• We are obliged by Ramblers Central Office to have a backmarker on every walk. 
• The primary duty is to make sure that no one is left behind to get lost.
• The leader must give the back marker a copy of the walk and roughly explain the route.
• Please do not volunteer to back mark if you need glasses to read the map but do not have them with you! 
• The back marker needs to be able to contact the leader, in case of an accident or the tail being “left behind”
• Contact should be made either by using a whistle (have you got one?), phone (there may be no phone signal) or a shouting runner.
• The leader should be aware if the back marker is falling too far behind and call a catch up stop. 
• The back marker should encourage the group to stay together and try to prevent a long gap to form.
• Please don’t volunteer to back mark just “because I will be at the back anyway”. 

It would be great if everyone took a turn at back marking during the year.