A great walk listing with photos is what will attract walkers to sign up for your walk, especially new walkers. If you don’t tell walkers what is lovely about your walk or what to expect, they may not come along.

Once you’ve planned your walk, you’ll want to promote it. You could do this through your group’s website, Facebook page or other booking platform such as Meet Up.  

At the Ramblers, the first step is to list your walk on our website by using Walks Manager. Walk listings have two crucial roles. They can help you attract new walkers to your group and are a great way to share information about the route you’ve planned, so walkers can make sure they pick the right one them. 

Here are our top tips to writing a winning walk listing: 

 

Give your walk an interesting name 

Use the name to grab people’s attention and provide a snapshot of the walk. Include place names and key details, so people know where they’ll be going.  

Have a look at the walks already listed and think how you might describe your walk in a different way so that it stands out. For instance, if your walk is for a particular audience, you can point that out in the title. 

Choose a great photo 

A picture speaks a thousand words and photos can really help bring you walk listing to life. A local photo will always stand out over something generic and can give walkers an idea of what to expect on the walk. It could be a nice landscape photo of the area you will be walking in, a striking landmark or a photo of your group. If you don’t have any photos to hand, your recce is the perfect time to take one.  

 

Provide a clear meeting point 

It’s crucial to give walkers a clear meeting location for the day of the walk. You can use GPS coordinates, What3Words, postcodes or simply write a short description that includes nearby buildings or landmarks. Be as specific as possible to make it really easy for walkers to find you on the day.  

 

Think about new walkers 

Don’t forget new walkers may not be familiar with your group. It’s a good idea to ask new walkers to arrive a few minutes early to give them time to find you before the walk starts. You can also share a contact number or give them something to look for, such as ‘I’ll be wearing a red hat’.  

 

Give contact details 

Including contact details in your walk listing gives walkers the chance to ask you any questions before the walk. This can help them pick the right walk for them and make sure they turn up on the day prepared for your walk.  

It’s also means they can contact you on the day if they’re struggling to find you or they’re running late. 

If you want to know who’s coming or limit numbers for a particular walk, you may want to use a booking system. Don’t forget to let walkers know how to sign up for the walk in your walk listing.  

 

Tailor your walk description to your walk and audience 

Your walk description is a great chance to inspire your potential walkers. You don't need to describe the whole route in detail but try to capture what's special about it. If your walk is for a particular audience make sure you say this in the description. We all have a part to play in ensuring walkers who come to our group walks are prepared, so make sure to also include information on terrain and pace, letting people know what to expect.   

Share any transport information  

Noting the transport or lift sharing options in your walk listing can help your walkers work out if they can attend your walk or not and can help make the walk accessible to more people.  

 

Share information on accessibility  

Include information on whether the walk is family or dog friendly, what kind of terrain it will be, if there are stiles and if there are facilities along the route. This will help walkers decide if it’s a walk they can do and will enjoy. This will also help you as a walk leader, ensuring those on your walk are prepared for it. 

 

Don’t forget food and drink! 

Let people know if there is time to buy lunch on the walk or whether they should bring food and drink. It’s always advisable to recommend people bring snacks and water on the walk. If there is a social option for after the walk, don’t forget to mention it in your walk listing.