About Stride

Who we are

We are a medium sized friendly walking club based in the Berkshire area. There are about 40 members with an average walk turnout of about 15-20 people.

What we do

We walk in all weathers and throughout the year. There is an all day walk of 6-8 miles every third Sunday.

Where we go

Usually somewhere within a 60 minute drive of Woodley This covers a huge area and means we get to walk in a great variety of scenery and terrain, including the local Chiltern Hills. and the adjoining counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Surrey.

History

Stride was formed in June 1994 by a group of like minded people, members of the local National Trust Volunteers, who felt there was a need for a walking club catering for the needs of the younger age ranges. The first Stride walk was organised by our current Chairman and founding member Graham Baker in the Hambleden valley, near Henley. Since then we have increased our membership and age restrictions have disappeared. Anyone over 18 is welcome.

Day Walks

A typical Stride walking day will normally consist of a walk of approx 6-8 miles starting at 10.00am. We walk for about 4 hrs with a stop for lunch usually about halfway which is either a picnic or a pub and finish at about 3.30pm.

Weekends Away

These are set in areas that are too far away for a day walk, and have included the Lake District, North & South Wales, the Yorkshire Dales, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Dorset and the Peak District. For a normal weekend we travel on the Friday evening, have a full day walk on the Saturday, a half day on the Sunday returning in the afternoon. Some trips are at Easter or on Bank Holiday weekends and are a day or two longer. The group accommodation booked for weekends is usually some sort of holiday accomodation catering/self catering for large groups .

Evening walks

These are occasional shorter and more local walks of up to about 5 miles that almost always conclude at a pub!, and are arranged at short notice.

 

 

The Best Way

The best way to find out for sure whether STRIDE is for you is to come along to one of our walks and find out first hand. We invite you to walk with us up to three times before asking you to become a member (currently a very reasonable £10 a year).

Emerging from Ludds Church

FAQ

Who leads the walks?

All of our walks are led by experienced volunteer members. We aim to take a common-sense approach to the safety of our members and those present at STRIDE events, but all those attending do so entirely at their own risk. The walk leader carries a basic first aid kit.

What type of terrain do the walks cover?

Most of our local walks are mainly on footpaths, taking in fields, woodland and heathland. Sometimes (especially in the Chilterns) there will be quite a few hills, other times the walk will be fairly flat. If this is a concern, a phone call to the walk leader will give you an idea of what to expect.

How often are the walks?

There is a basic calendar of one Sunday walk every third weekend (i.e. every 21 days) . Our day walks take place in all weathers, occasionally the route may change or the walk cut short if the weather is especially bad.

Do I need to be very fit?

You don’t have to be hyper-fit to join STRIDE, most people find 6-8 miles quite a comfortable distance to cover in a day. We tend to walk at about 2 mph. Any weekend trips away are often in areas that have more challenging terrain with steeper hills and rougher ground but often the walk length is reduced to compensate, so there is nothing too extreme.

What should I wear?

We have no rules about the type or quality of clothing you choose to walk in for day walks, but it is necessary to have suitable footwear. Most people will have a decent pair of walking boots and a day sack / rucksack, and have adequate waterproofs, warm clothing, drink etc. with them. It’s worth mentioning again we walk in all weathers and very rarely cut a walk short due to rain!

How much will it cost?

When you become a member you will pay an annual subscription of £10, which covers the cost of group administration.

Can I bring my dog?

Sorry, no dogs allowed on Stride walks.

Constitution

  1. The Club shall be called the Stride Walking Club.
    Its aims will be to encourage walking in the countryside by organising walks on a regular basis normally but not limited to every three weeks. Other walks and/or social events may be organised at any time and will normally be notified to members via E Mail. A newsletter detailing the forthcoming walks programme will be produced to ensure continuous coverage of group events.
  2. The Annual General Meeting shall be held on any date in November, and at least 14 days notice of the date, time and place shall be given to all members. A quorum shall be three officers and three other members of the club.
  3. An extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened at the request of not less than six members, in writing to the Secretary, and at least 14 days notice of a suitable date, time, place and of the business to be transacted shall be given to all members. A quorum shall be three officers plus six members.
  4. Amendments to these rules can only be made by the majority vote at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting. Every member shall receive a copy of these rules and be bound thereby.
  5. All votes except those for the election of officers and committee members at AGM or EGM shall be carried by a majority of at least two thirds of members present. Election of officers and committee members will be by simple majority, in the event of a tied vote the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
    The club committee shall comprise of the Chairman, Secretary, Programme Secretary and Treasurer, and 2 other members. The committee shall have the power to co-opt other additional members should the need arise. The committee shall be elected at the Annual or at an Extraordinary General Meeting.
  6. Committee meetings shall be held as deemed necessary by the Chairman, and shall be convened by the Secretary. At least two committee meetings shall be held annually. A quorum shall be three officers. All votes at committee meetings shall be carried by simple majority and in the event of a tie the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
  7. The clubs financial year shall end on 31st October.
    The annual subscription shall be decided by the Annual General Meeting and shall be due on 1st January. Any subscription paid from 1st November will cover the following year. Members not having paid by the end of January shall be regarded as lapsed. Note that subscriptions whenever paid (except after the 1st November) will lapse on the 31st December and a new annual subscription will become due on the 1st January.  An auditor may be appointed by the Annual General Meeting.
  8. The Committee, Programme Secretary or relevant leader may change events on the programme according to the circumstances prevailing at the time. A member who has agreed to plan and lead a walk must do so, or arrange for another club member to do so. They must ensure that all present on the walk are aware of these rules where necessary.
  9. Recognising that group walks will not suit everybody, interested persons are welcome to come on up to three walks as visitors with no charge after which they are expected to join the club. The walk leader must record their name in the visitor book, for insurance cover purposes.
  10. Dogs may not be brought on walks.
  11. Members and visitors shall observe the Country Code and for walks in mountain country members should familiarize themselves with the recommendations on Mountain Walking, as published by the British Mountaineering Council, and members are also expected to be suitably equipped for the occasion.
    Any leader of the opinion that a member or visitor is not adequately equipped may refuse to allow that person to take part in the walk.
  12. Members and visitors taking part in Club activities do so entirely at their own risk. Neither the Club nor its elected officers or leaders will accept responsibility for any accidents personal or otherwise, or loss of property.
  13. All persons taking part in walking weekends and walking weeks must be fully paid up members.
  14. The committee shall reserve the right to suspend membership on a breach of these rules, or any other action deemed prejudicial to the well-being of the Club.
  15. Members and visitors must take reasonable care of club property, and are required to replace lost items.
  16. Walk leaders shall be responsible for ensuring that a basic first aid kit is carried on all walks. If they do not possess one of their own they are responsible for obtaining one from the club, and for passing it on to the next leader or one of the officers, at the end of their walk.