Planning a walking tour

We planned to join such a tour and had selected a walk after studying brochures from three companies. Then our chosen walk, through Thomas Hardy's Dorset, was eliminated. So we decided to do it on our own.

Expenses. (Please remember all prices are from 1994.) The tours start at about $200 per person per day and many cost more. Except for the night we stayed at the Ilchester Arms, which cost $95 for the three of us, we paid $60-$65 per night for lodging. And that always included a large English breakfast cooked to order. Pub lunches cost $4-$5 per person, and dinners $7-$10. Real ale was $2.25-$2.75 for an Imperial pint (20 ounces), but we would have had to buy our own with the tour group. There wasn't a day in which we spent $200 for all three of us, much less for each of us.

It did cost about $120 for the three of us to take the train to and from London, but we would have had to pay for that with an organized walk, too. We used two Ordnance Survey maps, which cost $10 apiece, and paid $10 for a Pathfinder Guide book, which provided detailed descriptions of several walks.

Finding your way. Ordnance Survey maps are scaled 1-1/4 inches to one mile. These topographic maps list all public rights of way, and note whether they are roads, footpaths or bridleways. They show landmarks such as footbridges, phone booths, lighthouses, radio towers and picnic tables. They tell you if a town has a pub, a hotel or a caravan park. They even point out ancient tumuli, historic buildings and Roman castles.

Most important, these maps reassure you that a walking tour is manageable. If there isn't a town over the next rise, there will be a farm. Main roads are never far. We could have planned to walk farther each day, but always left ourselves time to get sidetracked (or even lost). As a result, we were able to explore each new town after we found our bed for the night.

The British Travel Bookshop sells books on Britain as well as Ordnance Survey and other maps (551 Fifth Ave., 7th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10176; phone 212-490-6688 New York, 800-448-3039 elsewhere).

Making reservations. Because we intended to stay in small pubs that usually had only one family room, we made reservations. We simply wrote letters, and the publicans wrote back. In one case, we phoned. A friend of ours who visited Ireland found many hotels had fax machines, so he faxed his reservations. We made our choices based on descriptions in CAMRA's "Good Beer Guide" and "The Good Pub Guide," written by Alisdair Aird. We found the "Good Pub Guide" in a large American bookstore. You may order "The Good Beer Guide" from CAMRA (34 Alma Road, St. Albans, Herts., England, AL1 3BW; phone 071 0727 867201). Tourbooks list other accommodations, and larger towns such Lyme Regis have a variety of small hotels and guest houses. These are a little more expensive to stay in, and often are booked in advance in the summer by Britons on holiday.

Equipment. We used our backpacks as second pieces of luggage when we flew to London, then jammed them full of essentials for our trip to the country. Our London hotel stored our other luggage for the week for about $20. Hiking boots are essential, as is rain gear. Although we had lovely weather throughout, long pants are a must. Otherwise, high grass, thorns and thistles will take their toll on your legs. Also recommended: insect repellent, a compass, gloves (for barbed wire fences), hats, sunblock, Band-Aids, Swiss Army knife, and water bottles or canteens.

Get in shape. Expect to travel on uneven ground and to do a certain amount of climbing. We rode our bikes regularly before the trip, and Stan broke in his hiking boots by walking up and down the stairs daily. To prepare yourself for the climb to the top of Golden Cap, fill your backpack and do at least 30 minutes on the stairs.

This story was written after a trip to England in 1994. Here's the account of the walk itself. are