Bath Forum: Foot Trails not good experience

Would a GPS set for pedestrian mode work in the country like that? It may not follow the trail exactly, but it might keep you going in the direction of your destination. Also, one of the tricks I learned growing up in the country was to walk around the dung, not through it.

When I first began walking in Britain, I expected something like Switzerland--every intersection signed with destination and time estimate! Ha! Fortunately the company that I've used provides very good directions, but I've learned to read the map as well. Even so, I've spent a fair amount of time standing in the middle of a field scratching my head! That said, I hope the OP looks back on the good parts of the experience. As an American of British heritage, I find nothing more rewarding than walking through landscapes that are in my blood, with a full English inside me and a nice pub at the end of the day. :-)

And what was Alison Howell's response when you brought your concerns to their attention?

We paid money $$ for the written trail guides and maps...so No GPS should have been needed. Also the sheep dung often could Not be 'walked around.'

So the obvious - you had to be there!

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I think it can be hard to get good directions--especially from a person who is familiar with the area. I've been very frustrated by directions I have purchased. One said pass through the kissing gate--only to find that said gate and entire fence have been removed. Now what?

Or the memorable time I was on a walk with directions to "walk past the river and up the hill." You could go left, and straight in two directions, which we did; one ended in a locked gate, the others landed us on a busy road.

What the author *failed* to say was the "walk past the river* meant cross the bridge over the river. Not entirely sure why the word bridge had been removed. There were other memorable omissions too.

It makes for interesting stories....

Ive only had a brief look at the website but the first things I notice are that they will provide OS maps, so yes, map reading skills are required. That seems fairly obvious to me.

Secondly, the trails are designed to take you through rural areas. That would presumably include pastures, farmland and grazing areas. Why would you not expect to find animal droppings in such places ? Surely you didn't expect to trek along tarmaced surfaces with signposts at every turn ?

I think the website is fairly clear in all honesty. It sounds as though you wanted a rural experience, and are now complaining when you got exactly that.

The UK is blessed with an awesome asset - the OS maps.

With a one inch to one mile (or whatever the equivalent in those stupid French things) map and a Silva compass, you should not get lost.

Hmmn, choosing to do a walking tour suggests you have a degree of adventureousness and 'nous' yourselves - especially if you chose to go 'self guided' rather than on a guided tour.

Anyone who goes off walking in 'unknown' country without a map or compass is 'chanceing it'. These days you can take a mobile 'phone and 'sat nav' if that is your wont, to help get you out of trouble.

Would you expect to go traipsing across the vast areas of wilderness/national parks etc in the USA without proper kit and maps?? And then would you complain - YIKES beaver droppings??