Notes for Guidance

Please read these notes before walking with the Lower Wye Ramblers.  Even those who have been members for many years are recommended to refresh their memories.

These guidelines are given to improve both the safety and enjoyment of our walks.

Meeting Point: We meet in the car park at Chepstow Leisure Centre (CLC). Additional meeting points are Raglan School (RS) or Dixton Roundabout Monmouth (DRM) – indicated on individual walks.

Departure: You should arrive at the meeting point early enough to leave at the stated departure time.

Safety: All sporting and leisure activities have inherent hazards associated with them, and rambling is no exception. In spite of the safety of members being the paramount concern, accidents may occasionally occur. It is important that each member appreciates that they should identify any hazards and take all reasonable steps to eliminate or minimise the potential for an accident to arise.

Dress: Suitable clothing and footwear must be worn.  Leaders have the right to refuse permission for inadequately equipped persons to join a walk.

Food: Bring adequate food and drink to suit the length of the walk and time of year.

Start Point of Walk: Where possible, the start point of the walk is given, but please contact the walk leader if you wish to go directly to the start point.

Cars: Car sharing is encouraged, and passengers are requested to pay a levy for mileage costs as set out in the table below.

Non-Members: Non-members are welcome to join 2 or 3 walks free of charge.  If they wish to continue after this, they will be expected to join the Ramblers Association.

Grades of Walks:  Grades are decided by leaders to help you, but they are only a guide. Contact the leader if you need more information about the degree of difficulty and the terrain.

• E       Easy – leisurely and mostly flat, easy gradients/slopes
• M      Moderate – will usually include some short climbs
• M+   Moderate plus – will have longer or steeper climbs, as described in the longer walk description
• S      Strenuous – more challenging, often with stiff climbs over rough terrain; good fitness level required.

The length of the walk is given in miles and is combined with the grading: e.g. 5 E = a 5-mile easy walk and 10 S = a 10-mile strenuous walk.

All walkers participate in any walk at their own risk. If in doubt about your fitness to participate in any walk, please ring the leader, who will be happy to tell you about the walk.  In bad weather, the leader may have to change the route of the walk or even cancel the walk.

Guidelines for Walk Leaders

• ‘Recce’ the walk beforehand
• Carry a relevant OS map in case you have to deviate from the planned route
• Carry a mobile phone for use in case of emergency (or arrange for one of the group to have one)
• Carry a survival tent, available for collection from Chepstow or Monmouth or from previous leader
• Carry a basic first-aid kit
• If not meeting the group at CLC, make arrangements for someone to take the group to the start point
• Welcome the group before starting the walk and introduce those walking for the first time and summarise the distance, terrain, food stops, and comfort arrangements
• Check that all members of the group are adequately clothed and appropriately equipped for the walk
• Make sure you know how many are in the group before you start the walk
• Delegate a backmarker to ensure that gates are closed and that slow walkers are not left behind
• Stop occasionally for the group to catch up, allowing last walkers to catch their breath before moving off
• Check numbers after each main change of direction
• On summer evening walks, carry a torch

 Guidelines for Members on Group Walks

• The leader decides the route, so you should stay behind him/her
• Always inform the leader or backmarker if you make a comfort stop and drop behind the group
• Always inform the leader if you have to abandon the walk for any reason
• In general, you should avoid using mobile phones during a walk except in cases of emergency
• Dogs are not permitted on LWR walks
• On summer evening walks, it is advisable to carry a torch

Car Sharing Mileage Levy

From Chepstow Leisure Centre to Start Point

Mileage   Levy                   Mileage    Levy

1 – 5      £1.00                26 – 30    £4.00

6 – 10    £1.50                31 – 35    £4.50

11 –15   £2.00                 36 – 40    £5.00

16 – 20  £2.80                 41 – 45    £5.50

21 – 25  £3.50                 over 45    £6.00