Selby Fell Walking Club

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How can I join Selby Fell Walking Club?

Please contact us via the contact form on our website and we will get in touch with you with some further information and the next steps to take. Usually, you are asked to book a place on the coach for your first walk. Payments for the coach fare (currently £12 for adults) will be collected on the return coach journey and should be made either by cheque payable to Selby Fell Walking Club (which is the preferred method) or in cash (please bring the right amount as no change can be given). On the return coach journey after your first walk, the membership secretary will also give you some written information together with a membership form which you can complete if you would like to join. If you are happy to become a member, please pay the annual membership ship fee (currently £10) on that day or during your next walk. Please remember, there is no obligation to join. If you decide after your first walk that it’s not for you or you have to think about it, that's ok. However, as soon as you would like to come a second time, you will need to become a member.

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Do I have to come on every walk and what if I am unable to come?

No, you do not have to come on every walk, and you do not have to pay anything for any walk you do not attend if you have told us in good time beforehand that you would not be coming. However, if you have told us that you were coming and must cancel at short notice (that is after the Tuesday before the walk) or simply do not show up on the day, a cancellation fee of £6 is due. This is to make up for any losses the club might incur by not having been able to give your place on the coach to another person or to make different arrangements in case of very low numbers attending.

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Can I bring someone else with me on a walk who is not a member?

Yes, you can bring someone else such as a friend or partner with you as a guest (the regular coach fare applies). However, if that person is coming more often, he or she should become a member himself/herself.

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Can I bring dogs or children?

We have a minimum age of 16 years. Young persons between 16 and 21 can qualify for junior membership.

As for dogs, we have a strictly no dogs policy.

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What are the distances and paces of the walks? How fit do I need to be?

We usually offer a long walk in the range of 10 to 13 miles at a relatively fast and continuous pace and a medium walk of between 6 and 8 miles at a more leisurely pace that also allows for short stops to take in the views. Depending on the availability of leaders, we might also offer an even shorter and slower walk of up to 6 miles, which we call the steady walk, however there is no guarantee for this latter option.  These steady walks will be advertised on our Facebook page.

For the long walk you should be able to walk at a pace of 20 minutes per mile or 3 miles per hour for about 5 hours (including 2 short breaks). For the medium walk you should be able to cover a mile in about 25 minutes (about 2.4 miles per hour), again for a period of 4 to 5 hours (including a coffee and lunch break). The steady walk, if offered, is about 1.5 miles per hour. As not everyone in a group has the same ability, the walk leader will periodically stop to make sure everyone can catch up with the rest and get their breath back, particularly after a steep climb. No one will be left behind. A backmarker or deputy walk leader is making sure at the back of the group that no one gets lost.

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Are the walks a full day and what does a typical walking day look like?

On walking day, we are out and about for the whole day. We meet from about 8 am at Micklegate Car Park in Selby where we can park for free on Sunday mornings. The coach starts from opposite the Selby library at 8.15 am promptly. The coach journey can take up to 2 hours depending on our destination. In winter, we usually choose destinations a little bit closer to home than in summer, due to the limited daylight hours. On our way out, we normally have a toilet stop if there are any public facilities that are easy to get to such as motorway services (the coach does not have any toilets). If not, we would have made sure beforehand that there are public toilets at our destination/starting point. Once we have arrived at our starting point (which is usually from around 10 am) and are ready to go, we split up in two (or three) groups and start our walks. After the first couple of miles, we stop for “elevenses” to have a snack and a drink (which we have brought with us) and then continue for another couple of miles. Depending on where there is a nice spot to have another break, we stop for lunch, usually at about 1 pm, and eat our own packed lunch. We then arrive back at our starting point (if it is a circular walk) or at the agreed end point (if it is a linear walk) anytime between 2 pm and 3.30 pm and are given some time to have a drink at a pub, a tea or coffee in a tea room or just a wander around, depending on your preferences. The choice is yours. At 4 pm at the latest (earlier in wintertime), our coach takes us back to Selby where we aim to arrive no later than 5.30 pm. On the return journey, we usually pay the coach fare by putting cash or a cheque into brown envelopes on which we also indicate if we will come on the next walk or not.

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What do I need to bring on the walk?

• Good walking shoes/boots that can deal with muddy, rugged and uneven terrain (get good advice in an outdoor shop if you are unsure).

• Appropriate outdoor clothes for the weather on the day and any weather changes. It is recommended to carry waterproofs in your rucksack even if it does not look as if it will be raining. Also wearing gaiters can be a good thing when it is likely to be muddy or wet.

• A spare set of normal street shoes to change into if your walking shoes/boots get muddy (you should not get on the coach after a walk with dirty shoes/boots). You can leave a bag with your spare shoes in the boot of the coach.

• A packed lunch, drinks and snacks, enough to keep you going for about 4 to 5 hours. It is easy to underestimate how much you need, so more is better. There is usually no opportunity to buy anything during the walk.

• Something to sit on during breaks such as a folding mat (available in outdoor shops) or a carrier bag will keep you dry.

• The right amount of cash (no change given) or a cheque for the coach fare.

 

What are the current costs?

The membership fee is £10.00 per annum for adults and £5 for junior members. The monthly coach fare is £12.00 for adult members/guests and £6 for junior members/guests. These charges are reviewed at the Annual General Meeting, which takes place in January every year. There is a cancellation fee of £6.00 if a pre-booked seat is cancelled after the Tuesday preceding the walk. This fee also applies to anyone choosing to use their own transport instead of travelling by coach (unless the coach is fully booked).