Could you lead Group Walks?
We are only able to sustain our programme of walks because of our volunteer walk leaders. Could you also lead walks? If so, there is lots of help available to improve your confidence and get you started, including finding a 'buddy', local training and national E-learning and resources. Read on to find out more!
If you would like to try leading, we can arrange for an experienced 'buddy' to help to plan and lead your walk. We have experienced leaders who have also offered to provide local training to supplement the national material.
If you would be interested in either a 'buddy' or local training, please contact your Walk Coordinator to express your interest. Contact details for Walk Coordinators can be found below:
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Bob for a Sunday A walk,
Paula for a Sunday B walk,
Margaret for a Wednesday walk
or Aubrey for a Saturday walk.
Training and skills development:
- We encourage all leaders to take a look at the national guidance and other resources. There are also two online courses for leaders, total time is 2.5 hours. www.ramblers.org.uk/support-us/online-training (You will need to register for a training account first)
- Preventing and Managing Incidents
- Walk Leadership Foundations
- Any new leaders not currently set up in the national system as Walk Leaders will have to undertake online training. This is a national requirement which is mandated.
Registered Walk leaders
The latest Walk Leader Handbook can be accessed here.
The main Ramblers website also provides a Walk Leader Checklist with guidance on good practice when leading walks, as well as a handy foldable version for your pocket.
Ramblers have also published a sign-in sheet for walk leaders who wish to record who is on their walk.
Bristol Ramblers Committee agreement on national guidance
The practical ways that Bristol Ramblers Committee agreed we should implement the recommendations in the national guidance, given we already have established good practice which we do not want to change, are as follows:
The guidance talks about ratios of walkers to leaders/backmarkers
- We know that most of our walks include experienced leaders, who can help out if necessary. This will generally cover the ratio requirements. The BR committee agreed to therefore continue with current practice, ie, continue to appoint a back marker when appropriate. This will usually be when there are 10 walkers, although there may be some types of terrain or conditions when a backmarker is appropriate for fewer walkers.
The guidance recommends Walk Registers/next of kin details:
- Bristol Ramblers will not require walk leaders to take registers, or ask for next of kin details because most of our walkers are already known to the leader. Instead, we will ask leaders to encourage walkers to carry “emergency contact” cards (“ICE cards”).
Walks Manager
It is now possible for registered walk leaders to enter and modify their own walks via the Walks Manager system which is accessed via the national Ramblers website.
Walks entered on the system are then displayed directly at the front of this website, once they have been checked and published by a Walks Coordinator. A detailed instruction page is available in our Guide to Walks manager. Your Walk Coordinator can help if you need further support.
If you have not registered your Contact preferences (for data protection compliance) use the following link for instructions on how to do this: Walks Manager - how to update contact preferences Note that without doing this you will not be able to add walks to Walks Manager.
Once your walk has been checked and published, you can still edit or cancel the details of a published walk using Walks Manager. The changes will be uploaded directly. Otherwise ask your Walk Coordinator to make the changes for you.
It is also helpful to send a message to those members who have registered to receive messages about walk updates.
Risk Assessment Leaders should assess risks when planning a walk. You may find this template helpful : Bristol Ramblers risk assessment form
Incident Reporting for Walk Leaders
You must report any incidents or near misses. Contact:
● Use the Incident Report Form to report incidents within ten days.
● If there is a serious incident, contact us as soon as possible on 020 3961 3232.
First Aid Kit New Ramblers guidance on 
First Aid Kit for walkers is now available. Leaders can direct people to this if they want advice on what they might need in a first aid kit. The link can also be found in the 'Message Board' section on the home page.
These short videos from St John Ambulance and British Red Cross will help you feel more confident if someone needs assistance.
Travel expenses can be claimed for pre-walking walks using the claim form (pdf) Alternatively a word file claim form can be downloaded.
The national Ramblers arrange online 'Walk Leader Conversations' to discuss various aspects of leading walks. You can register to join conversations at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/ramblers-3448430213.
To find details of places previously used for starting places for walks see
https://maphelp.ramblers-webs.org.uk/placessite.html
Cancelling a Walk If you need to cancel a walk you can send a message to
The message is forwarded to several people who can cancel the walk on walk manager. They can also send a mailchimp message to walkers who hav registered with mailchimp..
