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A work in progress : © Garry McDougall Assessing a walking trip requires knowledge of the path to be followed, ie, primarily the track, trail, way or path underfoot. The surrounding terrain is secondary. This system emphasises an assessment the route’s surfaces, width, incline and safety. These are concrete and critical (but incomplete) elements in an assessment or grading, firmly centred on the physical and material state of the surfaces and associated obstacles to walking. Once this is acknowledged, much of what follows is clear and apparent. Defining the IWAS Before assessing a route there are a number of underlying considerations that must looked at before the process of assessment can be undertaken. These include:
Recreational walking (RW) is defined as a walking journey along a path or predetermined route, unaided by machinery or other specialist non-walking gear. We specifically exclude
Recreational walking is undertaken as a route in assessable zones. In the positive, they are earthen surfaces where walking is the predominant, simple action necessary to complete the journey. However, where the physical conditions are antithetical to walking they are broadly non-assessable. These include:
Assessable Recreational Walking Zone Category 'other' also exists. Walking along a motorway would be a non-assessable route, as the physical space is dominated by speeding vehicles. The danger to the physical safety of the recreational walker means it falls outside of an assessable route. Alternatively surfaces suitable for easy recreational walking in partnership with other non-engined vehicles such as wheel chairs and human powered bikes, would be assessable, so long as there is an acceptable level of safety (See safety ratings). It is also arguable that even surfaces sparsely inhabited by engined vehicles could also be assessable, if undesirable. Variations in Assessable Areas: Assessable areas are not fixed. They alter according to actual conditions at any time, particularly seasonally. So winter in Canada will make many walking route non-assessable; monsoons in Malaysia, the same. Responsibility: Notice that the actual journey of a group or individual itself remains the responsibility of its participants. As conditions may change during the trip, making walking more or less difficult, or indeed, no longer possible or desirable, the system is no substitute for planning, preparedness and fitness. Routes What constitutes a route? Any predetermined journey in an assessable zone undertaken by recreational walkers constitutes a route. For our purposes, we may assess and grade any route that falls within a suitable geographic area. Types of Routes At one extreme there are routes where there is no discernable human path. This may be in a desert, heath land or a jungle, following a particular direction, animal paths or a negotiable route to some particular end point. These situations are so different and difficult that the IWAS constitutes a grade of its own, defined by the need for high levels of experience and expertise. Yet, it is still assessable, as long as the journey undertaken has a planned route, with a start and destination. At the other extreme are routes on smooth, hard surfaces, suitable for wheeled vehicles. They may be routes especially constructed for wheelchair access, and is therefore assessable. Notice that as long as the route falls within a RW zone, we make no judgement on the attractiveness of recreational walking route or the walker’s experience. Back to Top |