Starting out?

Hi, I'm based in London and I'm looking for ideas and recommendation of areas close to / easily reachable from London by public transport. I'm looking for something a bit more than just a field (a hill or lake would be nice). Any ideas?

I'm not adverse to flying but would also like ideas of things that can be done on a whim. Cheers!

If your into climbing the sandstone outcrops around East Grinstead can be reached fairly easily by public transport from central london.

south downs??

get the time out 52 country walks book. all walks from london by train - either from one station to another or circular.
excellent nbook and profits go to charity.

Martyn if you get the book of the north downs way you will see that it very easily falls into walks from station to station as they radiate out from Londons main line stations like the spokes of a wheel.

Although some of the latter stages through Kent require a farly long train ride you can at least fall asleep safe in the knowledge that it will stop at the terminus, or if it don't there will be the sound of grinding metal and breaking glass!

You can get out to Tring by train and from there can easily get up onto the Ashridge Estate with its lovely NT tea shop. Great views over the vale of Aylesbury and lovely woods to walk through. You can also head East to the start of the Ridgeway at Ivinghoe Beacon or West to the rest of the national trail. It's a favourite walking area for us with some really nice circular walks.

Between Hoddesdon, Hertford and Bayford there's some nice woods that are managed nature reserves. Nothing difficult, but established, old growth woodland (oak, beech, hornbeam, etc.). Also part of Ermine Street, is good to walk along through there.

Get the train from Kings Cross (or Finsbury Park) to Bayford or Hertford, or Liverpool St. to Broxborne. You'll have to plan a route to link the woods up - you can do circular walks or go from one station to the other. You'll need to remember your compass, I know people who've worked in those woods for twenty years get "misplaced" on occasion.

There's also the Lee valley walk and the Beane valley walk. Can't comment on the former, but I've done the latter which is pretty, if pretty easy. Hertford to Walkern, along the river Beane).

oh! and check train times carefully e.g. Gomshall, (on the North Downs Way) trains every two hours after the mules have been fed and watered.

The Chiltern Hills can be accessed by train if you get off at Wendover your prety much in the right spot. I think the train goes from Marylebone but best check first.

Indeed it is Marylebone.