Chinnor & District

Walks Short

Short Walks Group

The Short Walks Group are a happy, chatty, group who welcome new members. We walk on the second Wednesday of every month except December. In December we enjoy a Christmas Lunch.

Being the ‘Short Walks’ Group, the walks are fairly easy –about three miles, no steep hills, not many stiles or other obstacles, and hopefully not much mud!!! However, if you are unsure of your ability to walk up to three miles at a normal person's pace, or would have trouble getting over stiles, please take a more able-bodied person with you to help you back to the start of the walk if you have a problem.

Walks are led by members, usually based on their own experience, and we have enjoyed some really expert leaders. But that’s not necessary, and there’s no reason why you can’t learn as you lead.

We avoid difficult conditions in the winter months, and we try to ensure that we don’t travel too far to the start. There is a WhatsApp group where we can share offers and requests for lifts. To join use https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ea8RduSvlIFF6eDsS9Zuch

In recent months we have enjoyed walks at: Waterperry, Bradenham, Nettlebed, Kiln Lakes Chinnor, Warburg Nature Reserve, Marlow, and Watlington

We ask all walkers to note the following points:
1. Your safety is ultimately your own responsibility – the walk leaders and group co-ordinator have done their best to make the walks safe.

2. Although the walk leaders and the group co-ordinator try to ensure that the walks are as safe as possible, please be careful not to trip on exposed tree roots (or other obstacles) or to slip on mud, and take care climbing over stiles. Keep clear of animals in fields (particularly if they have young) and be especially careful when walking along or crossing roads on the walk.

3. You are required to remember your ICE (in case of emergency) card and to have it in an accessible place (not just on your mobile 'phones). Please let us know if you need a new U3A ICE card.

4. We are required to maintain a register for each walk. It makes it a lot easier for us if you contact us beforehand so we can add you to the list of walkers.

5. Please wear suitable footwear, preferably walking boots, and be prepared for rain.

6. Please share cars whenever you can. This is a good way to get to know other walkers in the group.

7. Please telephone the walk leader in advance if we need to wait for anyone (we won’t normally wait more than 10 minutes).

8. Similarly, for those without a computer, please phone before a walk to make sure no details have changed e.g. the start time of the walk. (We usually notify people of changes by email.)

9. If the weather is inclement on the day of the walk, we will try to notify people of cancellation in time by email before the walk. If the weather is bad just when we turn up for the walk, we decide between us whether or not to continue. Normally the walk leader(s) and the group co-ordinator (or her deputy) will turn up.

10. The post code and grid reference for the start of the walk are fairly accurate but are sometimes approximated (in the case of post code, for example, if we meet at a car park).

11. We will usually take a photograph of the group during the walk – this is purely for use in our Chinnor 'Keeping In Touch' or 'Keeping In Touch Plus' or on our website which are all important parts of our stategy to keep Chinnor (both members and non-members) informed of the u3a and it's activities.

12. It’s Chinnor u3a current policy to not encourage dogs on our walks.

13. There is a WhatsApp group where we can share offers and requests for lifts. To join use https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ea8RduSvlIFF6eDsS9Zuch

We would be most grateful for volunteers to occasionally lead a short walk. Perhaps you have a favourite walk you’d like to share. If not, there are plenty of books that describe a variety of short walks available to help you.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have organised and led walks in the past.