Hiking Club: Routes Officer

Hi Hiking Club Members,

It’s been such a highlight getting to hike, travel, and make lasting friendships with so many of you during our residentials, social events and weekend hikes this year. If we haven’t met yet, I’m Kelvin. A half Kiwi, half Polish undergrad who’s been passionate about outdoor activities like hiking, trail running, and kite surfing for as long as I can remember. This year, it’s been an honour to serve on the sub-committee as Junior Route Officer, working alongside Declan to deliver our weekend hikes, and I’m sure I’m not alone in saying he’ll be greatly missed when he leaves at the end of Term 3.

Looking ahead, my aims will be continuity with a dose of innovation. I want to keep building on what’s working well with our biweekly Discoverer and Explorer hikes, while also pushing the club forward with new and exciting ideas. One of the things I’m most proud of this year is helping develop our extended hikes, with the New Forest as the debut. Next year, I’d love to expand this further by introducing one or two-day weekend trips to some of the UK’s best hiking destinations, think the Peak District, Brecon Beacons, and Jurassic Coast.

I’m already familiar with the club’s internal logistics, route-planning software, and the behind-the-scenes work that makes our hikes run smoothly, which means I can focus on expanding what we offer based on your feedback from day one.

_{Hello hikers! 🏔️☀️🌿}

_{You may have seen me before on a hike or the Snowdonia residential trip. My name is Samuel, and I am running to be your Routes Officer for the UCL Hiking Club. My passion for hiking stems from my early childhood, hiking throughout the UK and Europe with my family. The UCL Hiking Society has given me a great community to continue this passion in university. I want to do my part in giving this opportunity this to all members of the Hiking Club.}

_{As your Routes Officer, I would be dedicated to planning the best hikes for the club. From the Seven Sisters to the Chilterns, my goal would be to find the best places to hike together, across London, the South of England, and more. Routes you've seen before, and exciting new routes we haven't yet explored. Additionally, I will incorporate feedback and requests from members and walk leaders, taking, among other things, the season, distance, elevation, Mud Level™ and of course the Fun Level™ into account.} 

_{It goes without saying that I would select the routes with accessibility and safety as my utmost priority. Voting for me means voting for weekend hikes that are fun, varied, challenging, or easy. Whether you're looking for a relaxed walk or a challenging summit day, the Hiking Club will have hikes for you. And, of course, voting for me means you have a say in the places we go.}

_{See you on the trail!}

_Samuel

Hi All! I've been your Treasurer this year – and I'd love to be Routes Officer next year!

Alongside managing the club's finances, I've helped plot routes for 5 residential trips and consistently processed Walk Leader reimbursements for weekend hikes (200+ forms!). I've also been responsible for uploading all weekend hikes this year, so I know which routes are most popular and worth repeating.

Here are some ideas I have for next year:

1. ⛰️ Segmented Weekend Walks

   Want to complete a national trail but don’t have the time?

   I’ll divide trails like the South and North Downs Ways, Ridgeway, Chiltern Way, Cotswold Way and South West Coast Path into manageable sections and rotate them through the year – while prioritising routes that avoid major roads and have more affordable train connections!

2. 🥾 Half-Day Hikes

   Want to leave London but still have time to explore?

   Building on shorter walks near Windsor, Cambridge and Oxford, I’ll plan half-day hikes so you can explore the local area before heading home.

3. 🚞 Extended Weekend Trips

   Want to go further from London but be back before Monday?

   I’ll plot routes in places like Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons – too far for a day hike, but perfect for a weekend adventure.

🥾I’ve outlined just a few ideas about how I hope to improve the club, and with your support I hope to implement them with the next committee and continue the success we have achieved this year!