What to expect when you lead your first walk
We are all volunteers, and when a new member decides to start leading, it’s exciting as they will know new paths and areas to explore. You will be surprised how much support and encouragement you will get if you decide to become a walk leader. It is a really good feeling of accomplishment when you complete the walk and others like your walk.
Before leading
For your first walk(s), it is a good idea to plan a route using maps or online tools and then to walk (‘recce’) the route to check the paths are not overgrown or roads closed etc. This needn’t be a solo activity, many a friendship has been cemented by helping each other check out a new route! Indeed walk leading itself may be done jointly if you wish.
There are also experienced walk leaders who would be happy to give advice and could come on recces or support you during the walk. If you would like to have some support and someone to recce with then please contact your walks coordinator.
If you are thinking of becoming a Walk Leader, please fill in our new walk leader form. It can take 1-2 weeks to register new leaders with Ramblers, and there is no obligation by filling in the form, so doing it in advance gets it out the way!
Submit your walk
Once you have your walk, you’re ready to use Walks Manager to submit your walk. This should include a brief description and travel details. If you’re not ready to do that, you can email the Walks Co-ordinator.
We welcome walks as far ahead as possible, as the websites now give us the flexibility to put on extra walks as soon as they’re confirmed.
If you have not led for Met Walkers before, please fill in the new leader form, at least 14 days before your planned walk.
In all cases (new leaders or otherwise) the final decision on publishing last-minute walks lies with the Walks Co-ordinator.
Picking a date
If you are submitting for the next programme period, please use Walks Manager to see what has been submitted already.
In winter months, choose your start time to ensure the walk will (mostly) finish in daylight.
Travel Instructions
All walks must be accessible by public transport. In most cases this means train or underground. Buses are fine if required.
See the travel instructions section of our Walks Manager page for more details.
Description
We aren’t looking for magical prose and the Walks Co-ordinator will contact you if there are any issues (there hardly ever are). All we really need is the rough area and difficulty level.
The walk difficulty grades are described here.
Issues getting to the walk
Please leave extra time to ensure you are on the designated train. If where you live means you won’t be on the same train that is advertised for the walkers, then please ensure you arrive before that train does.
Issues with trains to our walks are thankfully extremely rare – if the designated train is cancelled then make alternative plans and post them on the Met Walker Facebook page. The most common plan would be to get the next train (if this is possible).
If you do unfortunately miss the train then try to contact a friend who may be on the walk (in any case, the walkers will start to contact you!). Try to make an alternative plan perhaps if you will not be too late the walkers could wait for you or arrange a place to meet and ask someone to lead the walk to that location.
Welcome Speech
This is the point that lots of us dread; however if you are not a natural orator then there are only three things you really need to remember.
- Gather everyone somewhere safe and out of the way of other station users (i.e. not in front of ticket gates!)
- Introduce yourself
- Ask if there are any new members and make them feel welcome.
Please let new members know they can go on 3 walks for free before they need to join the Ramblers. If there are a small number you are free to do this during the walk if you prefer not to keep talking in front of everyone.
It would be very helpful if you could check the walk’s MeetUp event and mark anyone who didn’t attend as a no-show. This will help us root out fake accounts/serial pests.
During the day
Keeping safe
Please ensure that everybody gets across a busy road and wait so they do not feel pressurised to rush. Also remind the people at the back to ensure they close gates. If you are at a crossroads or awkward turn off then it is best to regroup to ensure no one misses the turn.
Getting Lost
This is always a concern among people thinking about leading walks. However everybody gets lost at times and it is not a big deal. Take some time to check the map or ask for advice as others will be tracking the walk or will know the area.
Anyone who chooses to walk in front of you does so at their own risk so don’t be worried about pausing if you think it’s a good idea.
What if I get 50 people turn up?
(Editor’s note: You probably won’t!) When you are at the front there is actually little difference between having 20 people and 50 people. If you do get a lot of people then at the start of the walk you can ask for a volunteer for a back marker as they can support you and ensure that no one gets left behind.
What if I get only 1 person turn up?
(Editor’s note: You probably won’t!) This is extremely unlikely to happen but if it does then you have the flexibility to try out new options for the walk.
What if people go ahead of me?
Some people like to walk faster, or sometimes the twists and turns of the route will mean it happens… in general it is fine as long as they wait at the next path junction. However as soon as they are ahead of you then if they get lost then that is their responsibility to resolve.
During tricky navigation sections you are of course allowed to tell people not to go ahead.
What if people at the back are struggling?
This does not normally happen but if there is an issue then consider whether there is a way for them to cut the walk short such as a bus or a cab from a nearby pub. You can ask your back marker or an experienced walk leader to help with the people struggling and it might be necessary that they split away from the main walk to take a short cut or walk slower.
What if someone suggests a different route?
It is your walk and you decide which path to take. Normally a walk leader is happy to take advice and may take an alternative path if recommended but it is always your choice.
Most people who offer ‘help’ do so with the best intentions and offers should normally be received as such provided the above is respected. If you feel anyone’s behaviour has not been appropriate in this regard please feel free to discuss it with the Walks Co-ordinator in confidence.
Where should I choose for lunch?
This can be dependent on the weather. Hilltops with great views are fantastic on a sunny day but in windy or wet conditions then a few fallen logs in sheltered woodland could work better. Again this is not a major priority as most locations will work fine and if unsure just ask others to look out for good lunch locations around the appropriate time.
If possible, it is good to combine a lunch break with a pub/tearoom but do not eat packed lunches at the pub (including in beer gardens) without prior arrangement with the landlord.
Afternoon Stop
A stop during the walk can be good for toilet breaks and to allow people to get warm in winter or top up drinks in summer, but is not a requirement and does not always work great with short daylight hours. Tearooms or visitor centres work well but pubs are also an option.
At the end!
It is required that all walks end somewhere people can get refreshments and socialise – the logistics of the British countryside mean this is usually a pub.
The same logistics may mean the ‘end pub’ is not directly by the station and this is also fine. If the end pub is over 1 mile from the station please mention this in the walk description.
Don’t be worried if it does not have 10 dark ales on tap or cosy couches next to log fires. The end pub is not the priority for the walk – a good pub is just a bonus. As long as there is somewhere to grab a drink and ideally some food then that will work fine.
Many people appreciate being able to eat after a walk, and particularly on Saturdays will stay for dinner, but it is not mandatory to choose such a pub nor is it your responsibility to make table bookings for everyone.