General Information About Our Walks

We currently plan our walks programmes quarterly. Anyone may suggest a walk for the programme. All walk leaders, though, must be Ramblers' Association members for insurance reasons. The group's walk programme can be found in the Walks section.
Start locations link to a handy summary page provided by the Ramblers' Association web site which includes maps of the meeting point.
Meeting points are given using OS Grid References (2 letters followed by 6 numbers). These can be used with web sites such as multimap.co.uk and streemap.co.uk.

Grades relate to the Ramblers' Association scheme:

Easy Access - Walks for everyone, including people with conventional wheelchairs and pushchairs, using easy access paths. Comfortable shoes or trainers can be worn. Assistance may be needed to push wheelchairs on some sections: please enquire.

Easy - Walks for anyone who does not have a mobility difficulty or a specific health problem or is seriously unfit. Suitable for pushchairs if they can be lifted over occasional obstructions. Comfortable shoes or trainers can be worn.

Leisurely - Walks for reasonably fit people with at least a little country walking experience. May include unsurfaced rural paths. Walking boots and warm waterproof clothing are recommended.

Moderate - Walks for people with country walking experience and a good level of fitness. May include some steep paths and open country, and may be at a brisk pace. Walking boots and warm waterproof clothing are essential.

Strenuous - Walks for experienced country walkers with an above average fitness level. May include hills and rough country, and may be at a brisk pace. Walking boots and warm, waterproof clothing are essential. People in doubt about their fitness are advised to contact the organiser or leader in advance.

Technical - Walks for experienced and very fit walkers with additional technical skills. May require scrambling and use of ropes, ice axes and crampons. You must contact the organiser or leader in advance for further details.

Important

Grades are provided as a general guide only. You should also bear in mind the distance of the walk and the possibility of bad weather, which can make a walk more difficult than planned. A 10 mile walk could be graded Leisurely (if flat and on good paths) and a 5 mile walk graded Technical (for a difficult mountain route). The geography of our region means the majority of our walks are off-road in rural areas and graded Leisurely, Moderate or Strenuous.

If you are unsure of your fitness level, try a short and easy walk first. It's much better to find a walk a little too slow and easy than to make yourself miserable and exhausted. Please have suitable footwear and clothing for the walk you intend to join, and bring some food and drink, even if the walk includes a pub or café break. Leaders may refuse to accept participants who in their opinion are inadequately equipped or unfit. When in doubt, contact the organisers or the walk leader in advance. If no contact details are available for the organiser or leader then contact the group using the details on the Contact page. Registered forum users can contact the walk leader by clicking on the name in the Walks programme.

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