Terms and Conditions

Booking and cancellations

On booking, a deposit of £40 must be made and this is non-refundable.  The final payment must be made two weeks before the date of the walk, either by credit / debit card, bank transfer, Paypal or cheque. 
If, through no fault of my own, you cancel within the final two weeks prior to arrival there can be no refund.  If you’ve booked and paid fully earlier than this, and cancel before the two week period, then a full refund of the balance (not the deposit) will be made.
Lakeland Photo Walks has its own public liability insurance, but please consider purchasing your own holiday / cancellation insurance, and for your camera gear, if applicable.
If I have to cancel due to my own fault, or in extremely poor weather conditions, a full refund, including the deposit will be made - this will be re-credited to your card or account. During photo walks in circumstances of say, low cloud on the fells, but being relatively dry, alternative arrangements may be made / discussed in switching to a lower level route, or trying other nearby locations for water, woodland or close-up work.

(I define extremely poor weather conditions as: electrical storms, heavy rain, very strong winds, snow and ice)

For weather information see the Met Office Mountain Weather site - https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/mountain-forecasts/lake-district, the Mountain Weather Information Service - http://www.mwis.org.uk/, the BBC time-alterable weather map is a great resource too - https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/map . Also http://www.yr.no/ - very good Norwegian site enabling very specific searches, switch to English text top right of screen.

Safety

This must be read and understood.

I do all that I can to ensure an enjoyable and safe experience in the outdoors and on the fells, but risk is an inherent part of the experience, so please be aware of this, take care and check your insurance policy.
As stated above, I reserve the right to cancel / re-plan the trip if I deem it to be unsafe by extreme weather conditions, or by dangerous client behaviour – reckless acts, or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Risk factors:

Rocky, gritty and slippery terrain adds to the chance of slips and falls - take care and don't be afraid to ask for assistance.

Sudden change in weather conditions - high winds and heavy rain will increase the chances of slips and falls and in getting cold and wet with the risk of hypothermia - good waterproofs are essential.

Fatigue caused by physical exertion, dehydration or lack of food - risk of illness and slips and falls. Make sure you have enough to eat and drink and communicate any problems you might encounter immediately.

Exposure to steep ground - risky in itself, but can unnerve some people. Stay with your guide and ensure good communication, do not tackle anything that you're at all unsure of.

Rockfalls - take great care not to dislodge rocks, particularly on steep ground; if you do dislodge anything shout a warning straight away; keep a safe distance and away from the direct line of fall.

Crossing streams and rivers – danger of slipping and sustaining injury, getting wet and cold, getting swept away in strong currents.  Stay with your guide and party and heed instruction; cross together, holding onto each other’s rucksack straps or use poles for stability.

Loss or damage to your belongings - damage from water or from knocks against rocks etc.

Injury through contact with livestock - heed instructions about crossing farmland, keeping to correct routes and closing gates.

Road traffic accidents - heed instructions on correct use of roads when walking.

Getting lost - stay with your group and guide, follow instructions.

You must accept and adhere to instructions from your guide at all times.

What to bring
Good footwear, walking boots for fell walking, rucksack, waterproof jacket and trousers, gloves, hat, extra layers, spare clothing, a torch, camera gear, spare batteries, your camera's manual, a packed lunch, plenty of fluids and a notebook and pen if you like.  Obviously this varies with the seasons – for example, in Summer you might need less clothing, but more to drink.  If you’d like to try your hand at night photography you’ll really need to get wrapped up as we wouldn’t be nearly as active as on a daytime walk. Wellington boots are good for seascape photography, but not if we're walking a considerable distance.

Environment

Please take care to safeguard the area visited – keep to the paths where possible to avoid excessive erosion, take your rubbish home with you, and heed the advice when having to answer the call of nature.

Children

Children must accompanied by an adult at all times.

Gift Vouchers

The terms above also apply to vouchers.

Copyright / Use of Photographs

Unless otherwise agreed, I will hold the copyright to all images that I take with my own camera and am free to use them on this website and my Facebook business page. Prior permission will be sought if the images have children in them (names will not be used).

Stored Information - Information given will be strictly confidential and only used for contact and safety reasons. No information will be passed on anywhere else.

Before the walk you will be asked to sign a form acknowledging that you have read this page or the Disclosure of Risk / Safety Information form, also stating any medical conditions that you may have and providing an emergency contact phone number.

This does not affect your statutory rights or absolve Lakeland Photo Walks from its duty of care.