How To Plan A Walk & Carry Out A Recce

Organising a group walk takes more thought and planning than setting off by yourself with a route into the blue yonder. It doesn't matter as much if you're on your own and can't find somewhere to park, or get lost en route. You can't afford for that to happen if you're leading a group, as there's safety issues to consider, never mind the embarrassment of retracing your steps because you've gone the wrong way! You might still make mistakes, but it's less likely if you follow this advice.

The Fundamentals

Uphill climbs slows the pace

What grade of walk are you aiming for; easy, moderate or strenuous? Each category is dependent on miles walked, time taken, and feet climbed. Your chosen category may depend on time of year, as shorter daylight hours dictates less miles, and winter time means that hill and mountain walks may be treacherous with ice or snow, and shouldn't be attempted without crampons. 

On average we walk 2.5 miles an hour, but a walk with climbing will take longer because of the slower pace. A walking club may have parameters to suit different abilities, for instance a moderate walk might be around 9 miles and up to 1500' of total climbing. So work out the parameters for your target group and you're ready to start. All that's missing is the walk!

How To Find A Walk

An oven-ready walk is the easier way of doing it, especially if you're inexperienced and need to build up confidence. Someone else has done the work for you. They're providing a description, an outline map and walk instructions. What could go wrong? Well, the instructions might be unclear, or the map might contain inaccuracies, and since it was published a path might have been diverted or a landmark changed. But on the whole it is the easier option.

I've amassed hundreds of walks from magazines, books and websites. Doctors' waiting rooms are a good source and second hand book shops. Look out for 1001 Walks in Britain, published by the AA. Another route is to pick the area where you want to walk, and Search, for instance, 'Walks in Lancashire', or more specifically, 'Walks around Clitheroe'. The result will throw up various websites, where you can download ready-made walks and print them for nothing. 

Some sites though do charge a fee. I like Walking Britain: https://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/ because the walks are free and uploaded by experienced walkers with full instructions and maps. There's also Country Walking Magazine:

https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/country-walking-magazine that includes 27 route cards in each issue. I've picked up old copies from second hand book shops, and no doubt someone will be selling a job lot on eBay.

Creating Your Own Walk

Of course you can study an ordnance survey map and create your own walk. This is more work because there’s no written instructions, and you don't know how practical it is until you've tried it, but more satisfying when it is a success!

I've designed dozens of walks in this way. You have to be able to read a map, for instance understand that where the contour lines are closer, the climb or descent will be steeper. The geography of your walk will be one of the factors that determines how long it will take, as will the speed of those walking with you. The bigger the group, the longer it will take to climb stiles, and your average 2.5 miles an hour will be slower, especially when you factor in climbs and stops; usually a morning and afternoon break of around ten to fifteen minutes each, and lunch of half an hour or so, dependant on the weather. All this will become clearer on your recce.

Try to factor in interesting features on your route

When planning a walk from scratch, make it interesting. There's nothing wrong in walking over open moorland for miles, or a succession of fields, but that will be more of a workout to get your 10,000 steps than a memorable ramble. Vary the route if possible; open fields, woodland, a river or canal and a good climb to get views. Try and include interesting features, such as an attractive village, views of a stately home, a water mill, battle field, monument etc. And try and get some information. It all adds to the fun and satisfaction of being out in the open air. It brings the walk alive!

A pub stop afterwards helps you unwind

Two other things to consider is car parking and travelling time to the start of your walk. Availability of loos too in a perfect world! 

Ask permission if you want to use a pub car park, and it will probably be on the proviso that you call in for refreshments. Please don't park in front of people's houses, or inconsiderately. How far is your group prepared to drive, and how does that impact on the time it takes to complete the walk and have a drink afterwards? Group walking is a social activity, and at the end of day a pub visit allows ramblers to relax and unwind before the drive home. 

The Tools Of The Trade

All you needed at one time was a map and compass, but things have changed with the availability and affordability of satellite navigation devices. We have downloaded the OS app to our phones and iPads, (https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/apps/os-maps/) and what a clever piece of software it is!

You can track your walk live or plot in advance

For around £30 a year you have access to all OS maps. You can use it to follow a route, track your walk so you've a record, or plot it and follow it on the day. The map can be expanded for extra clarity. It shows you where you are on the map. You can keep your routes private, or public. By clicking on 'Routes', other people's walks will appear in your chosen area. In 'Filters', if you set the Rating to 4.5, it will filter out the rubbish. Download the walk, so even if you've no phone signal, you will view it with GPS. If you want a hard copy, screen shot it on your tablet and print. It conveniently fits on a sheet of A4. You can expand it first to fit the screen.

Drawbacks? You're limited to battery capacity, unless you carry a spare power pack. We haven't found this a problem, because we tend to use it as back-up, or confirmation on a long walk. That's why we print or use paper maps, and consult the app if we're not sure. Recently we were out for five hours, tracking our route, and using the phone to record instructions, plus photographs, on one battery charge. You can follow the red arrow on the green dashes across a field. In fact it's the app which has confirmed what we've long suspected, that the physical path isn't always where the map says it is!

A good piece of equipment if you've not gone down the app route is a pair of binoculars. These are handy for finding that stile hiding in the hedge across the large field. That, along with a compass should keep you on the right path. It's also worth carrying a pair of wire cutters to remove barbed wire strung across a public right of way, or rescue sheep tangled up, as I have done on more than one occasion.

The Recce

Consulting the map on your recce slows you down

You've got your route and parking worked out, so it's time for the recce. I would never lead a walk without having done one. If it's a new walk which I have created, I often use the voice recorder on my phone to record instructions, which I will later write up.

So off you go. This should be done with at least two people, as two heads are better than one, and for safety. Remember that you could have a large group behind you on the day. So look out for hazards that might have to be avoided. If a path is obstructed, you are allowed to trespass in order to get around it. Keep a watch on the time, and keep a lookout for a suitable place to stop for lunch, preferably not with sheep or cattle, and ideally somewhere by a feature like a river or with a view.

Look out for hazards!

The recce may take longer than the walk on the day, as you will be stopping to consult a map, or your phone, taking the wrong path on occasions, all of which adds up. Your general pace might be slower too. On a full day's walking it could make the difference of an hour.

Before The Walk

Details of your walk are already in the programme; departure time, date, location, your name and contact method, Moderate, Easy, Strenuous. At the top should be the title, the date, and the time you will start, how many miles and total feet of climbing - easy with the OS app which gives you this information. Next a brief description - no more than a paragraph - of the walk highlights and general geography. Do not include a blow by blow account!

Next some travelling instructions to drive to the start, including post code and What3words. It might also be worth putting in OS map coordinates as some people still don't have satnavs or smart phones.

Tell people they must contact you if going straight there, and say you look forward to meeting them, and joining them afterwards for a drink in the 'Red Lion'.

Remind them that if the weather is bad on the lead-up to the walk, the onus is on them to check if it is still going ahead.

Your Job As Leader

Always have a back-marker so no one gets lost

The clue's in the title. You are in charge. You are also responsible for the well-being of the group. You should lead from the front, not halfway back, and it isn't your job to open a gate, then stand there smiling at people as they file past. And you should have a back marker, someone who is prepared to be at the rear to make sure no one gets lost, and to let you know if there is a problem. Preferably someone who did the recce with you, if not, you should supply them with a map of the route. 

Always be mindful of the people behind, so you don't get too strung out. It's a good idea to stop occasionally to allow everyone to catch up.

A word about striders. These are people who want to stride off ahead either because they are impatient or want to show off their super fitness. Make it clear you will not let this happen. This is a group activity, and you are the leader, you know the route, and you set the pace to suit the group. Striders become the de facto leaders, and unconsciously, the group will try to speed up to try and close the gap.

On The Day

Some of the group may leave from a central point and car share, others will travel straight from home to the start. Those doing the latter will have contacted you, so you will know if everyone has arrived. If someone is unavoidably delayed, or aren't coming, they should text you. If there's no phone signal, you should wait a few minutes, but no more.

Briefly address the party before you go

Booted up and ready, now briefly address the group. Introduce any first time walkers, repeat a few details about the walk, then go. If you have to cross roads or walk down one, wait until everyone is there, then explain what is happening, reminding them to walk single file on the right, unless there's a righthand bend. They should follow your lead.

You decide when it's time for a stop, and how long it will be. Give a two minute warning before leaving at the end of short stops, and five minutes for lunch. Don't just pick up your backpack and go!

If You Have To Cancel

It's been planned, you've recced it, enjoy it!

It happens. On one occasion, even though the weather had been wet for a few days, it forecast a dry night prior to that day's walk. Unexpectedly a storm dumped a huge amount of rain overnight, and some of the route was under water. The BBC were warning people not to travel. Make sure your method of contact is available to update individuals.

Having given you the benefit of my experience, it's now down to you. Best of luck with your group walk!

Read my 5 Star novel: Stench of Evil - a supernatural thriller https://goo.gl/VQOVuS

The sequel: The Devil in Them  https://goo.gl/aS1cjZ

Taking the Bull by the Horns

 A few months ago, I was faced with entering a field where there was a snorting, bellowing bull, just yards away. What to do, take a chance, or turn back? I hate turning back on a walk.

The start of my walk that day...

I've been walking for over twenty years in the British countryside and abroad, so I'm used to passing through fields of cows and bulls, most of the time with no problems. Usually they ignore you, or they begrudgingly move out of the way. 

The advice is, don't get between a cow and her calve, or a bull and his harem. If you feel threatened, don't run, as it will make matters worse. Face the beasts and wave your arms around until they back off! If you have a dog, keep it on a lead, or if cattle go for it, let it off the lead so it can escape. Personally, I would never enter a field of cattle with a dog.

In the last couple of years I've noticed that cattle have been taking more of an interest in us. They sometimes come over and crowd around, and follow us to the stile. This can be intimidating because they are big heavy animals, and you can't know what's going on in their heads. Likely it's often curiosity, or they think you've come to feed them or take them for milking. Bullocks nearly always display this behavior, but I'm sure they are just curious little boys. Farmers have taken more to corralling cattle into small areas using temporary single wire fences, letting them chew the grass, before moving them to the next patch. So they probably think we've come to move the fence to greener pastures, hence the unwanted attention. I've found that where they have a full field to spread out, they're not interested in us.

Sadly, in recent years, there have been several deaths of dog walkers, trampled when they've tried to 'protect' their pets. To a cow with a calve, a dog is a wolf and a threat to her young. It seems that even if the dog has escaped, the owner may still get attacked, possibly because they are the one who has introduced the wolf into the herd's territory, and are therefore also seen as a threat.

That was all at the back of my mind, that day, when I set off on a short walk from my home. All went well until I came to a stile with a sign on it, warning of a bull in the field. I heard it before I saw it; a big black beast just yards away, against a dividing hedge, snorting and bellowing.

There were cows further up the field. But the bull wanted to get into the next field to be with the cows there, hence all the noise. To cross the field, I would have to walk between the bull and the cows. I was also on my own, so who would call the air ambulance if it all went wrong? Likely the bull would ignore me, as its attention was clearly elsewhere, but was it worth the risk? I decided it wasn't, and reluctantly turned back.

But it didn't end there. Couldn't end there. I had to report it for investigation. My understanding was that a bull older than ten months shouldn't be in a field where there was a public right of way. This animal looked much older.

I went on the Cheshire East Council website, and filed a report. This was Friday afternoon, and I was very impressed when I got an email response Monday morning. The Public Rights of Way Manager asked for photographs, a grid reference, and a footpath number and Route Code which I found on their Interactive Map. I also included a screen-shot of the OS map, where I had highlighted the field. I was then informed that a member of their team would go and investigate.

The officer subsequently informed me that he went into the field where the bull was with a herd of cows and calves. He said 'the bull did not show any interest in me, and was very docile'. I replied I didn't doubt it, but on the day it was very agitated, as it was obviously on heat! I then asked him if it should be there, as it looked older than ten months. He replied that as the bull was 'a recognized beef breed', Aberdeen Angus in this case, it was permitted to be in a field with public access, along with dairy cows.

Did I over-react? I'll never know. But at least I did the right thing, and got it investigated. If someone had been attacked, and I hadn't taken action, I couldn't have forgiven myself...

Read my 5 Star novel: Stench of Evil - a supernatural thriller https://goo.gl/VQOVuS

The sequel: The Devil in Them  https://goo.gl/aS1cjZ