Walking Weekend 27-29 September 2024

What? A Walking Weekend

When? 27-29 September 2024

Where? Low Mill Outdoor Centre, Askrigg, Wensleydale, DL8 3HZ

Who for? Adult members or other adults supporting walking in Girlguiding.

How much?  £90 (£100 for out of region (OOR) applicants)

Is this for me? Do you enjoy walking in beautiful countryside with others? Do you want to develop your own skills in navigation or managing groups of girls? Do you want to gain a qualification in walking? If you have answered ‘yes’ to any of these then this is the weekend for you.

Girlguiding North East England is holding its annual autumn walking weekend in North Yorkshire and we are looking forward to welcoming you to develop your skills in leading walks. All members of Girlguiding from Rainbows upwards can enjoy getting out into the countryside, and if you develop your skills, the girls in your units will benefit. You may also wish to come just to enjoy walking in beautiful Wensleydale.

The weekend will offer

• Level 1 Training and Assessment For those of you wanting to gain basic skills in navigation and taking groups out. Depending on your prior experience many aspects may be signed off during the weekend.
• Level 2 Training, and Level 2 Assessment. If you wish to attend for Level 2 Assessment you must already have attended a level 2 Training Weekend. Level 2 is for those of you who already have some walking experience and want to take groups out into hill and moorland areas.

If you are not sure which level is right for you look at pages 11 & 12 of the walking scheme.

• Or you may wish to use the centre as a base to plan your own walks with others. We would hope to provide someone to lead the Saturday walks. The level of difficulty would be tailored to those attending and their wishes. Maybe you are thinking of gaining the next level of the walking scheme qualification. If so, this is a good opportunity for you to develop your skills or experience a new area while preparing for a walking qualification. Or maybe you need to keep your skills current in order for your qualification to remain valid.
• We are also offering Water Safety training on the Friday afternoon if enough people are able to attend. This is compulsory for all levels of the Girlguiding walking scheme, though only needs to be done once to count for all levels. This may cost a bit extra to cover the trainers’ mileage costs depending on numbers.

If you want to know more about Girlguiding’s Walking Scheme go to https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/information-for-volunteers/learning-and-development/leading-outdoor-adventures/walking-scheme/

Low Mill is in Wensleydale, an area with excellent walking whatever your taste. Exposed moorland walks to gentle riverside strolls. There are teashops in Askrigg, Bainbridge, or Hawes for those looking for refreshment after their social walks. The accommodation is an outdoor centre used for school groups during the week but open to self-catering groups at weekends. The centre sleeps 40 people in 7 bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. There are also several places for groups to meet whether for training or just chatting. There is a drying room in case it rains. We used the centre in 2023 and it proved excellent for our needs.

The price of the weekend includes 2 nights’ accommodation indoors at Low Mill Outdoor Centre and all meals from Friday evening to Sunday lunchtime. The Friday evening will be focussed on preparing for the weekend and getting to know the other people you will be with. Saturday and Sunday will be spent outside. Transport to and from the event is not included but if you need transport from a station we will see who is coming that way. Please contact the NEE office if you would like to arrange this.

If you would like to do the level 1 or 2 training or assessment, you will need to supply your own:

• Copy of the Girlguiding Walking Scheme booklet, downloadable from Girlguiding website. https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/information-for-volunteers/learning-and-development/leading-outdoor-adventures/walking-scheme/
• OS map, number OL30 Yorkshire Dales N & W plus map case or a waterproof version
• Compass (e.g. Silva Expedition 4 Compass would be ideal, but it must be capable of taking bearings for you to walk on)
• Level 2 participants will also need a headtorch suitable for finding the way in the dark (e.g. Petzl Tikkina)

Don’t forget your discount in Go Outdoors all you need to do to redeem your discount is log into GO to find the online code or show your uniform in store.

Girlguiding North East England are subsidising this event to make it more accessible. This replaces the system where individuals applied for grants. However if cost is an issue do approach your County or Division to see if any help is available. Remember if you are working towards a qualification you are doing it to benefit the girls so it is reasonable to see if any financial help is available locally.

How to apply:

Book by completing the form below.  If there are not any available tickets for the category you wish to book please email info@girlguidingnortheast.org.uk and we may be able to make tickets available for you.  

Bookings will close on 17 August 2024 at 2330. Late applications will then only be considered if there is room and there are sufficient leaders to keep group sizes small.

Payments can be made via Paypal, card or BACS. If you wish to pay by card make sure you click on the ‘Debit or Credit Card’ link just below the ‘Paypal’ one.  If you wish to pay by BACS click on the dropdown arrow next to ‘Pay by paypal’ and it will give you the BACS option.  BACS payments must be received within 48 working hours of booking or we reserve the right to cancel your booking.

Booking Terms and Conditions

By booking this ticket you are agreeing to the Girlguiding North East England booking terms and conditions as follows.

The full cost of the event is given in the event information and is to be paid at the time of booking, 

Cancellation by Participant – Cancellation must be made via email or in writing to the Girlguiding North East England office. Payments made are not refundable.

Cancellation by Girlguiding North East England – Girlguiding North East England reserves the right to modify or cancel the event if unforeseen circumstances arise. In the event of cancellation being made by Girlguiding North East England a full refund of the event fee paid to Girlguiding North East England will be made to participants.

If you have any questions regarding this event please contact the region office by emailing info@girlguidingnortheast.org.uk. Alternatively, give us a call on 01904 676076.

Any specific walking questions can be sent to our region walking adviser, Isabel Woodland at isabel.woodland@girlguidingnortheast.org.uk.