Walk Difficulty Gradings, Distances and Times
Walk Gradings
Clackmannanshire and its surrounds has many lovely walks ranging from those suitable for wheelchair users right up to hill walks that need sturdy boots and stamina.
The scale I use for difficulty goes from 0 to 5 as described below.
They are a rough guide based on my own feeling for difficulty and you should use your own judgement in interpreting them. And don't forget to take into account recent as well as the current weather.
If your idea of a strenuous walk is the Matterhorn then you'll consider grade 5 as a stroll in the park.
Note that the grading does not include any element for distance.
Reference to suitablilty for wheel chairs, etc, has been removed following Scottish Outdoor Access Code recommendations.
Remember also that the grades are meant only as an overall guide and you should always read the full description of the walk.
Grade 0
No obstacles, ground essentially level and even, wide paths.
Example: Alongside Gartmorn Dam Reservoir.
Grade 1
No obstacles, ground essentially level but may be uneven, paths may be narrow in places.
Example: River Devon circular route (from the large lay-by on the A91 between Tillicoultry and Dollar) using farm tracks and old railway path.
Grade 2
May be some obstacles to negotiate such as occasional styles and banks, may be a little hilly, may be some steps. Walking boots advised though trainers should generally be fine.
Example: River Devon circular route (from the large lay-by on the A91 between Tillicoultry and Dollar) going along riverside, off farm tracks.
Grade 3
Some steep bits, additional care needed in places, walking boots strongly advised though many might be happy in trainers.
Example: Alva Glen.
Grade 4
Steep, extra care and a degree of stamina needed, walking boots essential for safety, stick helpful for all walkers.
Example: Tillicoultry (Mill) Glen circular route.
Grade 5
Very steep with some clambering, great care needed in places, needs stamina, walking boots essential, stick advised for all walkers.
Example: Up The Law from Mill Glen, Tillicoultry.
Driving Distances
Driving distances are given in miles.
Walk Distances
Walking distances are given in metres (or kilometres) as this is the most commonly used unit for walkers. If you prefer yards to metres, simply add a tenth to the distance in metres to get the distance in yards. For example 700 metres is about 770 yards. The conversion isn't exact (700 metres is 765.5 yards) but distances are approximate anyway and you won't notice the difference.
The distance given is based on the horizontal distance derived from the GPS data from me doing the walk.
What I do is use a program called MapSource to plot out the route I walked (possibly combining more than one walk where I've put in alternatives) and then use the program's measuring tool to measure around it with the mouse.
That means the the overall distance will be pretty accurate for a flat walk with not too many ins and outs, but could be a little underestimated otherwise. For a sustained steep walk, like going up the Law from Mill Glen, the horizontal distance could be quite a bit less than the actual distance walked.
Having said that all given distances are approximate. I have rounded them to sensible numbers. If the actual distance between two way points was anywhere between about 515 and 485 metres I'll put it as 500 metres.
Map and Position Accuracy
GPS positions are taken from actual readings. Taking the same reading on different days can give positions ten metres apart. Dense cover also makes readings less accurate than where there is sparse cover.
Ordnance Survey (OS) grid references are taken from OS maps.
The sketch maps are based on GPS data and so present a to-scale representation of the route actually taken in preparing to write up the walk.
That might not appear to make sense on some maps. The course of the River Devon has migrated by several metres at some points in the last five years - far enough to make an actual walk route appear to go into the river if plotted on a walking map a few years old.
Walk Times
Times are only a guideline based on my own experience and, even though the GPS data tells me exactly how long I took to do the walk, you can take them with a pinch of salt.
That's because there's a good chance I had our dog with us and stopped to play with her on the way, and I also almost certainly stopped to take photos and enjoy the scenery. So the times are really just an estimate of how long I think it would have taken me at a reasonable pace for the terrain and conditions, which could be quite different to how long it would take you even if my estimate was spot on.
If I do a walk at a reasonable pace all the way around I'll say so. It will give the time estimate more meaning.
