A New Year Ramble South of Royston (11 miles / 18km- Moderate, Booking Required)

This walk is for up to 20 people, including the leader.

Get the new year off to an active start and mark the 90th anniversary of the Ramblers with a walk which measures 90 furlongs (equivalent to 11.25 miles or 18.1km)!

The walk heads south from Royston into the chalk uplands of North Hertfordshire, taking in wide views, tree-lined byways, pretty villages and one or two hills.

This is a joint walk with our neighbouring younger Ramblers group, Walk Cambridge. We are among over 500 groups which are part of the Ramblers, which was officially created as The Ramblers’ Association on 1 January 1935.

From Royston town centre we begin heading south along paths which form parts of both the Hertfordshire Way and Greenwich Meridian Trail, just west of the Prime Meridian which is used to set time across the world. We’ll walk through Newsells Park Stud, where we’re likely to pass some racehorses in their paddocks, then between open fields and steeply uphill towards the village of Reed. From the top of the ridge we should see Cambridge quite easily and if the weather is clear might even spot Ely Cathedral 30 miles away.

After a snack we’ll continue south to the tiny village of Buckland and a packed lunch stop. We turn northwest towards Therfield after crossing the A10 (the Roman road of Ermine Street) and join a section of the Icknield Way long-distance path. In Therfield we’ll visit The Fox & Duck pub for a quick drink then progress gently downhill back to Royston, passing a memorial bench for a local Ramblers volunteer.

Some paths may be muddy so please bring appropriate footwear (walking boots) and something to sit on at lunch (e.g. a sit mat).

Dogs are welcome on a lead.

For information about walking with the group, including our dog policy, please visit the Stag Walkers website.

Booking your place: Please book your place using the free Meetup website/app. Join the Stag Walkers Meetup group and click the 'Attend' button on the event page.

Please do not turn up for a walk without booking, as places are limited.

If the walk is fully booked, click 'join waitlist' to get a place if one becomes available and please check back regularly in case you do get a place. The waitlist gives priority to single bookings so if you wish to bring a guest, we recommend booking separately.

Unless you opt in to further communications, we will only use contact information you provide to get in touch about the walk.