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FAQ
Will I be fit enough?
Walking events are graded from Ginger 1 to Ginger 4 – check out my grading guide. Our goal is to ensure such a steady pace that everyone is able to join as long as there is a base fitness level. Please pop any questions over though if in doubt.
How many will be in my walking group?
Group sizes will be between 8-10. Rest assured that you will never be lost in a crowd.
What if the weather turns out to be unsuitable for me?
Our walks will still go ahead however we will be mindful of the weather at all times and will adapt to the weather forecasts. It will however be at our discretion for a walk to be cancelled and rescheduled if the weather is particularly extreme.
Weather forecasts are available at: www.metoffice.gov.uk & www.mountain-forecast.com
Can I book for a smaller group or just for myself?
Yes, Private Guiding is very popular amongst groups of friends, family members or single people. Just get in touch.
Do you private guide for multi day walking?
Yes absolutely, get in touch to work out dates for your multi-day adventure.
I’m coming alone to a course – will I be the only one alone?
Never, the vast majority of women who join our courses come alone. Perhaps sometimes a little nervous to begin with but with all our chatter, you will soon feel at ease and as though you are learning amongst friends.
Can I bring my dog?
Well behaved dogs are very welcome. You will need to ensure that they are great on recall as we have many sheep on the Cumbrian Fells but, hopefully, they will have as much fun as you will.
What equipment will I need?
Visit here: www.adventuresmart.uk/hill-walking-kit-list for a detailed kit list and guidance to help you prepare but do also contact us and we will answer all questions and offer advice.
What if I need to cancel?
Please review our Terms and Conditions for full details.
If you need to make a cancellation:
• more than 60 days before the start date, I will offer you a 50% refund;
• less than 60 days before the start date, there will be no refund.
Can you help me with accommodation?
Please visit here www.visitcumbria.com/accommodation to view some of the recommended accommodation options.
Do you cater for under 18yrs?
On group guided events our young people will need to stay at home however for private events, there are options for them to attend.
I am LGBTQIA+ – am I welcome?
Yes, absolutely; we are welcoming and respectful of women, including trans women and those who are non-binary, gender non-conforming, and anyone who identifies as a woman in a way that is significant to them.
Are men welcome?
Our group hosted events are intended for women only (unless stated otherwise), however for any private guiding, men, families and children are super welcome. So if you want your friend, husband, boyfriend, partner, or brother to experience a hill day, don’t hesitate to consider booking a private guiding event. Just get in touch.
What are your (Nicola's) qualifications?
I hold the Mountain Training Leadership Qualification along with the required First Aid Qualifications to ensure that you are in safe hands at all times. I have a range of other qualifications that support me in the great outdoors, including:
• Mental Health 1st Aid,
• Trained specialist in Safe Guiding and Understanding Young Minds for when working with young adults or vulnerable adults
• Public Liability Insurance
• Safety and Risk Assessments
• Fully GDPR compliant
Useful Links
Weather forecasts:
Safety and preparation:
Accommodation:
Visit Cumbria
Walk Grades Explained
WALK GRADES – It’s good to know isn’t it 😊
Walking is a skill – you put one foot in front of the other and keep going. This means that everyone can walk in form or another.
Sometimes we need to walk through the tiredness, accept that we may huff & puff a bit, and know that on the evening of the walk, we are likely not going out to dinner, but rather settling down with our favourite things such as Netflix, wine, and PJ’s.
There are other times where we may though skip out like Mary Poppins and know that our fitness is tip top or that we are getting fitter all the time but here’s the thing, we all have different expectations and perceptions of walking, fitness, what is easy, what is hard and so on.
One thing that I always advocate to anyone who asks me though about grades on walks, it’s not always the distance that is the key factor, in my view, it’s the terrain (& often the Cumbrian Weather) and this will be reflected in blurb posted on the Guided Walks.
On this basis – here is my ‘Ginger Wisdom' on the grades of my walks:
Ginger 1 – GR1
So, this is a pleasant walking route with likely mostly easy terrain, some easy defined paths, even gravel if we are lucky. We will be walking for up to 2-5 hours. We will have only limited ascents or descents and there is unlikely to be unsuitable terrain.
Typically 5-10kms in distance but of course this is dependent on the group and weather.
We will walk together as you can’t chatter and put the world to rights when we are spread out.
Ginger 2 – GR2
This is still a relatively easy day but we walk for longer, around 4-7 hours.
Mostly walking up to 15kms with plenty of rest breaks. Any ascents will be steady and up to 800m. Reasonable level of fitness required and a good number of snacks to go along with your lunch to keep those energy levels up.
You may still make that dinner date though after the walk. 😊
Ginger 3 – GR3
Moderate Hill Walking Day between 6-10 hours
Ok, this is a bigger day with some challenges ahead. The ground may be tough in places, the odd touch of a scramble where you may need to put your poles to one side but certainly some rougher terrain.
We will walk certainly up to 15km (circa 10 miles), likely have 2 lunch stops and plenty of spot breaks to ensure our day is achievable.
The group may at times be a little split up but again, we intend to walk together in our tribe so be prepared for this and consider your current fitness and capability. This is a good time to message me if you are unsure and want to chat it through.
You are unlikely to want to go out for dinner together unless there is a heavy persuasion from your friends to do so though you may nod off during dessert. 😉
Ginger 4 – GR4
OK, so this is going to be a toughie or perhaps just a walk in the park if you are super-duper fit. A full-on hill day as they say so expect to walk for up to 10 hours or have some very challenging ridge lines to manoeuvre. You will be a familiar hill walker and know that a demanding hike will be on all types type of terrain, possibly some scrambling and a willingness to be going up a steep fell for ages and age and ages and ages…..need I say more !
Our ascents will be in line with the heights of Helvellyn, Skiddaw, Scafell, all the big names hills in Cumbria essentially.
The beauty of these walks though is that the achievement is massive for everyone no matter who you are.
