Walking

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Enjoy the opportunity to walk with others, both for company and support. Learn of unsuspected areas with experienced leaders. Share your favourite walks.

We usually do a 3 to 6 mile walk on the morning of the 4^th Monday of the month and a longer 6 to 10 mile walk on the 1^st Friday. (The Amblers group offers shorter walks if 3 to 6 miles seem a bit daunting!) Anyone can join the walking group - there is no limit on membership - and no fees, although we recommend a £2 contribution to the driver when you accept a car share.

We usually meet at the public car park next to Station Road (where the public toilets are) around 9:00am where we arrange car sharing. This cuts both the travel cost and reduces the number of vehicles at the start of the walk. Sometimes we meet at the Barley Mow bus stop and use the 31 and 700 buses to travel along the coast to start a walk.

We create a walks plan at the beginning of the year, with the name of the person that has volunteered to lead the walk. Walks are usually circular - they begin and end at the same point - but we have on a few occasions used bus passes to return to the cars.

We send email details of each walk around 2 weeks in advance to everyone on our distribution list. Details of the walk logistics such as who will drive which passengers and whether lunch needs to be ordered at the walk start are circulated to those joining the walk 2 or 3 days before the walk date. Our walks generally attract between half a dozen and a dozen members.

It is usual that the walk leader checks out the state of the walk for obstructions and difficult ground before the walk, and we can always assist a walk leader in their reconnaissance if they would like help.

If you are thinking of joining a walk, please study the walk description in advance and check that it appears to be within your health and fitness levels. Please also be prepared by wearing footwear (for most walks, that means specialist walking boots) and clothing appropriate for the ground conditions and the worst weather which could occur during the walk.

During the walk we have a stop to gather breath and to take whatever snack and drink you bring. Occasionally there is even a stop at a cafe on the way.

At the end of the walk some will go to rehydrate, take lunch and socialise at a local hostelry, but it's not compulsory. (However if you have had a lift to the start, you will need to align with your driver's plans). A key role of the walk leader is to make sure that such a hostelry exists close to the walk and that its offerings and prices seem reasonable. Occasionally (and more often on the longer walks in summer) we will take a picnic instead of using a pub or cafe for lunch..

The group has all the local 1:25,000 maps you can borrow to investigate possible routes. We also hold a collection of booklets describing walks available within an hour's drive of Hayling.

You can see details - including route maps - of most of the walks we've organised since September 2015 here.

You can use these resources as the basis for a future organised walk, or you're welcome to use them for your own walks with friends or relatives.

Trish Farnham and Andy Henderson often cycle to the walks. Let them know if you'd like to join them.