Southwest Trekking and Hiking Group

This is a friendly sociable Walking and Hiking group for enthusiastic regular active Adult walkers (18 years old and over) who have a shared love of the great outdoors and the desire to explore our countryside with like minded people.
The Southwest Trekking and Hiking Group is run on a voluntary basis by a group of friends who are experienced walkers who have led hundreds of walks between them.

With walks across the Southwest and into the mountains of Wales, to include the Cotswolds, Wiltshire's White Horses, Iron Age Hillforts, to Stonehenge and Avebury, Somerset with the Mendips, Exmoor and coast paths, hills valleys and waterfalls... I hope we have a great selection of walks for everyone.

Walk group sizes are generally kept smaller at around 15 to 20 people, but could vary depending on difficulty or if it's a recce, and numbers are at the discretion of the walk host.
Walks are graded as either Leisurely, Moderate, or Strenuous, depending on the difficulty of the terrain, hills, and length of the walk all combined, with typical walks ranging between 5 to 12 miles with some as long as 20 miles. It is suggested that new group members attend the Leisurely or Moderate rated walks until they are used to the speed the groups walk at, with Strenuous walks being faster by the very nature they need to be to complete the distances involved.

Terms & Conditions of joining the Southwest Trekking and Hiking Group are listed below.

* By requesting to join this group you do so entirely at your own risk and accept that although the walk leader may be an experienced walker, they can not watch all members at all times, and that you are walking with the group of friends by your choice, and you will not do anything, or omit to do something that can endanger yourself or others within the group.
Risks include, but are not limited to -
Traffic - At times the route of a walk will include crossing roads, some busy, and at times may require the group to walk along quieter roads as part of the walk, and members are expected to walk at the side of the road, not in the middle of it. (You are responsible for crossing roads by yourself and not following others without listening and looking for traffic)
Terrain - Can include steep ascents and descents, uneven, rocky, slippery paths with trip hazards such as roots and rabbit/animal burrows, and there may be stiles to climb over.
Livestock to include Cows, sheep and horses may be in the fields that the Public Footpath or Permitted right of way cross's, and although the public have a right to cross the land, the group and walk host can not be held responsible for how wild animals may react and you should not approach livestock whilst crossing these fields.
PUBLIC ADVICE IS TO NEVER RUN ACROSS OR AWAY FROM CATTLE OR HORSES, AS THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO CHASE PEOPLE.
You are responsible for closing ALL gates behind you, especially where Livestock are present.
Weather - Can be unpredictable and changes from forecasts may happen before or during the walk. We suggest members check weather forecasts themselves before the start of the event and decide if they wish to attend, ref predicted rain or wind during the day.
The likelihood of Rain, wind, ice or sunshine depending on the time of year should be considered by the group member in preparing to attend a walk, and this includes -
The wearing of suitable footwear and clothing is your responsibility, and you can not hold the host responsible for injuries you could sustain from your choice of footwear/clothing. ie boot/shoe grip, wet weather protection, clothing warmth, gloves and hats, especially when you RSVP to attend a walk in the hills or mountains that could be more exposed to the elements.
Dogs - If dogs are allowed on a walk, they should be kept under control and preferably on a lead and you are responsible for lifting your dog over stiles if there are no dog access points and you must clean up after your dog if it fouls public paths, footpaths including footpaths across farmers fields.
Transport and parking - You are responsible for your transport to and from the meeting place and if you choose to share a lift with another group member, this is your sole decision to do so, even if it is suggested to share lifts on the basis of limited parking. Parking is your responsibility, and you must check for parking notices, restrictions yourself. You accept by driving your car to an event and parking it at the start location, that you can not hold the host or group responsible for potential damage caused whilst the car if left unattended.
Cancellations/notifications - If you do not set up or turn off Meetup notifications you can not hold the group responsible for missing event notifications, such as cancellations or change to start times due to weather warnings or other similar unplanned reasons.
Guidance - You should abide by the advice of the event host whilst participating in the events. 
Discrimination - No form of Discrimination will be tolerated within this group.
Unsolicited contact - Unwanted messaging is not allowed, and we ask that all instances are reported to the Leadership Team, or walk hosts, and offenders will be removed.
Profile Photo - Group members will need to provide a clear profile photo of 'their face' when applying to join the group so that event organisers can identify them, and will be declined without this.
(It is preferred that the group photo is of yourself and not a group photo, and should NOT be a photo containing children).
*** We understand that for many reasons people do not want to be seen/publish a photo of themselves on group media so the group 'may' accept other photos in certain circumstances. However, photos are taken during walks by other members and these are often shared onto the walk event photos log during or after the event.
(Please direct message the group Organiser Neil Earley to agree the use of another profile photo, or requests to remove photos).
** We the Walking Team reserve the right to remove members from the group if they repeatedly get recorded as a No-Show on an event, so taking up a walk space.
We ask that members do not bulk book/rsvp to every event, only to cancel repeatedly.
Excessive cancellations/changes to their event RSVPs to not going may eventually justify removing members from the group.
Inactive group members are identified by Meetup, and members that no longer participate in the groups events, or do not log-in and look at events for a period greater than 12 months, may be removed from the group without prior warning.

Please contact the Group Organiser or Walking Team for further details.