General Information If you are an experienced walker join us any Sunday for an exploratory walk to see if you enjoy being with a group. If you are a beginner then you may prefer to start with one of our shorter walks. The most suitable might be a Sunday Welcome Walk, or a summer Wednesday Evening Walk, which are of approximately 5 to 6 miles in length. Non-members are welcome on all our walks. However, after you have taken part in three of these on a trial basis the Ramblers expect you to become a member if you wish to continue. Contact the Walk Leader if you need more information on a specific walk, or contact the group via email (use the Contact Us Form) if you need further general information. What Do I Need? The Ramblers website gives information on the equipment you need. Underfoot conditions can be muddy and weather conditions variable so, for most of the year, you need a comfortable but robust pair of boots, warm clothing and a set of waterproofs. On full-day walks you need to bring with you a packed lunch and an adequate supply of drinks. To carry these items you need to have a day rucksack of suitable size which is comfortable to wear throughout the walk. In addition, it is essential to have a change of footwear for the return journey. It is the Walk Leader's prerogative to refuse to allow a person who arrives unsuitably equipped to take part in the walk. Safety When walking For safety, walkers must always follow the instructions of the Walk Leader. Each walker is encouraged to pack a basic First Aid Kit for personal use. The Ramblers has a Public Liability Insurance Policy. This does NOT cover accidents resulting in personal injury or loss which may occur during a walk. Where and When Do We Meet? For Sunday walks, we meet at Bury Interchange Car Park in time to depart promptly at 9.00am. For a number of walks, however, the departure time is different, and this is indicated on the Walks Programme. Car-sharing is arranged at the Interchange, and there are normally sufficient seats available for those without transport although, of course, this cannot be guaranteed. Some members travel directly to the start point of a walk in cases where it is not convenient for them to travel to the Interchange. The starting time of a walk is dependent on how long the journey to the start point takes but, when everybody is suitably attired for the prevailing weather conditions, we start the walk. If there are two walks departing from the Interchange it is the responsibility of every walker to ensure that they leave at the specified time with the correct group. For our half-day Welcome Walks we meet to start the walk at the time and place indicated in the programme. For Wednesday evening walks, we meet at the advertised start point, and start the walk at 7pm. For Coach Trips there are a number of pick-up points and you choose where you wish to board the coach when you purchase your ticket. (If a meal is included you also make your meal selection at the time of booking). What Time do we Finish our Sunday Walks? This is variable, of course, and depends on what time we started and how far we have walked. As a general rule, Sunday all-day walks finish between 3.30pm and 5.00pm. However, in the mid-winter months walks would be finished normally before 3.30pm. Post-walk, a number of our walkers adjourn to a convenient pub for some refreshment and conversation! Welcome Walks may start later or may finish earlier. Wednesday Walks Wednesday walks start at 7.00pm and aim to finish at around 9.00pm. Every effort is made to finish in daylight - although the finishing time is determined largely by the speed of the group. The programme of walks runs from early May to about the middle of August. Outside of this range insufficient daylight is available. Walk Classifications In grading walks, ascent is taken into account as follows: A: Strenuous: Total ascent could be over 3000 feet. B: Moderate/Strenuous: Total ascent could be up to 2000 feet. C: Moderate: Total ascent could be up to 1400 feet. D: Easy: Total ascent no more than 500 feet. In reaching an overall grading, the length of the walk and the difficulty of terrain are taken into account also.