The route
6.8 miles and 220m of total ascent, walked as one group at the pace of the slowest person.
★ £30 A TICKET · FOOD AFTER THE HIKE · JOIN THE WHATSAPP COMMUNITY
The outdoor community for apprentices, students and young professionals. One proper walk, one Saturday.
Climb to the Beacon where the Ridgeway begins and look out across the Chilterns. About 6.8 miles and 220m of total ascent.
A 6.8 mile loop from the National Trust car park near Ivinghoe Beacon. It climbs onto the open chalk hill to the Beacon, follows the ridge for the best views, then loops back across the fields to the car park. It is well signposted and takes about 3 hours at group pace, with some muddy sections in winter.
6.8 miles and 220m of total ascent, walked as one group at the pace of the slowest person.
We stop and eat together after the walk, covered by your ticket. On the menu: halal smash burgers.
30 apprentices and young professionals from across the country. Networking that doesn't feel like networking.
Turn up, walk, eat, get home. Kit list emailed when you book.
Moderate. About 6.8 miles and 3 hours on foot. If you walk a lot you'll be fine. If you don't, you'll feel it.
One price · food after the hike.
Food after the hike is covered.
Make your own way. Lifts are self-organised in the community chat; we do not manage them. Travel questions? Drop a message in the WhatsApp community.
Pay through Stripe (secure card payment), confirmation by email straight after with the kit list. Joining info lands a few days before the trip.
"This isn't a networking event with a view. It's a proper day out with sound people, and you happen to leave with new contacts. The walk does the work."
When a hike is confirmed and fully mapped out it appears here, with the route, the day and how hard it is. Leave your email and we'll write when the next one is announced.
Where we run comms for the hike, post photos after, swap kit, and warm up the next trip. Open to anyone, you don't have to book a spot to be in the room.
Join the WhatsApp communityIf yours isn't here, ping theapprenticehike@gmail.com. We reply within a day.
Yes. Chiltern Hills is rated moderate: about 6.8 miles and 3 hours on foot. We walk as one group at the pace of the slowest person, with someone from the team at the front, in the middle and at the back, so nobody gets dropped. If you can do a long walk in your city, you can do this.
Walking shoes or boots (no Air Force 1s, this isn't that kind of walk), a waterproof jacket, layers, water bottle, breakfast and snacks for the day. See the full kit list →
Yes. We cook with halal certified meat for the whole menu. On the menu: halal smash burgers. If you need vegetarian, vegan or gluten free, or you have an allergy, say so in the booking form and we'll sort it.
December can do anything. Bring layers and a waterproof. The morning forecast call goes in the group chat. If conditions are not safe we re-route or cancel, and a hike we cancel is refunded in full.
Yes - full refund if you cancel up to 2 weeks before the hike. After that point we've already committed food per head, so we can't refund. If we cancel the hike entirely (e.g. unsafe conditions), you get a full refund regardless. Email theapprenticehike@gmail.com with your booking name to cancel.
Yes. They just book their own spot. The point of the day is meeting people you wouldn't otherwise, but pairs and small groups are welcome.
The team. We walk as one group, with a hike lead at the front, someone from the team in the middle and a back marker at the back so nobody is left behind. The leads keep the group together, pick the breaks and call the weather. Bring sensible kit and follow your lead, you're sound. You're still responsible for your own safety on the route, same as any walk you'd do with mates.
You must be 18 or over to book and to take part. Everyone in a booking needs to be 18 or over.
Make your own way. Lifts are self-organised in the community chat; we do not manage them. We meet at Ivinghoe Beacon car park (National Trust), Beacon Road, Ringshall (HP4 1NF) for 10:30. Car park: Free to park. Toilets at the visitor centre from 10am. Anyone driving travels at their own risk. Questions? Drop a message in the WhatsApp community.
Hiking has real risks, and booking means accepting the risk acknowledgment. Anyone driving themselves travels at their own risk. Read the risk acknowledgment →