London

Hi there!  Welcome to the Group pages for GOC London.

We are a friendly  bunch and generally walk on the 2nd Sunday of each month. Our walks are usually within the M25, but sometimes venturing further into the home counties, and are  planned to start and finish at a railway station readily accessible from London.

Coming along to your first event can be a daunting prospect but we try and make sure you are welcomed into the fold. For a start, if coming by train, we encourage travelling in the second last carriage where you are likely to meet fellow GOCettes (not sure why the second last carriage, think it is just traditional!)  And to facilitate meeting people further, our prewalk breakfasts or coffees, held on some of our events, have been an overwhelming success! These breakfasts/coffees are at a cafe close to the start railway station and commence about an hour before the walk.   Otherwise lunch is sometimes a pub lunch, sometimes a packed lunch, and the day may finish with a cream tea or a beer. 

While London may not have the massive mountains, glens, cliffs, or all manner of terrains of other regions, it does have numerous parks and rivers and surprisingly, areas of wilderness of varying degrees and sizes, every one of them a delight to discover and explore.  These spaces often have the added benefit of fascinating history and architecture thrown in.  Find a list of our coming events here.

I am Robert Finlay and I am the Co-ordinator for the  London GOC group.   I am keen to hear your thoughts of how to develop our group and if you would like to help, even better.  Anyone wanting to lead an event then do get back, and that includes those leading your first, I promise all the support you need!  Contact me by e-mail directly from the link from my name below, or, phone or message via our contact page.  Comments/discussions/ideas may also be left on the London Forum site.

So do come on an event, and soon.  Look forward to meeting you.

Robert 

Past events:

Annual Outdoor Gathering, Guildford, Surrey  August 13,14, 15 2011

Mottingham to Erith Thames Riverside, September 11  2011

Thorndon Park Essex, October 9  2011 

Christmas on Hampstead Heath,  December 11, 2011

Golders Green to Barnet, January 8, 2012 

An 'All Seasons' Surrey Saunter, West Byfleet to Hampton Court, February 12, 2012 

Lea Valley and the Olympic Park, NE London, March 12, 2012 

A Fun Day At Groombridge, Kent, May 13 2012 

June 2012, Midweek Soirees.... 

July 2012, floods of rain and events, and then came the summer!

August 2012, GMFA Sport's Day - Dream Team GOC does us proud! 

September 2012, Brookwood, an escape to Surrey countryside. 

Christmas at Hampsted, Dec  2012.....

Winter Wonder Waddle, Mile End via Bow to Limehouse, E London Feb 2013 

Spanning the Thames, SE & E London, April 2013

Dream team GOC - GMFA Sport's Day August 2012

Bearing our new GOC flag, a record breaking 68 on the Surrey Docks walk, July 2012!

GOC London goes to the Olympics/Lea Valley, NE London, March 2012.......and gets GOLD, GOLD, GOLD!!!

Lea Valley, NE London, March 2012

Beneath the massive arches of Mill Hill Viaduct, North London, January 2012

When you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise.....

Dryad hunting, Lesnes Abbey Woods, SE London, 11 September 2011

Crystal Palace April 2011

Nunhead Cemetery April 2011                                                                                    (Pictures R Finlay)