By walking all paths in England and Wales Ramblers' Association hopes to raise the profile of the rights of way network.

Many people taking part in the challenge will discover new paths local to them, and will hopefully take greater ‘ownership’ of their path network as a result.

Through the reporting of path problems the RA wants to connect all walkers to the people responsible for the state of the network, and hopefully see a large number of path problems resolved.

A grid square is a 1km x 1km square of the national grid, as found on OS maps, identified by two letters and four figures (e.g. TQ1952).

Footpaths, bridleways, roads used as public paths, restricted byways, byways open to all traffic, and ways specifically shown on the map as 'other routes with public access'. Anything shown on 1:25000 maps with green dots or dashes, and on 1:50000 maps with pink dots or dashes. The only exceptions are national trails and other promoted routes, which should only be walked where they follow public rights of way, and designated cycle 'routes' and 'networks' (large green or pink dots or dashes), which need not be walked.

To the 'Public Rights of Way Officer' at the relevant highway authority (county, metropolitan, unitary, or London council). Provide details of the problem, including its location (grid references are very helpful), and give your contact details in case the council officer needs to clarify anything. Please also copy your report to the Ramblers at our central office address or by filling in the online form. Your reports will be very useful to the Ramblers' local footpath workers.

The primary method is via the Use Your Path Challenge website but you can also inform the RAmblers' Association via email, phone, letter (see 'contact us' below), or by using the specially designed form which was distributed to RA members with walk magazine in summer 2006.

Anyone can join in. You can work as an individual or as part of a group

The challenge is designed to operate without local coordination so you can operate independently.
Alternatively in those parts of the country where RA Areas and Groups are playing a coordinating role for their members you might like to be included in a "team"

The challenge isn't a path survey (at least not in the sense normally understood by Ramblers volunteers carrying out surveys)

The challenge is first and foremost a project to get all paths walked. There is a path problem reporting element, but this is not intended to fulfil the role of a full and detailed path survey.

The Challenge lasts for 18 months

From the spring equinox 2006 (20 March) to the autumn equinox 2007 (22 September).