Walking Routes
Using a sketch map with your OS sheet
A sketch map tells the story of a route. The OS sheet tells you what the sketch left out. Carry both.
Walking Routes
Walking Routes
River paths and meadows after heavy rain
After rain, a riverside path can be a stream. Read flood meadows, fords and the higher way round.
Walking Routes
How to shorten a walk and still enjoy the day
Turning back is a skill. Plan the shorter finish before you are tired, and the day can still feel complete.
Walking Routes
Canal towpaths: locks, bikes and an easy pace
A towpath looks level and kind. Locks, cyclists, anglers and the water's edge still ask for a little attention.
Walking Routes
A checklist for choosing a walk that fits
Distance, height, underfoot, daylight and the way home: a short list to run through before you commit.
Walking Routes
Mistakes walkers make when copying a route
Copied routes fail in ordinary ways: ignored ascent, reversed directions, old barns and a finish after dusk.
Walking Routes
Stiles, kissing gates and what they are for
Stiles, kissing gates and footbridges are the furniture of a British path. Using them well keeps you and the stock safer.
Walking Routes
How to read a route description before you go
A route description is a sketch in someone else's weather. Read it for ascent, underfoot, escapes and season.
Walking Routes
Linear or circular: choosing the shape of a walk
Circular walks return you to the start. Linear walks need a plan for the far end, the bus and the daylight.
Walking Routes
Following waymarks without missing a turn
Waymarks are easy to miss and sometimes missing. A calm habit keeps the arrows and the map on the same side.
Walking Routes
Compass Basics: Finding Your Way When Visibility Drops
Learn the basics of taking a bearing from a map and following it with a compass, plus simple habits that keep you on track in cloud or mist.
Walking Routes
How Long Will the Walk Take? Naismith's Rule Explained
Estimate walking times with Naismith's rule: five kilometres an hour plus an hour per 600 metres of climb, with worked examples and sensible adjustments.