There are four difficulty-levels or grades of walks. These gradings are based on a full day's walk, unresticted by limited daylight hours. Heights quoted are estimates of the cumulative ascents to be expected during walks listed in the walks' programme.

•   A  :   Up to 15 miles long and 5000 feet cumulative ascent at a good pace
•   B+:   Up to 13 miles long and 3500 feet cumulative ascent, at a more leisurely pace than A.
•   B  :   Up to 10 miles long and 2000 feet cumulative ascent, more leisurely than B+ with longer stops. *
•   C  :   Up to 7 miles with limited uphill walking at a steady pace.                  

* 'Special' B walks. During the summer session, The first Wednesday of the month may have two B walks listed. One of these will exceed the B walk specification, given above. It is meant for walkers who wish to walk further and/or higher (up to 2600 feet) than the B walk specification allows but at the pace of a B walk. Because of this a later finish than usual is likely. Height and/or distances exceeding the B grade specification will be emphasised in the usual way. (See below.)

Particular height and distances are often quoted in the description of a walk, as a guide. If a value is in italic bold type, it indicates that the value is above the maximum specified by the grading given to the walk. (This situation may occur with other walks besides the 'special' B walks mentioned above.) That such a walk has not been raised in grade, may be due to the time of year (i.e. long daylight hours allowing more time to do the walk) and likely favourable weather conditions. Because of this, such a walk is more likely to be called off or shortened, if the weather is bad.

Because daylight hours are short in winter, the length and cumulative height of winter walks of a given grading will inevitably be less than at other times, though the average 'work-rate' during the walk will be roughly the same.

The symbolic notation used for the grades has been arrived at through 'historical' usage. See also other possible notation that could be used for walk grades.

The cumulative heights are provided by the walk leader. Their accuracy can vary, depending on the method used in obtaining them. Those derived from plotting a walk on a 'computer map' such as those made by 'Anquet' or 'Memory-Map' tend to be the most accurate, as quite small increments of ascent are counted. Their values tend to be higher than those obtained using an ordinary map - typically 20% higher, The greatest percentage difference occurs on the flatter walks, where there tends to be many more small up and downs and it is too much trouble to take all these into account using a normal map.

Some walks, termed theme walks are planned by members with special knowledge to illustrate a particular topic. In the past, there have been walks with nature, geology, history and industrial archaeology as their theme. They are usually aimed at B level walkers and above and have been helpful in bringing together walkers of various levels.
Sometimes a map reference is quoted in a walk description. This may be a location where the leader can be met, near or at the start of a walk. This would occur when a leader, living some way from Penrith, does not want to travel into Penrith only to have more or less retrace his/her journey to get to the start of the walk. In such cases a 'deputy' would be appointed to make travel arrangements in Penrith.

If you are a newcomer to walking in the fells, then you are advised to choose a walk-level, which you know you can cope with easily and move up to a higher level later, rather than take on a level of walk which over-stretches you and you find that you are holding up the progress of others in the group. Take into account that A and B+ walks , especially, often go over rough ground without any visible path. The going may be boggy, tussocky, covered in bracken, icy, rocky or scree covered. Some rock climbing classified as easy, (such as Jack's Rake on Pavey Ark in Great Langdale), may be included in A and B+ grade walks. Such climbs should be indicated in a walk description, so that those scared of heights or inflexible in limb can give them a miss. The weather conditions will also have a significant effect on a walk. If bad weather is foreseen on the day of the walk, which makes the walk much more difficult or dangerous than originally envisaged, then the walk may be called off or a shorter and/or lower walk substituted. The coding a leader gives a walk will take into account not only the length and cumulative height covered but should take into account the ground conditions too. Thus, a walk may be moved up a grade if it is known that a substantial part of it will be over difficult terrain.

Please note:

1. The leader can refuse to accept you, if you are inadequately equipped or clearly unfit for the level of walk to be undertaken. (Incidentally, the difficulties this would cause illustrate the benefit of first meeting in Penrith, rather than at the start of the actual walk.)
2. When on a walk, keep within the group and do not get in front of the leader unless you have his/her permission. Always remain within ear shot, which in strong wind conditions may be only a few yards. Remember not only do you have to hear, you also have to be heard!
3. Inform the back-marker if you need to make a stop, so that he/she can keep an eye out for you. Also, in misty conditions especially, consider letting the back-marker know when you are about to go ahead of the leader, assuming you have permission. If the back-marker cannot see you go ahead, then his/her count of the number in the party will be wrong.
4. Please keep in single file, when walking on paths across ploughed fields or across fields containing crops including mowing grass.
5. When walking on roadways, please keep close to the right hand side of the road. Only cross to the left side where you encounter a sharp right hand bend with no verge to walk on. Give notice to others if you hear or see a vehicle approaching, which has not been announced already by anybody else.
6. Use torches at the front and back of a line of walkers, if you have to walk on the carriageway of a road in the dark.

Remember, it is for your own safety and that of others that you abide by the guidelines of the organisers and heed the instructions of the walk leader. The leader will probably have spent a lot of time reconnoitring the route beforehand and won't want his/her efforts spoilt by one or two ill-disciplined walkers.

Dogs are allowed on Penrith Ramblers' walks. However,when near to grazing animals or if there is a chance of wildlife nearby, you are requested to keep dogs under control, on a short lead of no more than 2m, at all times. The only exception is in the unlikely event that you are attacked by cattle, when you can release your dog in order to protect yourself. The dog should be quick enough to make its own escape.
Dogs will be excluded from some areas of heather moorland all year round and other areas at certain times to protect wildlife. The dog may be excluded completely from lambing enclosures at lambing times and grouse moors between 1st March and 31st July, during the ground nesting bird season. Always check any notices. You can out more about these rules by referring to The Countryside Code. See below.
Remember, by law, farmers have the right to destroy a dog that injures or worries their animals

Only lengthen the dog's lead if you are well away from farm animals, well away from any habitat that could be hiding wildlife and out of range of other ramblers, walking with you.
We all find dog mess unpleasant and it can be a source of infections, so always clean up after your dog and remove/get rid of the mess responsibly.

Your co-operation in this will be much appreciated.

The Countryside Code can be summed up in five words: 'Leave as you found it'. This means leaving gates*as you found them, leaving plants and animals undisturbed, keeping to pathways and not spoiling the environment by dropping litter, which in the case of plastic and glass remains to blight the landscape for years. Items which will eventually rot, like tissues, orange and banana peel, still look unsightly and should be taken home or, at worst, buried well out of sight. Glass bottles should always be disposed of properly, preferably re-cycled. Bottles (and tins) can be traps for small animals and the sharp edges of tins and broken bottles have the potential to produce severe cuts to humans and animals but a glass bottle can also produce uncontrolled fire in periods of high fire risk by acting as a convex lens and focussing sunlight on dry heather or bracken. In moorland areas, this can lead to a widespread loss of plant and animal life with peat fires burning underground for weeks. 75% of the world's remaining heather is in Britain and it provides some of the last safe havens for ground nesting birds, such as curlew, lapwing, merlin, golden plover and black grouse. Here planned small-scale heather burning by trained game-keepers is allowed, in order to encourage fresh shoots of heather to grow, where it has grown old. This is very different from the damage caused by uncontrolled fires, with serious erosion occurring before the plants and wild life recover. As a result, much of Britain's moorland is protected by law.
Rather than complaining about litter and then walking past it, have you ever thought of picking some of it up yourself? You could place in a plastic bag with your own litter and take it back home! You might try to get others with you to help.

Most ramblers don't understand why people find it so difficult to carry an empty bottle down hill, having carried it full up hill.

For further information click on countryside code.

* With a large party, which may be stretched out, letting the back marker know that a gate was shut or open, without shouting, is a problem. One solution, is for the leader to carry some coloured ribbon loops and to slip one around a gate post, if the gate is open. The backmarker then shuts the gate if there is no ribbon, otherwise he collects the ribbon and leaves the gate open. The next time the whole party comes together the collected ribbons are passed back to the leader.
(Alternatively, you could put a ribbon on a gate if it is shut but because more gates are likely to be shut than open, this will require more ribbons. Also it is not fail-safe in that if a ribbon goes missing, a gate will be left open that was shut, which is probably more serious than shutting a gate that was open.)

The Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act 2000 was introduced in direct response to people campaigning for more open access to the countryside for well over 100 years.
The CRoW Act creates a new right of access to some of the finest countryside in England and from 31st October 2005 members of the public are now able to walk across large areas of this land.

The public have the right to carry out the following activities on Open Access land: -

• walking,
• sight seeing,
• bird watching,
• climbing,
• running
• picnicking, making sure you remove all litter and
• walking your dog but see section on 'Dogs on walks' above.

• camping,
• lighting fires,
• horse riding,
• playing organised games, (though games such as frisbee or rounders are acceptable)
• motor sports and
• the driving of any vehicle other than a mobility scooter or buggy.

You cannot always walk on Open Access land because farmers and landowners have the right to close their land at various times, usually for reasons of nature conservation, land management or public safety.
Maps on the Countryside Access website show Open Access land in yellow and areas of limited public access in yellow with red hatching. The latest Ordnance Survey maps also show Open Access land.
Existing Public Rights of Way are not affected by Open Access restrictions or exclusions under the CRoW Act., If Rights of Way cross Open Access land, the conditions applying to the Rights of Way do not apply to the Open Access land. Thus horse riders are restricted to riding on the bridle way, if the bridle way crosses Open Access land.
For more information go to the Defra website, which also gives links to 'countrywideaccess' and 'openaccess' websites.

In case of a serious accident or illness when walking, it is important that fellow ramblers/rescue or medical teams can get information on any medical condition you may already have and any medication that you may be taking. This could save valuable time making sure the correct treatment is administered. Also, because many ramblers only know others in the party by their first name, you need to supplement any medical information with your full name, address and telephone number together with those of your next of kin. Emergencies involving the Penrith Ramblers are not common, occuring approximately once every two years. However, next time it could be you. You don't want to finish up in hospital with nobody knowing who you are or who to contact!
It is suggested that you include all relevant information on a laminated card (or on a card in a transparent sealed container) and carry this in the top pocket of your rucksack. It would only be looked for in extremis. People suffering from an ailment such as asthma, diabetes or a heart condition should inform at least one person in the party of this and also pass on information on what to do if a problem involving their condition arises.

Our walk leaders aim to be friendly, to be skilled in navigation and able to control the group of walkers in their care. The leader will probably have spent some time previously recceing the walk and will have considered many of the following:

• checking location and number of parking spaces, without blocking gateways and driveways, at the start of the walk - perhaps even having to limit the number of vehicles going,
• planning of extra transport if the walk is linear,
• including places and views of interest on the route,
• including toilets on the route,
• locating possible places, where to have drink and meal stops, ideally with a good view, though these may change on the day, depending on the weather, especially if it is windy,
• the number of stiles and their condition, as a large number can significantly slow progress with a large group,
• the number of gates and whether they are easily opened, avoiding those tied with twine or wire if possible,
• taking and noting bearings in areas with few features, where mist or snow could cause problems,
• noting potentially difficult crossings of bridgeless becks/streams and making plans for possible route changes if the becks/streams are in spate,
• planning possible adjustments to the route for the day of the walk, which may be needed in an emergency or if progress is slow.
• noting the length, height, difficulty and time of the walk and, if necessary, re-adjusting the original walk plan to take into account the available daylight hours and the fitness of the walkers taking part,
• planning an alternative easier walk for use, if the weather conditions on the day of the walk are poor,
• carefully checking the routes of rights-of-way in and around farm buildings and other built-up areas,
• and last but not least, making arrangements for going to a tea shop or inn at the end of the walk - arrangements which are often only finalised just before the start of the walk, when numbers in the group are known.
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If many in the group are novices, then the leader should carry extra drink just in case somebody forgets theirs or does not bring enough.

Because we are always seeking new walks' leaders, we encourage members to go on navigation courses to improve their skills and become new leaders. Even well established leaders have benefited from this. If there is a large group, the walk leader will count the number in the party and ask for volunteers to act as a back-marker. It is the back-marker's job to keep an eye on stragglers and get the leader to slow up, if the walking party is getting too widespread. Everybody should be within earshot of each other, which in strong winds is very close. They should also try to be within sight of each other, which in mist could be even closer! Remember, it can get lonely at the back, so stay back and have a chat with the back-marker now and again.

As mentioned elsewhere, if you are a prospective or new member, make yourself known to the leader at the carpark in Penrith or at the alternative pre-arranged meeting point. You may have already rung the leader and mentioned your intentions to go on his/her walk, in which case the leader should be looking out for you. Don't be offended if the leader checks that you are fit and suitably equipped for the walk before you set out. Knowing you are a newcomer, the leader can then keep an eye on how you are faring on the walk and make adjustments to reduce the speed or shorten the route if necessary.

On most walks there is a stop to eat lunch and one or two drink stops. A leader will also have catch-up stops if some of the group are lagging behind.
Toilet stops may also feature but in the fells many walkers stop when and where it is convenient, perhaps during a lunch stop. Inform the back-marker if your taking a toilet stop will cause you to drop behind the group.
At the end of the walk a stop to socialise over a 'cuppa' is often arranged at a nearby inn or cafe.

Walk co-ordinators deal with one set of walks only. A few weeks before the start of each programme, they seek out walks from the walk-leaders, and then make a judicious selection to fit into the walks' calendar. If a walk leader cannot be contacted then the appropiate walk co-ordinator may be able to help. They are:
Saturdays: John Upson, tel. no: 01768 863538
Wednesdays: A: Ron Dixon, tel. no: 01768 890521,
Wednesdays:B+: Polly Allen, tel. no: 01768 840016,
Wednesdays: B: Les Allen, tel. no: 01768 840016,
Wednesdays: C: Phillip Walker, tel. no: 01768 864497.
Thursdays, (in Summer only): Mary Teasdale, tel. no: 01768 865398.

Walks Programme Secretary Polly Allen, tel. no: 01768 840016

Serious accidents or emergencies occur only rarely and usually (thank goodness) not on the high fells but near the end of a walk when a walker may be getting tired, less careful and possibly dehydrated. If it is necessary to call out Mountain Rescue they can be contacted by ringing 999 and asking for 'Police'. Because mobile phone reception can be poor in the fells it may be necessary to find a fixed line, hopefully at the nearest farmstead. State the nature of the incident and give the name of the place where the accident has occured and in particular its grid reference. (There are many places in Cumbria with the same name.) Only ask for 'Ambulance' if you are close to a public highway, where an ordinary ambulance can reach you.
If you have an accident whilst walking with our group, you should inform the Secretary, Dave Dixon.

Obstructions:- If whilst walking in the area, you encounter obstructions on the pathway, e.g. you find it is overgrown or blocked, or you encounter defects such as collapsed bridges or dangerous stiles, then you should contact the Footpaths Secretary, Alan Duval

If you do not walk often, you may experience aches after a walk, probably that evening, that night or the next day. A way to reduce these is by doing a few stretching exercises. The exercises are chosen to be done standing up, possibly at the end of the walk, and require a solid wall or similar for support. These simple stretching exercises should only be done, if you have already warmed up, so should not be done cold at the start of a walk.

Standing quadricep stretch.
(The quadricep is the large muscle at the front of the thigh.)
Put your left hand out against a wall for support, though if you can balance a wall is not necessary. Stand upright on your left leg and then, with your right thigh straight down, bend your right leg at the knee, so that your right foot almost touches your right buttock. Grab your right foot with your right hand and pull it even closer to your buttock. Hold this position for about 15 seconds. Swap legs and repeat the exercise.

Standing calf stretch.
(This exercise stretches the gastrocnemius, the largest muscle of the calf, which is attached to the Achilles tendon in the heel. It is especially useful for people who wear high heels.)
Stretch both arms out and place both of your hands against the wall for support. Put one leg in front of you and one behind. Now keeping the rear leg straight, bend the front leg at the knee and lean towards the wall, bending your arms as you do. Ensure that you keep both feet flat on the ground. You should feel tension in the calf muscles of the extended leg. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise with the other leg behind you.

Standing hamstring stretch.
(A hamstring is one of five tendons at the back of the knee.)
Stand up straight facing the wall and put one leg out straight before you, resting it against the wall. Now slowly bend the supporting leg, so that your body is lowered, until you feel a stretching in the back of the thigh of the raised leg. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat, switching positions of legs.
(Note: instead of bending the supporting leg, you can get the same stretching effect by leaning forward with your upper body kept straight.)

Recognizing Strokes.*
If someone falls over in the fells, other ramblers will most likely think that the person has lost his/her footing. However, there is a slight possibility that the person has suffered a stroke* instead, which can eventually lead to severe brain damage, if the stroke goes unrecognised.
If the person seems dazed or unsure, bystanders can use the following procedure, which is relevant anywhere, not just the fells. Three simple questions, labelled S,T,R, (the first three letters of the word 'stroke') should be asked.
S stands for SMILE. Ask the person to smile. (You can also ask them to STICK out their tongue. If the tongue is crooked or goes to one side, this is a sign of a stroke.)
T stands for TALK. Get them to talk by asking them to repeat (coherently) a simple sentence, such as 'It is sunny out today.'
R stands for RAISE both arms.
If the person has trouble with any one of these tasks call 999/911 as soon as possible and describe the symptoms. If a doctor can give the person medical care within 3 hours of he/she having a stroke, there is a fair chance the effects of a stroke can be reversed. However, time is of the essence.

*A stroke can be due to a blood clot blocking the main artery to the brain, an air bubble or fat globule being carried in the blood stream to the brain or a haemorrhage in a blood vessel, either inside the brain or on the surface of the brain. The latter causes pressure to build up on the brain as blood collects between the brain and skull.

Recognizing a heart attack * on a walk.
The warning signs are:

• a persistent crushing pain in the centre of the chest, which does not go away with rest. It can wrap around the body like a tight band and may spread to arms, throat, back or abdomen,
• being short of breath even after rest from any exertion on the walk.
• feeling sick or dizzy
• excessive sweating.

Recognizing cardiac arrest * on a walk.
If a person collapses, stops breathing and the heart stops pumping, then the person has suffered cardiac arrest. Time really is of the essence and so it is important to get various members of the walking party to work as a team. Hopefully there are some who have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training. These should stay with the patient and immediately start the procedure detailed below in order to buy time, while every effort is made to bring qualified help with a defibrillator to the patient..
While the CPR is being carried out,

• a competent map reader should quickly ascertain the grid reference of the patient's location. (A GPS receiver will be even quicker, if it already has satellite contact.)
• A member of the party, with a mobile phone, should try to ring 999 and and ask for 'Police' giving details of the.patient's condition and location, including the grid reference if possible. The urgency of the situation must be emphasised. Hopefully, an air ambulance may already be in the vicinity.
• If communication cannot be made, because of poor reception, a problem often encountered in the fells, then two or three of the fittest walkers should try to get to the nearest farm house, where communication by fixed-line may be available. Also consider taking a mobile phone to a nearby high point and try ringing from there. Don't make the matter worse, though, by taking unnecessary risks.

1. Turn the patient on his/her back.
2. Open the airway by placing a hand on his /her forehead and gently tilt the head back and then lift the patient's chin with the fingertips.
3. Check for normal breathing, e.g chest movement or breathing sounds. If breathing is normal, put the patient in the 'recovery' position, i.e on his/her side with upper leg in front but bent at right angles at the knee, thus preventing the patient rolling on his/her face.
   Tilt the head back to ensure airway remains open.
4. If the patient is not breathing, start CPR.
   • Kneel at 90 degrees to the patient's side and place the heel of one hand in the centre of patient's chest with the other hand on top and then interlock the fingers. (Do not apply pressure on ribs, abdomen or breastbone.
   • Position your shoulders vertically above the patient's chest and apply 30 compressions at a rate of just under two compression per second (100 per minute). The time of each compression and release should be equal, the chest moving about 4 - 5 cms (1½" - 2"), with the hands staying in contact throughout.
   • Open the airway using head-tilt and chin-lift and then close the patient's nose by gently squeezing it between thumb and index finger,
   • Take a normal breath and placing your lips around the patient's mouth so that you have a good seal, blow steadily into his/her mouth. Take about one second to make the chest rise.and then take your mouth away.When the chest has lowered, repeat the process once more, so that 2 'rescue' breaths are applied.
   • Repeat the cycle of 30 compressions and 2 'rescue breaths' for 5 cycles and then have another rescuer take over, if possible. Changing rescuers helps prevent tiredness building up too quickly. Keep swapping between rescuers until exhaustion sets in or until qualified help, (an ambulance with a defibrillatot), arrives.
5. For hygenic purposes the rescuer(s) may not wish to do mouth to mouth 'rescue' breathing, in which case continuous chest compression at a rate of 100 per minute has been proved effective and should be tried instead. If the mouth of the patient is injured or cannot be opened, then mouth to nose 'rescue' breathing can be tried. In this case open the airway as before but keep the patient's mouth closed and blow steadily into the nose, keeping a tight seal with the lips.

Preventing Lyme disease.
Lyme Disease or Borreliosis is a bacterial infection which is transmitted to humans by tick bites. Ticks are external parasites from the arachnida family (8 legs) of which 15 species attack humans in Britain. Ticks are not uncommon in urban environments but ramblers should be especially aware of them where deer, bracken or long grass is prevalent. This is because deer are used by a large proportion of ticks to complete their life cycle, while bracken and long grass hide the ticks and help keep humidity high so that ticks flourish. Wearing shorts in such habitats is foolhardy. Instead wear gaitors, tuck trousers into socks and, when walking through tall vegetation, have elastic/drawstrings at waist and wrists. Afterwards check hair as ticks can hide underneath it.
The incubation period of the disease is 3 to 30 days and early symptoms are a single expanding (bull's eye ) rash in 50% of cases. Later, a combination of swollen glands, fever, sore throat and aching joints can occur. Sometimes vision loss, respiratory problems and even paralysis develop. Early treatment with tetracyclines or amoxicillin over a period of 4 weeks is usually successful but once an infection is established therapy is more likely to fail. Clearly prevention is better than cure.
If you are bitten by a tick, do not touch it directly. Put on latex gloves or if unavailable protect the fingers with tissue or paper. In particular, don't squeeze or twist it as this could cause infected fluids to pass from the tick to you and may leave mouth parts embedded. Instead remove it carefully by placing fine tipped tweezers between its body and the hosts skin and lever the tick away from the incision. Further details and diagrams on how to do this and other information on ticks are on bada-uk's web site.
If you remove a tick, save it for identification purposes in a sealed plastic bag and store it n a freezer, just in case you become ill some weeks later.