Happy Wanderers Paphos 

Members and guests are responsible for the following:

• Footwear. It is essential to wear either walking boots or strong walking shoes, due to the terrain that may be covered. Sandals are not acceptable.
   
• Water. It is essential to avoid dehydration. Adequate water should always be carried — a minimum of 2 litres especially in the Summer months. More Information can be found under the Tab - Rehydration
   
• Environment. Please ensure that you leave no litter behind, and that you take no green souvenirs.
   
• Smoking on Walks. Smoking is strictly forbidden in all walking environments due to acute fire risk. Breaking this rule will result in the member, or sponsoring member being referred to the Committee which may result in loss of membership.
   
• Dogs and other pets are not allowed on walks.
   
• Children. Children under the age of 12 years are not permitted on walks. If any children are accepted as guests they are the sponsoring member’s responsibility.
   
• Personal Safety. Walkers are advised to carry a first aid kit and a whistle. All walkers must carry an emergency contact card which includes details of the person to be contacted in the case of an emergency and any special medical information.
   
• Liability. All members and guests participate in walks entirely at their own risk, as described in The Constitution Para 3.7 and Membership Application Form & Guest disclaimer, which everyone has signed.
   
• Keeping Together. Walkers are required to follow the instructions of the Walk Leader. They should not deviate from the route or take short cuts. If a walker has to leave the planned route for any reason, they must inform the Leader or Back-Marker. Be aware of personal safety & the safety of those around you.
   
• Visual Contact. Walkers should always maintain visual contact with those in front and behind. When the group makes a turn, be sure that those behind you are aware of this.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE HAPPY WANDERERS PAPHOS

The Happy Wanderers aim to offer three walks, graded for different levels of ability, almost every Wednesday of the year. We would not be able to do this without the support of our members, who volunteer to organise and lead walks, act as back-markers, and arrange drinks/meals after walking. Every walking member is normally expected to lead at least one walk a year, or if they are unable to lead, help out with at least one walk, by volunteering as day organiser, arranging a taverna, recruiting walk leaders, and/or acting as back-marker. We do understand that there may be exceptional circumstances that prevent some members participating as fully as they might wish.
We appreciate that leading a walk can initially seem a daunting challenge. But committee members and other experienced walk leaders are happy to help and mentor new members and any first-time leaders, to learn how do this and gain experience. Advice and resources are also available on our website, including a library of walk
routes.

SOCIAL MEMBERS

Social membership is available for non-walking spouses/partners and for former active members who can no longer walk.

LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Life Members have the same rights as active members.

WALKS ORGANISER OF THE DAY

 The organiser of the day recruits walk leaders and usually leads one of the walks themselves. The organiser is not expected to plan, recce or know all three walks: each walk leader can be left to plan their own walk, although less experienced leaders may need help with this.

The Organiser of the Day is responsible for the following:

• Selecting the location to start and finish the walks.
• Selecting a taverna for drinks afterwards, informing the taverna staff and reminding them to have enough cold beer etc (or you can get someone else to take care of this, so long as it’s done).
• Liaising with the other walk leaders, email directions to the meeting point and details of the walks to the Secretary at hwpaphos@outlook.com by the Saturday before the walk. Details usually include the walk length, approximate ascent and descent, and a note on any particular challenges such as steep hills, loose rocks, crossing of streams. And finally the taverna arranged for drinks afterwards.
• Ensuring that the Walkers Registration List is completed and passed on to the HWP secretary for processing.
• Pre-walk talk: Introduce the leaders and back-markers. Remind participants where the drinks will be.

WALK LEADERS'S RESPONSIBILITIES

Walk Leaders are responsible for planning and leading a walk on a designated day. Responsibilities include the following:

• Route. The route needs to have been recently walked by the Leader and ideally by the Back-Marker,and be suitable for the relevant category of walk.
• Pace. To set a pace suitable for the terrain, weather conditions and abilities of the group. Frequently check that the pace meets the needs of all walkers – i.e. that no-one is left far behind.
• First Aid. The Club First Aid kit should be carried by the Walk Leader or Back Marker, to be available for walkers’ personal use during the walk.
• Back and Middle Markers. The walk leader should be supported by a back-marker who knows the route. The back-marker’s main role is to ensure no-one gets lost or left behind. They must inform the walk leader if the pace is too fast for the slowest walker. They should also be able to help in case anyone is injured, e.g. by going to fetch a car.
  The number of walkers determines the policy for each walk:
  For a group over 10 – a single Back-Marker who is responsible for keeping the group in sight of the Walk Leader and monitoring numbers. The Back-Marker must inform the Leader if the pace is too fast for the slowest walker.
  For a group over 30 - For every group of 30 or more, a middle marker should be nominated, who will have similar duties to the Back-Marker.
• Walking on Roads. If possible walk on the RIGHT facing the oncoming traffic. Busy roads should be avoided whenever possible.
• Walking Group. The Walk Leader must be satisfied that all walkers are wearing appropriate footwear, carrying enough water and that guests are accompanied by their sponsors. The Walk Leader has the right to refuse to take any walker deemed not to comply.

WALKS

 Winter Walks
Long – Distance approximately 16 kilometres (10 miles).
Medium – Distance approximately 13 kilometres (8 miles).
Short – Distance approximately 9.5 kilometres (6 miles).
Summer Walks
Long – Distance approximately 11.5 kilometres (7 miles).
Medium – Distance approximately 9 kilometres (5.5 miles).
Short – Distance approximately 6.5 kilometres (4 miles).

These distances are for guidance and due consideration should be given to the prevailing terrain and climatic
conditions.

GUEST WALKERS

 Guest Walkers may be invited by a member or may contact the Committee via the website. Guests names must be notified to the relevant Committee Member by no later than 6pm on the Monday before the walk. First time guests are required to start on the short walk. Before walking, all guests must sign the disclaimer form.
A sponsoring member is required to accompany each guest on their walk, and stay with them if they are unable to complete the route.

SAFETY ADVICE

 First Aid Kit. Each walker should carry their own First Aid Kit in addition to the club kit carried by Walk Leaders.
 Each Club Kit contains:
Primary Care Leaflet
Crepe & Woven Bandages
Triangular Bandage
Low-adherent dressing
Medium dressing
Fabric and Blister plasters
Burn Gel & gauze swabs
Antiseptic wipes
Scissors & tweezers
Micropore tape
Safety pins & vinyl gloves

These contents are suggested as the basis for a personal kit.
Survival Bag/ Blanket. These additional items may never be needed, but are wise to carry in the winter. They provide basic protection against the elements, keeping out wind and rain should a more serious accident happen.
 Whistles. It is recommended to carry a whistle, to attract attention in case of an emergency.

NOTES
 Note 1: Before being considered for membership, prospective members must complete 5 walks as guests within a 6-month period.  On joining, new members should complete and sign the membership application form.
 Note 2: The walking programme is e-mailed 3 times a year and available on the website www.happywandererspaphos.org Those members not connected to e-mail can obtain a copy from The Walks Co-ordinator.
 Note 3: From October to the end of May, walks are in the daytime: meeting at 09.30 for registration and starting at 10.00am. A lunch/snack stop of approximately 20 minutes to be included during the walking period. Tavernas should be booked for 13.30. Once a month there may be an optional taverna lunch starting at 14.00.
Note 4: From June to the end of August, walks are in the evening: meeting at 16.30 with walks commencing at 17.00, and followed by a Taverna meal. The meal should be booked for no earlier than 3 hours after the start of the walk. Meals must be booked with the designated organizer by 18.00 on the Monday preceding the walk. All seating arrangements should be random, allowing all walkers to socialise and enjoy good camaraderie. In the event of late cancellation or non appearance by a member or guest, pre-booked meals must be paid for.
 Note 5: In September, to allow for changes in daylight, for the first 2 weeks meet at 16.00 for a 16.30 start and the last 2 weeks meet at 15.30 for a 16.00 start.
 Note 6: For record purposes, registration for all walks is compulsory for members and guests and must be completed a minimum of 10 minutes before starting.
 Note 7: During the year, social events, day outings and extended walking excursions may be arranged.

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS

Emergency Numbers:
European Medical Emergency 112
Police/Fire/Ambulance 199
Forest Fire 1407
Rescue Coordination Centre 1441
 
Nicosia General Hospital: 22 801400 / 22 801475 (Accidents and emergencies)
 
Paphos General Hospital: 26 803260 / 26 306100
 
Limassol General Hospital: 25 801100 / 25 305770
 
Larnaca General Hospital: 24 800500 / 24 800369
 
Polis General Hospital: 26 321431
 
Kyperounta Hospital: 25 532021
 
Agros Hospital: 25 521317