Polytechnic Rambling Club

Historic London rambling club, founded 1885

🥾 Across London Saturdays and some midweek; weekends away Social Day trips Long-distance Beginner-friendly

One of London's oldest walking clubs, the Polytechnic Rambling Club was formed in 1885 and is still going strong as an active, friendly rambling club. Members come from all over Greater London and beyond for a varied programme of day walks, weekends away and social events.

Walks head out to lovely countryside in Essex, Kent, Sussex and Surrey, reached by public transport, with the chance to make use of your Freedom Pass. Membership costs only £10 per year, and you're welcome to come along to one or two walks to try the club out before deciding to join.

With its long heritage and welcoming spirit, it's a wonderful way to discover the countryside around London in good company.

Across London
Saturdays and some midweek; weekends away

From the blog

Real stories of people who found their people in London.

Erin Walsh · 16 June 2026 Socialising never made sense to me. At a board game night, the rules were finally written down. As an autistic adult, the unspoken rules of socialising always left me lost and exhausted. A board game night was the first place the rules were actually explicit - and I could finally relax. Marcus Bennett · 9 June 2026 I can't do small talk. At a board game night, I finally didn't have to. Parties, pubs, the dreaded "so what do you do?" - I'd given up on meeting people. Then I sat down at a board game night and the talking just happened sideways. Arjun Mehta · 13 June 2026 I optimised my whole life in London. Except the part that actually mattered. I moved here for a brilliant engineering job and built a life so efficient I barely had to speak to anyone. It worked perfectly, right up until it didn't. A running club fixed what I couldn't.