SAFETY AND ACCESS
Solo and group riding
Adjust route choice, communication and emergency planning to who is riding and how support will work.
Reviewed · General UK planning guidance · Check current operator and manufacturer information
Riding alone
Reduce the consequences of a small mistake becoming an unseen emergency.
- Share the exact route, start time and overdue action with a reliable contact.
- Choose terrain below your technical limit and carry navigation, warmth and repair capacity.
- Do not rely on live tracking where mobile coverage is uncertain.
Riding as a group
Agree expectations before wheels start turning.
- Name a leader and back marker for larger or mixed-ability groups.
- Regroup before junctions and count riders after stops or mechanicals.
- The least-confident rider chooses whether to attempt a feature; no one is abandoned to walk alone.
Incident roles
Calm delegation makes emergencies easier to manage.
- One person contacts emergency services, one manages the casualty and one controls approaching trail traffic where safe.
- Keep the group warm and preserve phone batteries.
- Record the location and follow instructions from the call handler or rescue team.
Useful official guidance
Rules, conditions and services change. Use these sources and the relevant venue’s current information before relying on a plan.
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