Publications

"Strider" was first published in 1972 as a newsletter whose main purpose was to keep LDWA members informed about Challenge Walks throughout the country. That remains a major function of the present 100-page Strider, which also retains the original approach of ‘by the members, for the members’. Challenge events take up quite a few pages in the average Strider but not nearly as many as the regular social walks run by the 41 Local Groups, one in Southern Scotland, two in Wales, two without geographical location (it sounds better than ‘homeless’) and the rest liberally sprinkled around England.

Other regular features of Strider include:- Checkpoint, a round-up of news items relevant to walkers; Footprint, reviews of books related to walking at home and abroad; Dear Strider, a selection of letters from members; Hat Trick Chronicles, articles about ‘Anytime, Anywhere’ challenge walks; A Question of Health, usually questions to which there are no easy answers; National Committee News, to tell you what 12 volunteers are up to; Past Events, brief descriptions of recent challenge walks; Hill Walkers’ Register, reports and statistics on peakbaggers’ activities;

While the Crossword, ‘Hoick Thy Bulk Miles’ and the Christmas Puzzle are all designed to challenge but not overtax members’ ingenuity, more serious matters, including our responsibility towards the environment in which we walk, other countryside users and each other, are covered in the Countryside pages and ‘Soapbox’. Recent features include Long Distance Footpath Associations, Stressbusting, Founders’ Day, Night Moves, Electronic Route-planning, Preparing for a ‘Hundred’, The Joys of Checkpointing.

The first Long Distance Walkers’ Handbook, by Barbara Blatchford, came out in 1980 and its 7th edition, published in 2002, contains brief details of over 600 Long Distance Paths (LDPs) throughout the UK (start and finish, OS Maps required, waymarking, if any, available guidebooks, websites Tourist Information Centres and other sources of information). LDP News in ‘Strider’ gives regular updates on new routes, link paths, changes and improvements. The Handbook is now almost sold out and becoming difficult to source, though a few copies may be found in bookshops and used copies are available online. The LDWA no longer supplies the Handbook and has no plans for a reprint of the same edition. This website now provides similar information online in an updated and expanded form. Please see our Handbook FAQ for more information.

The companion Long Distance Paths Chart, is still available from the Shop or can be purchased from:-

      LDWA Merchandise, Tim Glenn, 2 Sandy Lane, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 3GS.

‘Guidelines for Events’, the definitive source of helpful guidance for anyone setting out to organize a Challenge Walk, was first published in 1982 and the 5 th Edition, published in 2000 is also available from LDWA Merchandise. Although the LDWA does not, itself, run sponsored walks for charities, it is often used by charities for reference. A supplement, ‘Hints for Hundred Organisers’, was first produced in 2002, superceding the earlier ‘Guidelines for Hundreds’ which had many aspects in common with ‘Guidelines for Events’, and will be regularly up-dated.