1. Use digits 1, 2, 3 and 4, with 4 representing the hardest grade, as used by Waymark Walking Holidays but without their 2* grade.
2. Use digits 4, 3, 2 and 1, with 1 representing the hardest grade, as used by Dublin Ramblers.
3. Use digits 5, 4, 3 and 2, with 5 representing the hardest grade. This allows 6 and 1 to be added to represent an extra grade at each end of the existing grade range, if required. If fully implemented, this would be similar to the Carlisle Group's notation.
4. Continue using the letters, A*, A, B and C, with A* representing the hardest grade. This is/was the notation in use in 2006 by the Penrith group, which is based on the grade notation used in the GCSE examination system. This was a non-runner as traditionalists in the group had already objected very strongly to its being introduced originally.
5. Revert to the letters, A, B+ and C, with A representing the hardest grade, used before 2006 by the Penrith Group. Would one ever come up with this notation, if starting from scratch? Almost certainly not.
6. Use the letters, A, B, C and D, with A representing the hardest grade. This was ruled out because it conflicted with existing letters already being used.
7. Use the notation used by some Scottish Rambling groups, namely A+, A, B+, B, C+ and C, with A+ representing the hardest walk. Unless 2 more grades were introduced so that all 6 grades were used, this was ruled out,, e.g. using the central four of these gives A, B+, B and C+, appears something of a hotchpotch out of context.
8. Use meaningful letters:
   The R.A. walks' grade guide suggests T for 'Technical', S for 'Strenuous', M for 'Moderate', L for 'Leisurely' and E for Easy. Penrith Ramblers do not do 'Technical' walks, involving crampons, ropes and ice axes and the name 'Leisurely', which corresponds to the present B grade, which is not leisurely, is inappropiate. Other letter groupings suggested were:
   a). E for 'Energetic, H for 'Hard', M for 'Moderate' and S for 'Slow'.
   b). S for 'Strenuous', H for 'Hard', M for 'Moderate' and L for 'Leisurely.
   Using meaningful letters allows for the introduction of extra grades at each end of the existing grade range, (as well as the possibility of intervening grades too), if required. This assumes that other suitable meaningful letters can be found - perhaps G for 'Gentle', E for 'Easy', V for 'Vigorous' and T for 'Titanic' but not H for 'Herculean' unless you replaced H for 'Hard!
9. A possible guide to assess walk grades, shown below, was briefly mentioned but not pursued.
   
   

   Instructions Fill in the appropriate length, cumulative height and the going for the walk in the first 3 boxes. Select the number alongside each entry and add them up to give an 'overall score'. Use the fourth box to get an indication of the walk's grade. (The values used in the tables are based on those used (at the time) to define the walk grades but can easily be changed.)
   LENGTH LENGTH SCORE 13 – 15 miles   4 10 – 13 miles   3 7 – 10 miles   2 up to 7 miles   1		CUM. HEIGHT. HEIGHT SCORE 3200’ – 5000’   4 1800’ – 3200’   3 900’ – 1800’   2 # Up to 900’   1		THE GOING GOING SCORE Much rough/boggy ground plus loose scree and/or steep rock climbs 4 Much rough/boggy ground plus rough (probably rocky) paths 3 Some good paths but some rough paths and rough/boggy ground 2 Mainly good free draining paths and quiet roadways. 1
   OVERALL SCORE   WALK GRADE 10+ S - Strenuous 7 – 9 H - Hard 4 – 6 M - Moderate 3 L - Leisurely

   
   # Seems a lot but remember walking round Buttermere from Buttermere village adds up to 600’ cumulative ascent!


10. A second possible guide, (added Oct 2007), to assess walk grades is shown below. This has the 3 attributes of the guide above to consider but also includes speed of walking. This is taken to be the speed over rough ground, including on the flat, uphill and downhill. The speed of a walk is determined by the slowest members. This depends on their physical fitness. If one knows the walk is mainly at a low level and mostly over good ground, then choose 'slow' or 'gentle', as it is likely to attract some of the less fit members. If the walk has a high cumulative ascent, then choose 'fast' or 'moderate', as it is likely to attract much fitter members. Some walks may be deliberately aimed at slower walkers and may be described using the phrase 'at a gentle pace', so obviously 'gentle' would be chosen.
    
    Consideration is also given to the time of the year. Winter walks with early sunset times, tend to be shorter and/or have a lower cumulative ascent. This will reduce their total score and indicate an easier walk than is often the case, i.e. the difficulty level is the same but its time span is shorter. To partly compensate for this, an extra point is added to the score if the walks are held when GMT is in operation.
    
    
    

    Instructions Use the first five boxes with blue headings to fill in the appropriate length, the cumulative height, the going, the speed over rough ground for the walk and the clock setting. Select the number alongside each entry and add them up to get an 'overall score'. Use the sixth box with magenta headings to get an indication of the walk's grade.
    LENGTH SCORE 13+ miles   3 10 – 13 miles   2 6 – 10 miles   1 up to 6 miles   0		CUMULATIVE HEIGHT. SCORE 4000’ – 5000’   4 3000’ – 4000’   3 2000’ – 3000’   2   800’ – 2000’   1   Up to 800'   0		THE GOING SCORE Much rough/boggy ground plus loose scree and/or steep rock climbs   3 Much rough/boggy ground plus rough (probably rocky) paths   2 Some good paths but some rough paths and rough/boggy ground   1 Mainly good free draining paths and quiet roadways.   0
    SPEED over rough ground SCORE Fast.   3 Moderate.   2 Gentle.   1 Slow.   0		CLOCK SETTING. SCORE GMT (approx. Nov. –  Mar. inclusive.)   1 BST (approx. Apr. –  Oct. inclusive.)   0		OVERALL SCORE   WALK GRADE 10 + S - Strenuous 7 – 9 H - Hard 4 – 6 M - Moderate 0 – 3 L - Leisurely



11. The labelling of the Wednesday walk parties* was briefly considered. Each of the four Wednesday walk parties always sticks to its own particular walk grade, unlike the (single) Saturday walk party, which usually does either of the two middle grade walks. A system of labelling the Wednesday walk parties would allow each party to choose a grade outside its present allotted level, on the odd occasion it so wanted. Digits could be used for the walk parties and letters for grades or vice versa. Another idea is to use W1, W2, W3 and W4 for the four Wednesday walk parties. This means you could have two walks labelled with the same grade of difficulty on a Wednesday. Walks of the same grade by different parties do occur now but the grade designations remain different. This is catered for by underlining over-limit lengths/heights of walks, which exceed their grade designation. Unfortunately, this practice has been taken too far, so that some walks are now harder than those designated with a more difficult grade on the same day!

*The word 'groups', though common currency, has not been used here, as this could be confused with the 'groups' which make up the 'areas' of the R.A.

All this is now history. The sub-committee's recomendation to use method 1 was defeated at the following AGM and method 5 re-adopted. However, this may be a useful source of ideas, if changes are considereded in the future.