In this fairly short but sweet blog, I've briefly outlined the basics of booking onto a ramble and included examples to explain the process. With having a few new faces joining Cornish Ramblings for adventures and lots of you contacting me via email or social media, I thought I would share a little information on the best way to find out when and where we are rambling, and how to book your space.
1. Where can I find the ramble details?
To try and control bookings, I currently advertise all of our upcoming rambles via the newsletter. This is a process I am looking to change in the not too distant future, which will hopefully mean creating a booking system on the website...watch this space.
Although I have a calendar on the website, this is just for information. To find out the full details of our rambles and to book on to said rambles, you need to sign up to the mailing list.
2. Mailing List
As stated above, the first thing you need to do in order to find out the rambling details is sign up to the mailing list, which you do via the website - you will find the sign up box in our footer on all pages of the website, as well as on our homepage.
I organise and release details of rambles two months at a time. When I have planned the dates and the routes, I will share this information via the newsletter at least six weeks before the first ramble commences.
For instance: if I were to organise rambles for January and February, I would send out a newsletter in November with these details.
3. Newsletter
Once signed up to the mailing list, keep an eye out for the newsletters.
I send out newsletters at least once a month, but not all will include info on rambles; sometimes it is a new blog, details of an event, or some handy information.
Be sure to mark any correspondence from Cornish Ramblings to your safe sender's list to ensure it doesn’t go into your junk. If you haven't received anything from Cornish Ramblings in a while then I would suggest looking in your junk/spam folder first before contacting me to look into it for you - the little rascals can sometimes divert back to junk.
NB: If you don't open emails from Cornish Ramblings, after a while you will become "inactive" and therefore stop receiving our emails - this is to prevent spamming. Be sure to interact with Cornish Ramblings, or just open all of our emails if you still want to continue hearing from us. You can unsubscribe at any time.
4. Booking a space
Once in receipt of the newsletter that includes the rambles, scroll to the section with the list of walks. I number each walk and include the following details:
Walk number
Location
Date
Whether it is easy, moderate or strenuous
Total miles
Short synopsis
Route info (usually a link to iWalk Cornwall which is the app I use for most of these rambles)
Once you have decided on the ramble(s) you'd like to join us on, please reply to the newsletter email and include:
the number correlated to the ramble
location of the ramble(s)
how many of you there will be booking on - I currently allow up to five bookings (people) per person but this is subject to change due to the popularity.
Example: "Please can I book two people onto ramble 1 (Gwennap Pit)"
5. Fully Booked
These rambles book up super quickly - usually within 24-hours of the newsletter going out. Although this is wonderful, it also means not everyone can always get onto a ramble. I do try my best to prioritise new people and members, but this isn't a set-in-stone process as I will still endeavour to book on a first come first serve basis (in order of the first email booking I get, upwards to the last).
I will always try and get everyone on at least one ramble of their choice.
NB: If you have signed up to the mailing list after the newsletter with the details of rambles has already gone out, then you will not see this information and most likely, will not be able to book onto a ramble until the next wave of ramble details are released.
6. Responding to your emails
Once you have emailed me with your booking requests, I will leave the emails to come flooding in for approximately 2-4 days after the newsletter has gone out. This is so I can respond to you all in one go, rather than individually - saving the planet where I can!!
Please do not panic if you haven't heard from me straightaway - I work a full-time job and am fitting Cornish Ramblings around a busy life. I will reply to you eventually. However, if it goes past a week, maybe check with me as your email may not have arrived.
7. Confirmation of bookings
If you’re successful at booking onto a ramble you will receive a confirmation email a few days after the newsletter has gone out.
I will follow this up a week or two later with a second email that will include the finer details.
NB: I will send out a reminder of these details the night before the ramble as I know how easy it is for emails to disappear!
8. Reserves list
If I am unable to get you on all or none (unlikely) of your ramble preferences then I will put you on a reserves list. I make you aware of this at the same time as sending out confirmation emails and will contact you at a later date if there are any cancellations.
I require at least three days notice (where possible) if you are cancelling.
9. Final Note
I am always making changes and looking at new ways of doing things to ensure it is simple to book onto a ramble, but if you have any questions then please do get in touch.
I also recommend looking at the below recent blogs which include more in-depth information on Cornish Ramblings FAQs, guidance on bringing your dogs on a walk, and some highway code info.
Thank you to everyone who joins me on my rambles. I absolutely love meeting you and going on adventures across Cornwall with you all. See you soon.
Jody