HINTS AND TIPS FOR WALK LEADERS
The aim of this guide is to help inexperienced walk leaders to arrange a walk and act as an aide memoire for more experienced walk leaders. Any questions can always be put personally to more experienced colleagues who are always willing to help. The Ramblers' fuller guidelines can be found at: https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walking-hub/walk-leadership
Choosing Your Walk For The Programme
Where, when and how far you walk is entirely your own choice if the date is free. However, unless you know of accepted exceptions please stick to rights of way and/or roads (the quieter the better). When submitting your programme entry please consider the following:
- Choose a start place that has adequate parking.
- Including the start grid reference is optional but please give some idea of the walking location so people know how far away it is.
- Please be as accurate as you can with the distance, if in doubt round up.
- When grading the walk consider both the climbs and the pace you will walk. If in doubt grade higher. New/less able walkers will use distance and grade to judge the walk's suitability for them.
- It is assumed the number of formal stops is 1 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. If you want to vary this please include the change in your walks programme.
Grading the Walk
You need to grade your walk. The most commonly used grades for our group are:
- Leisurely - walks for reasonably fit people with at least a little country walking experience. May include un-surfaced 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.
Just Before Your Walk Day
It is advisable to walk your route a week or so before the walk day:
- To ensure you know the route and will not get lost.
- To ensure there are no obstacles on the route (e.g. fallen trees, flooded areas etc).
- See the safeguarding vulnerable adults and children toolkit. Guidance for walk leaders. Be aware that everyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and people with special needs must be accompanied by someone responsible for their direct care.
On The Walk Day
- Be at Keens house or arrange with someone who knows the start place to represent you there.
- Consider introducing any new members you know about.
- Do not leave Keens house until the meeting time, some walkers arrive at the last minute.
- It is a good idea to have catch-up/get your breath back stops; allow those at the back to have a rest too, particularly if you have graded the walk leisurely.
- On roads, walk on the right facing on-coming traffic but walk on the outside of blind bends
- If unfortunately any walker has an accident please complete the accident report form, avaialble from Andover Ramblers' Secretary.
- Unless your group is very small consider appointing a back-marker. This will help you in a number of ways:
- They can keep track of people who fall behind the group.
- You can quickly tell if the back-marker is out of sight that people are likely to be too far behind.
- They can let you know the views from the back regarding pace and when to set off again after a breather etc.
- Details
- Category: Walks
What clothing and equipment do I need?
Please wear a pair of stout walking shoes or boots, and have waterproofs and a drink with you. Denim jeans and trainers are not suitable walking attire. The Ramblers website offers excellent practical advice on clothing, equipment and safety. The secret to enjoying walking is being comfortable. In addition to the usual gear, consider bringing along a mat or plastic sheet to sit on at lunchtime.
|
Essential
|
Walking boots, waterproof jacket with hood, waterproof overtrousers, and a small (20-25L) rucksack containing a packed lunch, a bottle of water (and a thermos flask if you want to take a hot drink), a first aid kit and a whistle. |
|---|---|
|
Recommended
|
Wicking (synthetic fibre) shirt, polycotton or synthetic fibre trousers, fleece/pullover, thick synthetic/wool mix socks, liner socks, hat, gloves, gaiters, walking pole(s), sit mat, rucksack liner/black bin bag, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellent. |
|
Optional
|
Map, compass, map case, GPS, camera and binoculars. |
How do I join in a walk?
Just turn up at the meeting point at the appropriate time and introduce yourself to the walk leader who will look after you.
What if I haven't got a car?
Don't worry, lifts are always available from the meeting point. Passengers are asked to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost of petrol. As a rough guide, if a walk starts up to 20 miles away, give the driver £3. If the start is 21 to 30 miles away, give £4.40, and so on. Don't forget to bring a spare pair of shoes with you to leave in the car so you can change out of your muddy boots at the end of the walk.
Do I need to bring food with me?
Bring a picnic lunch with you. We occasionally stop at a pub at lunchtime, but only for about half an hour.
Why do you only stop at pubs occasionally?
It is left entirely up to walk leaders to decide when and where morning, lunch and afternoon breaks take place. Any member can lead a walk, so if you like pub stops, perhaps you might consider leading the occasional walk.
Who decides where and when the group walks?
The individual members decide where, how far, and on which date they want to lead a walk. They then offer the details to our programme secretary for inclusion in the next walking programme.
Must I walk with the group every week?
No. Members can choose to walk all, most, some or none of the walks in the programme. Many of our members do not walk, choosing instead to support the aims of the Ramblers just by being a member.
Can I walk with other groups and still be a member of the Andover group?
Yes. Members can walk with any Ramblers group at anytime. If you find that the Andover group no longer meets your needs, you can always transfer your membership to another group.
Do I need to bring a map with me?
No. The walk leader will have the necessary map(s). By all means bring one along if you wish. Most of us like to have some idea of where we have been and where we are going.
Are dogs allowed on walks?
Owners are advised to contact the walk leader before bringing their dog(s) along. The law says that dog owners are responsible for ensuring that their dogs are kept under control at all times, even well behaved dogs. Dogs must be kept on a lead when walking in fields containing livestock.
What do I do if I find a problem with a path?
Please fill in a problem reporting form. Copies are also available from the walk leader, the Footpath Secretary and members of the committee.
Where can I find more information?
If you have any more questions about walking please visit the Ramblers web site.
If you would like more information about our group, please e-mail
- Details
- Category: Walks
Here is a selection of some of our previous walks:
More will be added when time permits.
Previous Walks
- Details
- Category: Walks
- Details
- Category: Walks
We walk on Saturday mornings, meeting at 9:30a.m. and Sunday mornings, meeting at 9:00a.m.
During the Summer months (May to August) we also offer an evening walk of approximately 5 miles every Wednesday meeting at 6:30p.m.
A recent addition is a weekday walk Sep to Apr meeting at Charlton Leisure Centre car park at 9.45am
The times given in the walks programme below are the times that we meet at our meeting place and arrange car sharing. Walk start times are approximate. If you wish to go directly to the start of the walk then please contact the walk leader to find out where that is and the time that we expect the walk to start.
Our next walks are shown below.
- Details
- Category: Walks