Hillingdon

Heading for an answer through the Pinn Meadows wild flower meadow. Also one of the more easy clues by the miniature railway at Ruislip Lido 

 Grade: Easy and Fun  Distance: 4.5miles / 7.2km   Date: June 28th 2025

It was a very warm afternoon when 33 of us gathered at the well-hidden Guide Hut in Manor Farm at Ruislip for our “circular walking quiz” around Ruislip Woods. A pre-quiz picnic and tea was followed by Rob arranging us into teams of 4 to 6 and being given a map with our route and a sheet of 25 questions plus a few clues. We were given a direction to go so that we wouldn’t all be at the same places together.

The idea was that the numbers on the map were the locations where the answer to the questions could be found. The route took us initially along streets and wildflower meadows and then into Ruislip woods and to The Lido, where it felt more like a walk along the beach on a hot summers day than a Hillingdon Ramble! There was no hurry or even a team score announced from each small group so it was a relaxed and un-pressured event but you did need to keep a good eye on your surroundings or a question could remain unanswered.

Arriving back to the Guide Hut around 2.5 hours later, we all enjoyed a sit down in the cool with hot or cold drinks and plenty of cakes and scones plus lashings of clotted of cream.

As this was an event for all from Hillingdon Ramblers plus guests, we met members who we did not see so often so that was very nice too.

Thank you to all involved in organising this enjoyable event, Rob for organising the venue and the teams,  the catering team of Barbara and Lesley and a special word of thanks to Barbara who designed the route and the questions to test our powers of observation. 

Report by Simon Thornhill