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Types of Skiing Explained: Alpine, Nordic, Touring & SkateA women-only guided walk through the Sussex countryside. 17km taking in the Ouse Valley Viaduct, Ardingly Reservoir and a pub garden at the end.
Beginner
Moderate
From
£25
(USD $39.25)
Sussex Countryside, One Hour Out
The Balcombe Loop is 17 km of some of Sussex’s best walking. Head out through woodland and farmland to the Ouse Valley Viaduct, then on to the banks of Ardingly Reservoir before looping back into Balcombe. It’s easy to moderate terrain, gentle hills and mostly flat, but you’ll need to be comfortable covering 3-4km an hour across a 6.5 hour day.
The hike is fully guided and just a short train ride from London. It’s not a Sunday stroll, but it’s all manageable, and a good place to start if you want to upgrade your weekend walks.
An active agenda
No hidden costs
A guided day walking the Balcombe Loop in Sussex
Qualified walking guides who know the route
Explore the Sussex countryside, less than an hour from the city centre
Meet like-minded women
There are regular trains from London Bridge out to Balcombe station
Hiking
Fully guided and women-only, this day hike gets you out of London and into open
English countryside. It’s an easy train ride from the city, but it feels like a
different world. Cover real ground, spot some wildlife, and walk it with a group
of like-minded women.
The Balcombe Loop is the longest of our day hikes, but don’t let that put you off.
The route takes in the Ouse Valley Viaduct and the water’s edge at Ardingly
Reservoir, all on forgiving terrain that lets you look up and take it in. Nothing
steep, nothing technical, just steady kilometres.
The hike finishes back in Balcombe with good company, a pub garden and the
satisfaction of having covered some serious distance. Not bad for a day out from
the city.
Book now
The essentials
| Difficulty Level |
2
Moderate At 17km this is our longest hike, but it has the easiest terrain. The walk is Ideal if you’re new to long distances and want to upgrade your Sunday stroll. |
|---|---|
| Skill Level |
1
Beginner This hike is for anyone who’s looking to ramp up their hiking experience and get more confident over long distances. More experienced hikers are also welcome to join for a day out of the city with a great group of like-minded women. Beginner is the skill level. It’s not an easy trip. Check the Fitness Level above. Not sure what level you are? Our Trip Rating Guide explains how we score fitness and skill. |
| Packing List |
We Provide
You’ll Need
|
| Travel |
The meeting point for this trip is outside Balcombe train station at 10am. This is a loop route so ends back at Balcombe train station at approx. 4:30pm |
| Not Included |
|
| Trip Code |
DAYWALKBAL |
We've got you covered
Yes, this is a good first long walk. The terrain is forgiving and the pace is
steady, so it’s the distance you’re building up to rather than anything
technical. Plenty of guests come to this one as their step up from shorter walks.
You need to be happy walking 17km at about 3-4km an hour, over roughly six and a
half hours. There’s a lunch break and stops for photos along the way.
Yes! If you’re a keen walker, you’ll enjoy these routes.
All Gutsy Girls events are for over 18s only.
No! Our trips welcome adventurous women of all ages, from 18 to 70+. Most guests are in their 30s and 40s, but it’s your mindset, not your birth year, that matters.
Definitely. The vast majority of guests on this hike come solo. We’re a friendly
bunch, so just come as you are.
Please bring a packed lunch and some snacks to keep you going for the day. There might also be the opportunity to buy extra drinks and snacks along the route.
We love dogs, but unfortunately they’re not allowed on this hike.
Yes, we picked the Balcombe Loop because it’s easy to reach from London. It’s a
loop, so it starts and finishes at the same place, Balcombe station, with regular
trains from London Bridge.
You’ll find car parks at and around Balcombe train station, where we’ll be meeting. Please check online for parking charges.
Another site to look for parking is JustPark.
We encourage car sharing on this adventure, so if you are driving and would like to offer a space in your car to another guest, this can be arranged via our WhatsApp group.
Please only bring what you’ll need for the hike and what you can carry in your backpack as there is nowhere to leave extra belongings and valuables.
There are limited toilet facilities on this route. There are toilets at Balcombe
station at both the start and the finish, and there may be a chance to use the
bathroom in a pub or cafe along the way. Otherwise, nature provides.
British summertime likes to keep us on our toes, so please arrive dressed for the activity and the weather.
* We highly recommend hiking boots or shoes for your safety and comfort when walking.
If you do choose to wear trainers, please make sure they are supportive and have good grip. You will not be allowed to join if you wear Converse or plimsoll style shoes.
Please leave the weather watching to us. British weather is unpredictable and
unless it’s awful, we’ll still hike.
Your guide will be monitoring conditions in the lead-up to your hike and we’ll be
in touch if we need to cancel.
Please contact the Gutsy Girls WhatsApp group you’ll have been invited to. We will try to accommodate you but we need to be fair to the group and we cannot guarantee we will be able to wait for you.
Please check your spam folders before contacting us. Hotmail in particular likes to put our emails in junk mail. You’ll need to add bookings@gutsygirls.co.uk to your safe list.
Bookings are non-refundable and can’t be moved to another date, as we commit to
our guides in advance for every booking. If you can’t make it, email us with your
name, the trip and the date so we know not to wait for you.
You’re welcome to pass your place to a friend. Just let us know her name and email
at least 48 hours before, and we’ll move the booking over.
You’ll see our full booking terms and conditions here.
