Please stick to public rights of way or paths where it is known the owner allows access
(e.g. National Trust land).
If a route has been used before, I prefer to have a 4 year gap before using the same again (although a different walk starting from the same location is fine). Reversing a route you have already done can be a good idea for variety.
Road Walking
Some road walking is OK, and is often necessary at the beginning/end of a walk. Try to avoid dangerous or unpleasant roads eg narrow, twisty heavily used lanes or main roads without pavements. Remember to walk towards oncoming traffic except on bends where visibility is essential.
Prewalking
If you are not familiar with the route, and it is not a waymarked Long Distance Footpath please walk it beforehand. I have known footpaths removed by quarrying, or a bridge over a river missing, necessitating a change in route. Ordnance Survey maps are good but in open access areas are not always reliable and occasionally differ considerably from the route on the ground. They are not always up to date either as reprints occur over 5-10 year periods. Note that for instance the Stepping Stones over the River Mole are often unusable in Winter and if on the coast the tide can affect the crossing of estuaries.
Maps
Use an Explorer 1:25000 map for the walk as these show field boundaries and are usually detailed enough for most walks. Landranger maps 1:50,000 maps are usually not detailed enough for walking but useful for roads and travel to and from the start. Sometimes a Car Park is shown on the Landranger and not the Explorer. Also Streetmap and Multimap web sites can be researched on the internet.
Mud and Boots
Some bridleways get extremely muddy in winter, and are difficult to negotiate even in walking boots. In these cases, it is best to try to find an alternative footpath, even if it adds an extra mile to the distance.
What to wear
It is reasonable to assume in winter, that everyone will be wearing boots rather than trainers or shoes.
If you think a walker is inappropriately attired then you can suggest that they do not walk or make it clear they do so at their own risk. I have known walkers turn up in ‘Court shoes’ or even high heels or just trainers in winter. There is a
page here on what to wear.
Facilities
It is very useful although not essential to have toilets somewhere on the route. If there are no public toilets, it is often possible to stop by a pub for lunch, or early in the afternoon. A longish lunch break (say 1 hour) allows walkers time to have their packed lunch, have a drink in the pub and use the pub toilets.
Some walkers may want to only do half of the walk by either joining or leaving at a convenient point, usually the lunch point. Although it is up to them to ensure they have a lift back to their car, some thought on a route that allows a quick return by car to the lunch point is helpful. To help those who may want to walk a short distance due to lack of fitness, injury or inexperience some figure of eight walks are usually put on the program at least once a year.
A teashop at or near the end of the walk is not obligatory, but is nice.
If you wish, you can offer refreshments at a nearby member’s home if they offer. This can be a good time for fellowship and based on past experience is usually enjoyed by many of the walkers.
