Friendly Faces of Warwickshire

This is the closest Friday night we can get to the third anniversary of the first ever Friendly Faces event which took place on July 2nd 2022.
I couldnt ignore the opportunity to acknowledge this milestone - so I've put an event in to celebrate all the interesting people who have attended one or more of the 167 events we've held over the last three years.

Of course every one of us had to be a first-timer at some point, and to attend as a first-timer doesn't sound like much, but its actually a bold step that many people would simply not have the confidence to do - to go out to meet a group of people you don't know, quite often in a location you don't know.
But that didnt deter those of you who bravely walked in the door on your fateful first time wondering what you might find (if you've had yours yet, I'm sure you remember it!) and in doing so, you found fantastic friends and great new social connections as your reward.

So at this event we will raise a glass to you - amazing members of the Friendly Faces group - warm, friendly, sociable people, without whom these events would not be possible.
No two events ever have the same attendees, and I struggle to recall an event that had no first-timers, yet still, the noise and energy each unique group creates breathes life and atmosphere into the bars, pub gardens and restaurants we descend upon. For me its always a pleasure to see and to be a part of it.

So this celebratory event will replace the Leamington monthly Flash-mob event for July, and we'll visit a selection of some of the most popular venues / pub gardens in Leamington town centre that we've enjoyed over the years. First-timers are welcome as always.
I sincerely hope you can join this event (check your diary and make sure!) and you can rest assured that everyone on the attendees list will look forward to meeting/seeing you.

First-timers and regulars are welcome to admire the S T U N N I N G scenery of this magnificent location. A repeat of the first ever Friendly Faces group hike, which always puts huge smiles on faces.

What to expect...
Having done this hike many times - from experience I can honestly say that being at the top of the Malvern hills looking down is a truly amazing experience, and if I describe it its easy to imagine, so lets take a moment...
All you can hear is birds singing softly, and the faint sound of the odd motorbike engine riding through the country lanes far away. Maybe a light breeze brushes past, rustling the leaves of the trees.
The views from the top are absolutely breath-taking, and as you let your eyes relax into the distance and rest on the tiny houses below, you realise how therapeutic it is being away from the bright monitors and mobile-phone screens of daily life.
As you breath deeply and feel the fresh air in your lungs, you smile and feel satisfied at having reached the top and wonder why you dont get out to places like this more often.

So make this dreamy guided meditation into a reality and take an afternoon to drive out to the bottom of the hills on Sunday July 6th, and hike up and along the tops to take in this outstanding experience.

It's perhaps worth noting that this is not a hike for the weak or unfit. The initial ascent generates a lot of huffing and puffing, and when we reach the top - the route along the top is up and down smaller peaks for the duration. Please consider that unlike other easy walks/hikes you may have attended, this hike is for intermediate hikers.
Rest assured that the entire route consists purely of normal pathways (as per the one in the photo) that are well-trodden by families and people of all age-groups. It's 100% walking and no climbing with your hands is needed.
There are plenty of places to stop and sit down along the way so lots of opportunities to take a break for a while before continuing. The views get better the closer you get to the top, and upon reaching the top you'll agree it was worth the effort.

Depending on how we move as a group it shouldn't take us much more than 3 or 4 hours before we are back down at the bottom of the hills again.
As is customary when we reach the end of a Friendly Faces hiking route, we'll call in at a nearby pub (this time the very convenient local Wetherspoons) for a well-earned drink and a sit down / final chin-wag, before heading home.
Bear in mind that while dogs are allowed to attend this event, Wetherspoons pubs dont allow dogs anywhere on their premises.

Getting there...
If you aren't a driver and would like a lift to and from the starting point, leave a message here on the event page (as soon as you sign up) asking if anyone is kind enough to offer. Do that now, because leaving that question until the last few days before the event is too late.
Don't forget to offer a few pounds to your driver towards petrol money.
If you are a driver and can spare a seat or two in your car (perhaps in exchange for a few pounds in petrol money) you would undoubtedly attain instant hero status.
The meet-point is x miles away from...
Warwick 51; Leamington 52; Kenilworth 54; Coventry 54; Rugby 61; Central Birmingham 40.
We'll meet outside the Abbey Road Cafe which is near the bottom of the hills, grab a coffee / take a quick trip to the toilet, and then begin our ascent.

Oh and parking...
Aim for the Priory Road South carpark as its the biggest and best (and a bargain at £4 for 24 hours) but please bear in mind that there is a 15-minute walk from the carpark to the coffee shop meet point, so factor that into your planned arrival time.

Other things to note...
- Well-behaved dogs ARE allowed 🐶✔️ to attend this walk, but must be kept on a lead. Remember also that some people can be fearful of dogs and hide it well, so please be respectful of that and keep your dog under control at all times.
- Compared to other hiking routes in the huge Friendly Faces library of routes, the terrain for this one is very hilly. Ankle-protecting boots are always recommended for hiking distances like this, and for this event they are essential.
You'll hopefully be attending many more Friendly Faces hikes scheduled for the year ahead, so if you don't own proper walking boots then it will be a great investment.

Finally...
With this fantastic area of outstanding natural beauty only an hours drive away from Warwickshire, we dont need any flight bookings or suitcases or airport transfers - lets just get in the cars and take advantage of what this country has to offer for free!
So with your imagination excited at the prospect of a super afternoon out, hit the attend button now so you dont forget.

Feel free to drop me a message if you have any questions in the meantime.

EVENT SUMMARY / IMPORTANT POINTS

Whether you're new to Friendly Faces or you're a seasoned regular, click the Attend button now and take full advantage of this tried and tested hike which will get you (1) out of the house, (2) exercising, and (3) meeting friendly, like-minded people with ease.

What are the details for this hike?
This is the second Friendly Faces outing to Bradgate Park - a super countryside hike, and the first visit was very much enjoyed by all who attended. However, before I say anything more about this route - be warned that this is not a flat route!. If you do not like hills, then this event is not for you.
Near the middle of the route, there is a long slow incline lasting about half a mile (that's it in the picture) heading up towards Old John Tower which sits on the top.
This hill is particularly challenging and will leave you huffing and puffing by the time you reach the top and very keen for a sit down. (the top is where we will sit down and stop for snacks)
This hill is sure to take a lot out of anyone who is not a fit and able regular walker, so please consider this before clicking the attend button, because running out of steam and giving up half way is not an option.
As a point of reference - if you have conquered the Malvern Hills recently without issue (specifically the initial incline starting at the 99 steps) then you should be ok with this one as well.
If anyone would like more detail on the specifics of the difficulty level of this hike, please drop me a message and I'll be happy to discuss.

So thats the big warning out of the way, now where was I... ah yes.. back to the details....

If you're still reading, you can be sure of a stunning day out exploring the finest countryside that this country has to offer. Amazing scenery, picturesque views, fresh air in your lungs... nature at its finest.
An incredible outdoorsy place to visit and no mistake.
So parking up in the Groby Pool car park and setting off at bang on midday, we'll walk out towards the other-worldly Bradgate Park, which is full of wild animals including an enclosed deer park, swans, and ducks, and complete a big loop along the well-trodden paths taking us all the way round the edge.
Note: The deer park is separated from the public by a wide running stream, if our luck is in on the day, the animals will come right up to the edge on their side to observe the humans, meaning you can add some stunning photos of them to your collection.

A mile or so before the end, we will call in at a nice countryside pub just outside the park to grab a drink and a quick sit down, and then finish off the last bit before arriving back at the carpark and calling it a day.
For our first visit a few people dropped in at another nearby pub to grab a Sunday roast before home, but this is purely optional.

Need a lift?...
If you aren't a driver and would like a lift to and from the starting point, leave a message here on the event page (as soon as you sign up) asking if anyone is kind enough to offer. Do that now, because leaving that question until the last few days before the event is too late.
Don't forget to offer a few pounds to your driver towards petrol money.

Other things to note...
- Unfortunately dogs are not allowed 🐶❌ to attend this event due to there being lots of wild animals and livestock all along the route.
- At this event you'll have a fantastic outdoorsy afternoon out, you'll meet a like-minded group of super-social Friendly Faces (including first-timers as always) and you'll be amazed at how easy it is to make new acquaintances / connections along the way.
- Compared to other hiking routes in the huge Friendly Faces library of routes, the terrain for this one is among the most challenging, and can be quite muddy in places. Trainers will simply not suffice for this route.
I do my best to warn people and to save them from wrecking/soaking inappropriate footwear. and despite insisting in the event description of every Friendly Faces walk that each attendee brings ankle-protecting walking boots, there are always a few who either ignore it or dont read it and arrive in trainers. Dont let that be you!
We'll hopefully see you returning for many more of the Friendly Faces hikes scheduled for the year ahead, so if you don't own proper walking boots then buying a pair will be a great investment. If you do not currently own any - a quick trip to your local Mountain Warehouse or Trespass store will quickly remedy that.

Feel free to drop me a message if you have any questions.
If not - click the big red "Attend" button now to be kept in the loop, and so you dont forget.

EVENT SUMMARY / IMPORTANT POINTS

What better way to get out and meet more people... whether you're a first-timer or a regular, get your name down to join this mixed casual group-tour around downtown Warwick on a relaxed Friday evening, and we'll descend together upon its most popular bars one at a time, staying long enough for a drink or two before we all move on to the next one.

What is a Friendly Faces Monthly Social "Flash Mob"?...
To the untrained eye this event looks like a pub-crawl, but rather than being about getting drunk (as pub-crawls are) this monthly meetup event instead focusses on the social aspects : getting out and meeting new people, mingling, and expanding your social circle. Bring friends if you want to, but coming alone is what most attendees do.
The changing of venues helps encourage the mingling upon us, and typically by the end of the evening - each attendee will (1) have met most if not all of the other attendees present, (2) feel like they fit right in, (3) feel pretty chuffed about having chatted with some friendly like-minded people, and (4) be checking the diary to see if they can make the next one!

If you're driving, or (like me) alcohol isn't your thing, then do as I and any other non-drinkers do, and instead sip on a glass of cordial, coke, or zero beer.
There is no pressure to buy drinks. If you decide to skip the bar and just enjoy the social occasion, its fine.

Big Win #1...
Unlike the usual sit-down or stand-still-all-night meetups, this style of event will keep mixing us up as a group every time we change venue, and the mingling will happen automatically as we go with the flow.

Big Win #2...
As a big group of people it will be great fun and a guaranteed laugh watching the bewildered faces of the non-meetup people in the bars as we all walk in the door together and fill the place, and then after an hour or so of meetup chatter - all leave together and empty it again!

Venues...
As you may know there are several cool bars in central Warwick so we wont have to walk far between venues. We'll keep it to between 3 and 4 venues throughout the evening, and stay close to the Market Square in the town centre.

I'll keep our location-changes communicated as the evening progresses so you can join at any point along the route, but lateness is not recommended. Obviously if you're on time at the start you'll be present for introductions, and you'll get much more out of the evening.
So to start we'll gather in the very awesome spacious pub garden of the New Bowling Green (CV34 4JD) at 7:30pm and let the socialising commence.

Click the attend button now so you dont forget.

If you hadn't guessed by now this is a monthly event, and as always, I'm looking forward to it!