Q. What do I need to wear & bring?

	Comfortable clothes, preferably in thin layers (you will get warm and may need to shed some).
	Comfortable shoes, with grip soles (we walk off road as much as possible).
	A hat if it is sunny or wet.
	A small bottle of water, especially in warm weather.
	Any medication you may need (inhaler or tablets?)
	A walking pole if you think it may help.
	Cash for an, optional, sociable coffee after the walk.

Q. How much will it cost?
We do not charge anything. All walks are free. Our leaders are all volunteers.

To help a newcomer decide which group to join, below there is a chart showing what would be expected of a walker joining any one of our groups.
 

Grade	Duration	Distance	Terrain	Fitness Level
First Steps	30 minutes	1½ to 2 miles	Level, even pavement or surfaced footpath	Unfit or recovering from injury or illness. Elderly. Often referred by Doctor
C	45 minutes	2 to 3 miles	Fairly level, some 'off road' and gentle hills, possibility of some stiles	Reasonably fit, but recovering from injury or illness. Elderly
B	60 to 75 minutes	3½ to 5 miles	All terrains, with possibility of steep hills and stiles	Fit and able to sustain a speed of 3 miles an hour for 20 minutes or more
A	60 to 90 minutes (depending on timetable)	4 to 6 miles	All terrains, with possibility of steep hills and stiles	Fit and able to sustain a speed in excess of 4 miles an hour for 30 minutes or more

The important thing to remember is that the leaders will adapt the walk to suit all participants. This might mean that the faster walkers will be asked to walk a loop or the slower ones take a short cut in order to keep the whole group together at the end of the walk. It is therefore logical that some walkers will cover a greater distance than others over the same time period. The experienced members of the group also know when to double back to allow others to catch up.

New walkers are always monitored and leaders will make sure that they are not left behind. It is essential that new walkers do not feel that they are holding the rest up. Everyone walks at their own pace. It is surprising just how fast new walkers improve their fitness level and wind up at the front within just a few weeks.

We offer a First Steps walk on Tuesdays. If necessary this can be an individually tailored walk. If you are interested in this walk, or know someone that might be, please send a mail to Bernard who will be happy to advise availability and ensure that a leader is available

Click here for our Downloadable Leaflet

Outdoor Health Questionnaire

When you come to your first walk, please consider the following questions that you will be asked to answer one the Walking for Health  Outdoor Health Questionnaire form (word format) (you can fill this in on your PC and e-mail it to us) or (pdf format) for printing:
If you decide to walk with us for the first time, please click one of the above links, fill in the form and bring it with you to save time

Questions that you must answer	Yes	No
1. Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition?
2. Do you feel pain in your chest when you do physical activity?
3. In the past month, have you had a pain in your chest when you were not doing physical activity?
4. Do you lose your balance because of dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness?
5. Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity?
Voluntary information	Yes	No
6. Do you have diabetes?
7. Do you have asthma?
8. Do you have any other medical condition that the leader should know about?

If all the answers are No then you will be welcome to walk in your chosen group immediately. If there is a Yes in your answers for 1 to 5, you will almost certainly be invited to join the walk straight away. The leader will keep an especially watchful eye, depending on the condition you have. If you have not already consulted your Doctor you will be asked to take medical advice before undertaking an ongoing walking programme, but you will be able to walk on the first day.

Answering Yes does NOT mean that you will not be able to walk with us. 

We just need to be aware of any conditions, so that the leader can react swiftly should anyone fall ill while walking with us. If you are in any doubt you are advised to consult your doctor before you come to your first walk. Please remember to bring any necessary medications with you.

Please note that the personal information on the form will only be kept for Goring Gap Health Walk records. It will not be divulged to any other organisation without your consent. Some items will be used to compile statistics which are required by Natural England when monitoring how the Walking for Health Initiative is working nationwide. Your e-mail address will be added to our mailing list (unless you request that it is not) so that you can be informed of our 'special events', timetable change etc.

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If you want to print this page, you are advised to use Landscape orientation

This web site designed and managed by Bernard © March, 2010