshire and sometimes outside the county boundaries, usually on a Saturday afternoon. Non-members are welcome to try three Ramblers walks before purchasing membership. Find out more at https://www.hertsww.org.uk and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/hertsww.

Hertfordshire & North Middlesex Ramblers

Hertfordshire & North Middlesex Ramblers supports nine Ramblers groups in Hertfordshire as well as the London boroughs of Barnet, Enfield and Haringey. In addition to promoting group walks, they help to protect our local footpaths and the countryside in which we walk, and they run events such as the annual Hertfordshire & North London Walks Fest. Find out more at https://hnmramblers.org.uk/, on the central Ramblers website at https://www.ramblers.org.uk/hertfordshire-north-middlesex and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hnmramblers

Hertfordshire Health Walks

Easy to join, registration is free-of-charge and you only do it once. You can book a place in advance so that they know you are coming and can let you know if anything changes.

Mid Herts Footpaths Society

The Mid Herts Footpaths Society describes itself as "a local walking group that welcomes people of all ages". They offer "a five-mile or seven-mile walk on a Wednesday and up to a 10-mile walk on Sundays". The group says that none of the walks are particularly demanding "as the pace is gentle and the terrain is not too hilly". According to the group dogs are not allowed on the walks. New members are always welcome "just come along and give it a try" but "to ensure a hearty welcome please contact us to let us know you are coming".

North Herts Dog Ramblers

North Herts Dog Ramblers is a dog-friendly group which walks every Saturday at 10am (and Wednesdays at 6:30pm in the summer). The first three walks are free-of-charge then membership to The Ramblers is required.

North Herts Ramblers Group

The North Hertfordshire Ramblers walking group caters for walkers of all ages and all levels of ability. The group says it has a varied programme of weekly walks in the North Herts area, plus social events and holidays in the UK and overseas. They have a page of dog-friendly walks on their site as well as general walks. North Hertfordshire Ramblers is part of The Ramblers Association.

North London & South Herts Ramblers

Most members of North London and South Herts Ramblers live in Barnet, Enfield and Potters Bar, from where there is easy access to the beautiful and varied countryside of Hertfordshire, the Chilterns and Essex. On Sundays they usually offer a short walk of between five and eight miles, and a long walk of between 10 and 14 miles; on two Wednesdays each month they have a leisurely social walk of three to four miles, and they occasionally organise mid-week short and long walks. Non-members are welcome to try three Ramblers walks before purchasing membership. Find out more at https://www.ramblers.org.uk/north-london-south-herts.

Parish Walkers

Parish Walkers is free to join and take part in group walks, according to group organiser, Mark Jackson, who adds "the only thing we ask is if you order food and things change please let the group know so we can cancel it".

Royston Ramblers

Royston Ramblers offers walks of around six miles on most Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and longer walks on Sundays. Evening walks take place from May to August. Members tend to live in Royston or villages with an SG8 postcode, Buntingford or South Cambridgeshire. Non-members are welcome to try three Ramblers walks before purchasing membership. Find out more at https://www.ramblers.org.uk/royston and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/325776014447226/.

Single file

There is no charge to join the Single file walking group. Walks take place every Sunday morning in Herts, Beds and Bucks. The group says its forward programme is a bit empty at the moment but a walk will be arranged for each week and details will be published on the group's website and on its Facebook group.

Stag Walkers

Stag Walkers is a Ramblers walking group. They have a group walk most weekends and offer a range of social activities and weekends away too. The group says it is "aimed at people in their 20s, 30s and a bit beyond (young at heart!)". Stag Walkers is based in Hitchin, but walk all over neighbouring counties. Non-members are welcome to try Stag Walkers out for two or three walks before joining Ramblers as a full member to continue walking with the group. Many social events are open to members only. Individual membership costs £41.00 annually or £3.42 per month - see http://www.ramblers.org.uk/stag-walkers for how to join. There is a Stag Walkers Facebook group.

Walkie Talkies

According to the groups Facebook page, Walkie-Talkies is "a bunch of amazing women of different ages, shapes and fitness levels who meet once a week on Thursday mornings at 10 am in and around Wheathampstead for some gentle, relaxed walking (and talking)".

Watford and Three Rivers Ramblers

The Watford & Three Rivers Group is a local group of the Ramblers centred on Watford with more than 300 members. They have a full day walk (about 10 miles) every weekend; half day walks (about five miles) on a weekday, about once a month; and occasional summer evening walks (about four-five miles). Non-members are welcome to try three Ramblers walks before purchasing membership. Find out more at https://www.watfordand3riversramblers.org.uk and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WatfordAnd3RiversRamblers.

West Herts Ramblers

West Herts Ramblers is a friendly group with members based mostly, but not exclusively, in the Hemel and St Albans Area. They have at least one walk every Sunday and one most Tuesdays. Walks range from three to 15 miles with most being between five and 10 miles. They walk in the beautiful countryside of Herts, Beds and Bucks with occasional forays further afield including London. Non-members are welcome to try two or three Ramblers walks before purchasing membership. Find out more at https://www.westhertsramblers.org.uk and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064616982764.

If you are an organiser of one of the groups listed above and you want a different link added to your group, please let me know by using the site's contact form. Also, could you please state whether there is a subscription charge for your group. Once I know I can add that information to the list. Thanks

---