City of Birmingham Group of the Ramblers' Association

Recommendations and rules for safe and troublefree rambling


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Most important - for long walks in the countryside

  1. Suitable footwear, preferably waterproof walking boots.
  2. A change of footwear for the return journey on the coach - no muddy boots allowed! (some people use boot covers e.g. plastic bags).
  3. Clothing fit for a day out in the British weather including waterproofs and/or an umbrella.
  4. Food and drink (in Winter, something hot in a thermos, makes your walk much more enjoyable) for the whole day, unless you know for sure that lunchtime food will be available and choose to purchase it.
  5. A backpack to carry these items. Items not required on the walk can usually be left in the coach (e.g. shoes in the coach boot or side locker).
Some further rules to ensure walkers as well as people we meet on the day, stay safe and happy:
On the coach
  • Please, don't stand at the front of the coach, when travelling. Being thrown on top of the driver puts us all in danger!
  • Please, put no heavy items in the luggage rack: nobody likes to have walking-boots raining down on them
  • Please, store your walking sticks carefully (if you use them), so people won't run the risk of being speared
  • Please, take your boots off before boarding the coach on the way back; nobody wants a dirty coach. Preferably put your boots (in a plastic bag) in the boot of the coach, rather than in the luggage rack (see above re, raining boots.
  • Consider to fasten safety belts, when on the coach - the Company has fitted them for our safety!
    • This boot is still clean!
On the walk
  • When walking in the road (which we cannot always avoid), please walk on the pavement, if there is one, or otherwise keep well to the right of the road; no blocking the road by straying all over it - drivers won't thank us.
  • Please carry walking poles point-down, and, if you carry them on the back of your rucksack, make sure they cannot poke people in the eye.
  • Make sure the person behind you sees where you are going, when the Group enters a side path.
  • Always make sure gates get closed - act as if you are taking part in a relay race, with the duty to close the gate transferred to the next person in the line of vision.
  • When entering a pub (and we try to get to a pub at lunchtime), take off your boots and walk in your socks or cover them in a placky bag, as on the coach.