More leaders = more family rambles!!
If you are willing to share a walk you enjoy with other families please email
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Walking with children Here are some hints about how to encourage children to go walking: · Keep the walk short and easy, appropriate to the children's age and ability, build in escape routes if you need to cut it short, and be prepared to cancel on rainy days. · Allow plenty of time for breaks, take a picnic or stop at a pub or café that welcomes children. · Plan the walks to include plenty of points of interest along the way: plants and animals, geological features, buildings and ruins and so on. Canals, old railway lines, waterside walks and nature trails will have lots to look at. · Take a reference book, or devise an ‘I-Spy’-style treasure hunt, and consider including a visit to an attraction such as a wildlife park, visitor farm, heritage railway, nature centre, amusement park, or even just an ice-cream van. · Be enthusiastic but go at the child’s pace and avoid forcing them on if they get tired or bad-tempered, otherwise you might put them off walking for years. |
Guidebooks, maps... a walk
you know & enjoy is likely to be enjoyable for others.
Car
Parking
some suggestions of good
starting points with easy parking on website www.derbyshirefamilyrambling.org.uk
If using a pub, ring
publican first to check if it's okay, and if cars should be parked in any
particular place in pub car park (e.g. at farthest end). If yes, consider timing
walk so people can have lunch or a drink before or after the walk if they wish.
Public
transport
a few families look for
this. Where possible, please discuss if this is feasible, we can include details
on walk list. However the priority is a good day's walk, public transport should
not constrain walks offered. Car sharing is rarely feasible as most families
fill the car with one family, however sometimes people can make private
arrangements.
Be at the start whatever the
weather, or find a substitute leader if you can't make it. However leader can
shorten, change or even cancel walk depending on weather & wishes of folk on
the day. Try to be there about 20 minutes early, to start walk on time.
(To date in 8 years only one
family ramble cancelled due to heavy rain).
Attendance
sheet
Please ask people complete
this at the beginning of the walk. Please ask people to include an email
address if possible (even if not checked very often). Annual mailing of
programme only, but extra walks, activities & additional info on website
& emailed. Uses: i
Leader knows parent/adult responsible for each child on the walk.
·
Leader knows who/how many
people/families start the walk, this should avoid problems such as people
getting lost or children left behind...
·
Children get awards for cumulative
mileage walked on family rambles, currently
12
miles
silver badge
20
miles
gold badge
50
miles
T shirt (Or sometimes other item substituted e.g. compass)
100
miles
yet to be awarded!
·
Sending details of future walks
Please give/send to Group
coordinator after walk (email or ring for address if necessary)
Walks depend on leaders'
interests & whims. Quiz sheets, activities, etc. optional.
Children
must be always be accompanied
Normally by a parent, or
adult family member. If not, e.g. a family brings an unrelated child, maybe a
friend of one of their own children, the adult bringing the child should be
authorised by the parent to act in loco
parentis, e.g. to consent to urgent medical treatment which cannot be
delayed until the parent can be contacted to meet their child.
Under no circumstances will
unaccompanied children be accepted on family rambles.
Parents remain responsible for their own children at
all times.
Adults should not try not to get into a situation where
they are in a 1 to 1 situation with an unrelated child some distance from the
rest of the group. I.e. a child should be with a parent if injured, or staying
behind, or when travelling by car to/from the walk/event.
Back
marker
A good idea for most walks,
unless there are only 2 or 3 families out.
Leader can ask any adult to
walk near the rear, & ensure no-one gets left behind!
However it remains parents'
prime responsibility to watch their own children & ensure they keep up with
others (however we & other families find this is usually not needed much, as
the children seem to enjoy walking & chatting to other children, and need
less exhorting to "come on or
hurry up" than when walking just with parents.)
Consider asking a person to
act as back marker for an hour or so, or until next lunch/rest stop, then ask
someone else.
Families leaving the walk or
choosing to take another route should inform the leader or back marker.
See www.walkingwild.com
‘walk safely’ section,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/features/walking/safety.shtml
Danger
points
Consider a stop just before this point is reached, for a brief word to the whole group, warning parents to have their children near them & under their direct supervision ahead of e.g. water, steep drops, roads etc. Leader shows the route, that's the main essential.
Parents remain responsible for
their own children at all times.
So leading a walk's not
really difficult or onerous.
More leaders = more walks -
please get in touch to add a walk.
Assistance & advice
available if you need. Contact us
for comprehensive
information on walking http://www.ramblers.org.uk
Incidents
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