Welcome To

The Irregulars is a walking group offering regular social walks in the north of England:

• Peak District

• South Pennines

• Yorkshire Dales

• Surrounding counties: Yorkshire W/N/E/S, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester, etc.

• 'Away' weekends in the Lake District and elsewhere

Guests are welcome on all walks. If you're there, you're on the walk!

When?

Generally 8am every Wednesday and Saturday, with some shorter walks on a Thursday. See the Future Events tab for details: walks are added regularly.

How far?

Usually 15-20 miles with a pub stop at lunchtime, finishing between 3.30 and 5pm approx, depending on distance and terrain. If you can walk consistently at 3mph on good ground, you should find the pace of the group agreeable.

When should I arrive?

Aim to be there 15-20 minutes ahead of the start time, so you've time to find the car parking and tog up. The walk will leave at the stated time. The group will wait if we know somebody is slightly late.

Do I have to book?

No – if you're there, you're on the walk. But you can contact the walk leader (see listings) or walks co-ordinator if you have any questions. Check the listing before attending in case of changes.

Is there a fee?

No, there is no fee payable for attending a social walk. The Irregulars is part of the Long Distance Walkers Association. Guests are welcome to walk with LDWA groups three times before becoming an LDWA member, which is inexpensive: see ldwa.org.uk/membership/join/join.php .

What should I bring?

Food and drink sufficient for the whole walk. We have a morning break outdoors around 10am, and a pub stop as mentioned: usually the pub will serve chips and other food, but this is not guaranteed.

What about clothing?

Pack or wear full outdoor protective clothing appropriate to the conditions. Light layers give more options than a heavy coat. Remember that the hills are cooler than the valleys. Footwear should be suitable for trail walking. A torch is occasionally useful in winter.

Is it fun?

Definitely! England has a world-class footpath network, and walking in the countryside never ceases to be amazing and interesting. With the company of a group and a pub stop, there's lots of time for conversation too.

Can I bring a dog?

Dogs are allowed unless stated otherwise in the walk listing. Please read our Dogs on Social Walks tab page.

What if I can't manage the walk and have to stop?

This happens more than you might think – we won't abandon you on the moor! We will look for a practical solution based on your condition and experience, and the local environment. A tired walker might taxi back from the pub or a village, wait for a pickup, use a bus, walk a flat direct route back, or another solution, accompanied if necessary. In case of injury, members are quite resourceful in what they carry for first aid, and we would call emergency services if needed just like anybody would. If you use hikers' mapping software such as OS app, Locus or Outdoor Active, this can be helpful in these circumstances.

Is there a better year-round walking programme in the universe?

Who knows!

Click on the Future Events tab to find a walk which you fancy, and we'll see you there...

Other things to know

• The Irregulars has its own inexpensive membership, which gives access to organised walking holidays, and prize badges and shirts for attendances on social walks: these are often awarded at the pub stop. But any LDWA member can walk with The Irregulars without limit.

• We also organise 3-4 challenge walks each year: entrants complete a set route at their own pace within a time limit, supported by food and drink at checkpoints. These are part of the LDWA challenge walks programme. The Marsden Moors, Hangover Hike and Regular Irregular are daytime challenge walks; Afoot in Two Dales is a 50-miler and a qualifier for the LDWA Hundred.

• The group operates a blog, containing photos of awards and walks, statistics and other miscellany. The blog address is irregularsldwa.wordpress.com , and it accepts subscriptions so you can be kept up-to-date. Most posts are password-protected: the pw can be obtained from any member who can hold a smartphone the right way up, or from Mark at mpenn.dpenn@gmail.com .

• We also have a Facebook page, 'The Irregulars LDWA', open to members. This attracts scenic photos from walks, and also links to the blog posts.

• Formal communication is through the LDWA emailing system: please ensure you have The Irregulars ticked as one of your groups on the LDWA membership system.

• The Irregulars has no geographic allocation of members within the LDWA – long ago, it was an independent group, so it does not fit the main structure – so all Irregulars walkers have chosen to connect to the group.

• The Irregulars is also affiliated to the Peak & Northern Footpath Society (est. 1894), who monitor, protect and improve the footpath network in the North Midlands & North West of England. More details can be found on their web site www.pnfs.org.uk .