Red Lion Loop: Offley, Breachwood Green, Preston (11 miles/18km, Moderate - Booking Required)

This walk is for up to 25 people, including the leader.

If you enjoy long walks up and down hill and like to visit pubs, this is the route for you! Today we’ll explore the rolling countryside of the north-east Chilterns and call at three village pubs all named The Red Lion.

Beginning in Great Offley (halfway between Luton and Hitchin), we’ll head through fields where we may encounter sheep with lambs then downhill to Lilley Bottom. After a steep climb back out of the valley, we’ll hope to be rewarded with the sight of bluebells in the woods before reaching our first refreshment stop at Breachwood Green. Here we can have an early lunch break at the recreation ground and a drink at our first Red Lion of the day.

Next we’ll pass further bluebell woods and dip back into Lilley Bottom before ascending to King’s Walden, where we’ll walk through a former deer park dotted with ancient oaks. We then cross Frogmore Bottom on our way to Preston. In this pretty village we can have a snack on the green and a drink at our second Red Lion - which back in 1982 became Britain’s first community-owned pub.

Finally, our route takes us through pasture and arable fields and along old byways back to our starting point, where we have the option of another drink to finish at Red Lion #3, a traditional free house in Great Offley.

N.B. the walk is accessible by bus from Stevenage, Hitchin and Luton with the bus stop less than 10 minutes walk from our start point. 

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: If you would like to join, you must book in advance using the Stag Walkers Meetup group - see Notes for how to book & what to bring. If you are unable to attend, please cancel your booking so that someone else can take your place.

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

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

Please car-share or use public transport if possible. To offer a lift or ask for one from a fellow walker, please use the Meetup event page.