The writer has the responsibility not to jeopardise the existing facilities for hillwalkers in an area through encouraging an increase in the number of recreational users. Each walk description should start with a clear statement of the type of walk, terrain involved, experience needed, estimated time required and footwear and equipment required. There is no standard classification of the difficulty or type of walk and attempts to grade walks have led to misunderstanding. Care needs to be taken in this regard when walks of different grades are included in one publication. For instance, a reader might do a coastal path walk and assume that the climb up Lugnaquillia or Carrauntoohil is of an equivalent standard because it is in the same book.
Continental visitors expect made and marked paths on mountain walks included in walk books.
They appear to get into difficulties more frequently than Irish or UK walkers because they are unfamiliar with the type of terrain and comparative isolation on our Irish mountains. It is desirable that the true situation is made clear in guide books due to the increase in the number of foreign tourists who are interested in walking. Route guides should give information about parking in the area, bearing in mind that the publication of the route could result in the number of cars exceeding available space. Where possible, a number of alternative starting points should be given in order to avoid concentrations of walkers at a particular location. This can also add variety should people wish to repeat a walk.