The route
346m total ascent on a 4.8-mile circular, as a group. Chalk paths, woodland, stepping stones and the Zig-Zag climb, nothing technical.
★ £35 WITH TRANSPORT · £25 MAKE YOUR OWN WAY · FOOD INCLUDED · JOIN THE WHATSAPP COMMUNITY
The outdoor community for apprentices, students and young professionals. One proper walk, one Saturday.
A circular from the summit, dropping down through chalk and woodland to the River Mole and its stepping stones, then climbing the Zig-Zag back to the top. The road under your feet is the climb used in the 2012 Olympic road race. About 4.8 miles and 346m of total ascent, with views over the Surrey Hills and the Mole valley instead of open cliff.
346m total ascent on a 4.8-mile circular, as a group. Chalk paths, woodland, stepping stones and the Zig-Zag climb, nothing technical.
We stop and eat together after the walk, covered by your ticket. We're confirming the spot, and the details land in the group chat.
30 apprentices and young professionals from across the country. Networking that doesn't feel like networking.
Take our transport or make your own way. Walk, eat, get home. Kit list emailed when you book.
Moderate. About 4.8 miles and 3 hours, with one real climb back up the Zig-Zag. If you walk a lot you'll be fine. If you don't, you'll feel it.
Two ticket tiers · both include food after the walk.
The standard ticket is £35 with organised transport from Birmingham or London. Making your own way is £25. Both include food after the walk.
A return seat from Birmingham or London and food after the walk are covered.
Food after the walk is covered. Getting there is on you.
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."
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. Box Hill is one of the most popular beginner walks in the south east. The route is well marked and the only real effort is the Zig-Zag climb back to the top. On the day we split into pace groups by ability, each led by someone from the team, so you walk with people at your speed and 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 →
On the first two trips we cooked halal ourselves. For Box Hill we're confirming what the summit stop can do. The exact options go in the group chat before the day. If halal or any other requirement matters, say so in the booking form and we'll sort it.
Late September can do anything. There is tree cover for much of the route, but the chalk and flint underfoot get slippy in the wet. Bring layers and a waterproof. The morning forecast call goes in the group chat.
Yes - full refund if you cancel up to 2 weeks before the hike. After that point we've already committed food and the transport seat 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 split into pace groups by ability - steady, mid, quick - and each group has someone from us leading it on the day. the Box Hill route is well-marked with no scrambling or off-trail navigation, so the leads are there to 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.
Organised transport from Birmingham or London is £35. Making your own way is £25 and you meet us at Box Hill for 10:45. Exact pickup points land in the group chat. We are not doing car-share matching this time, so anyone driving sorts their own passengers and 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 →