★ THE APPRENTICE HIKE

Trip 03 kit list.

BOX HILL, SURREY · NORTH DOWNS · 346M · SAT 26 SEP 2026

Box Hill is 4.8 miles over 3 hours, rated moderate, with one real climb back up the Zig-Zag. Expect chalk and flint underfoot and tree cover for most of the route. Bring everything in the required list. The recommended stuff makes the day easier, not safer. Print this page or hit "Save as PDF" and tick things off the night before.

On your feet Required

  • Walking shoes or boots with grip. Trail trainers are fine in dry conditions; wet chalk and tree roots are slippy, so nothing flat-soled and no Air Force 1s.
  • Walking socks. Wool or technical, not cotton. Bring a spare pair in your pack.

Layers Required

  • Waterproof jacket with hood. Even if the forecast is dry. A wooded chalk down can stay wet and muddy after rain.
  • Mid-layer (fleece or hoodie). Late September gets cold once you stop, even under tree cover.
  • Base layer / T-shirt. Anything you'd run in. Avoid cotton, it stays wet.
  • Walking trousers or leggings. Quick-dry. No jeans, they get heavy and stay cold when wet.
  • Hat & gloves. Beanie + light gloves. It can get cold quickly once you stop.

Pack Required

  • Daypack (20-30L). Big enough for layers + water + snacks. Doesn't need to be technical.
  • Water bottle (minimum 1.5L). Refill at the trailhead before we set off.
  • Breakfast & trail snacks. We don't provide breakfast or in-transit snacks. Bring enough fuel for 3 hours of walking - energy bars, fruit, sandwiches, anything you actually like eating.
  • Nothing extra for the stones. We cross the River Mole on the footbridge, not the stepping stones. They get slippy and can sit underwater after heavy rain, so we are not hopping across as a group.
  • Charged phone. For photos, group WhatsApp, and emergencies.
  • Photo ID or driving licence. For travel insurance / emergency contact.

Recommended Optional

  • Sun cream & sunglasses. There is tree cover for much of the route, but the summit and open stretches still catch the sun.
  • Cap or sun hat.
  • Walking poles. Useful on muddy descents, wet chalk and tree roots.
  • Blister plasters. Compeed-style. Better to carry and not need than the other way round.
  • Dry change of socks & t-shirt. Stash them in your car or daypack. Future-you will thank you.
  • Power bank. A full day of photos and group chat drains a battery fast.
  • Small dry bag. Keep your phone, keys, charger dry inside your pack.
  • Personal medication. Inhaler, EpiPen, paracetamol. Pack what you'd normally need for a long day.
What we provide: pace groups by ability each led by someone from the team, food after the walk, and organised transport from Birmingham and London if you booked that ticket. That's it. Everything else on this list is on you.

Late-September Surrey note

It is late September on a wooded chalk down. Wet chalk and tree roots are slippy, flint is sharp, it can be muddy after rain, and it gets cold once you stop. Forecast on the morning of will be in the WhatsApp community by 06:00. If conditions are unsafe (high winds, lightning) we'll re-route to a lower walk or cancel. If we cancel entirely you get a full refund.

Allergens & food

We are confirming the food options at the summit. The full list goes out in the joining email and the group chat before the day. Tell us about halal, allergies, vegan, gluten-free, or anything else in the booking form and we'll work around it.

Risk acknowledgment

Hiking has real risks. Read the risk acknowledgment →