The Arcade
High St, Goring, Reading RG8 9AY
UK
This is not a regular walk, but will be a largely hands-on training day to understand what’s involved in leading a walk and gain confidence – whether you’re yet to lead or first walk or looking to improve. Get it in your diary now and sign up if you’re interested!
BOOKING IS REQUIRED FOR THIS EVENT – please complete the form here to sign up. To keep the session manageable, there are up to eight places available (not including those running the session).
We’ll begin by talking through the basics of what’s involved when leading a walk, over an optional hot drink in the Village Café in Goring. This is a few minutes’ walk from the station; if driving, Wheel Orchard car park is nearby (charges apply).
The bulk of the session though will take place in the course of a shortish circular walk (though this will be more stop-start than normal as we tackle various leading concepts along the way), with everyone having the opportunity to practice leading the group along part of the pre-planned route. There will be the usual packed lunch stop along the way and a debrief at the end, with the option to continue over a drink at the Catherine Wheel.
Some of the things we’ll cover include:
- Planning a good walk (though this is more a topic for the sit-down session than the practical one)
- Welcome briefings and getting the walk off to a good start
- Appointing and communicating with a backmarker
- Managing pace and keeping the group together
- How to avoid losing people (and dealing with it if you do)
- Getting back on track if you get lost (though this is not a navigation course)
- Looking out for the group on hazardous sections
- What to do if someone is injured of falls ill on a walk (though this is not a first aid course).
- Managing larger group sizes
as well as any particular questions or concerns you have regarding leading walks.
The walk will be around 8 miles, in the easy/moderate range, though the exact route will not be described here to keep it fresh for exercises on the day.
This training is not compulsory for new walk leaders, but we hope that it will help you to feel more confident about leading walks for the group and be an opportunity to ease any concerns that you might have about doing so. You’re welcome to attend whether you’re completely new to leading or have led before and would like to improve your confidence. More experienced leaders willing to help out on the day are also very much welcome.
This event complements the sit-down Q&A, planning and social evening on Thursday 27th April – you are welcome to attend either event on its own or both.
We hope to run further similar events in the future – if you would have liked to attend but the date or time doesn’t work for you, please let the walks coordinator know to help with future planning. We also hope to be able to offer first aid training in the near future as well.