Start with the map you already own

There is no better way to spend a Saturday morning than pulling on a pair of boots and setting off from the village green, but the difference between a glorious walk and a muddy trudge through a field of curious bullocks usually comes down to preparation. Before you go anywhere, get hold of a proper map. The yellow-covered Ordnance Survey Explorer series at 1:25,000 is the gold standard for parish-level walking, because it shows every field boundary, footbridge, pond and public right of way in detail. If you would rather not buy one, your local library, the village shop or the parish council office often has copies to consult, and many noticeboards display a laminated extract of the parish footpath network.

It is also worth checking the county council's online rights of way map before you set out. These are updated far more often than printed maps, and they will tell you if a path has been temporarily closed for repairs, diverted around a new development, or re-routed because a farmer has changed the layout of a field. A quick five-minute check can save you a two-mile detour through a hedge.

Learning to read the waymarks

Once you are out, the little discs and arrows on gates and posts are your best friends. They follow a simple colour code, and knowing it makes route-finding much easier:

• Yellow arrow — a public footpath, open to walkers only.
• Blue arrow — a bridleway, open to walkers, horse riders and cyclists.
• Purple arrow — a restricted byway, open to walkers, riders and non-motorised vehicles.
• Red arrow — a byway open to all traffic, though you will rarely meet anything wider than a quad bike.

Waymarks are usually placed where a path leaves a road, crosses a field or passes through a gateway, so if you have walked 200 yards without seeing one, stop and look back. Most wrong turns happen at a gap in a hedge that has been mistaken for a right of way when it is really just a field entrance. Keeping the map in a clear plastic wallet around your neck, rather than buried in a rucksack, means you can check your position without breaking stride.

Closed paths, diversions and the law on farmland

Paths do get closed, and it is frustrating when a favourite route is blocked, but there are good reasons. Farmers are legally allowed to plough a footpath across a field and must reinstate it within a set period, so a freshly turned strip of soil is not an act of aggression. Temporary closures are usually advertised on site with a notice giving the dates and the alternative route. If you find a path blocked without any notice, do not simply climb over a locked gate or force your way through a crop — report it to the county rights of way team and follow the diversion.

Equally important, stick to the path. A public footpath gives you the right to cross land, not to wander freely across it. Cutting the corner of a wheat field, letting a dog run through a lambing paddock or leaving a gate swinging open can cause real damage and real ill-feeling. In most villages the relationship between walkers and farmers is friendly and hard-won; a courteous hello and a firm hand on the gate latch goes a long way.

Boots, sticks and what to carry

Our footpaths are beautiful and, for much of the year, wet. Waterproof boots with a deep tread are not optional between October and April. Wellies are fine for a short lane walk but offer poor ankle support on rutted ground, and trainers simply will not cope with a clay field after rain. A walking pole helps enormously on steep stiles and slippery descents, and a small rucksack with water, a waterproof layer, a whistle and a charged phone is sensible even for a two-hour stroll. Carry a spare pair of socks in the car — your future self will thank you.

Wildlife, livestock and other people's livelihoods

Our hedgerows and verges are teeming with life for much of the year. Between March and July, ground-nesting birds such as skylarks and lapwings nest in open fields and meadows, so keep dogs close and under control, and take particular care on the wide, grassy field margins. Under the Countryside Code, dogs should be on a lead around livestock and near nesting sites, and always on a lead where a path crosses a field of cattle. If cattle approach, let the dog off the lead so it can move away, and walk calmly to the edge of the field.

• Always close gates behind you, even if you found them open.
• Take litter home — including fruit peel and poo bags.
• Give horses a wide berth, and slow down when you meet them.
• Leave wildflowers, stones and fallen wood where they lie.

Choosing a route that suits the season

Winter paths on clay can be ankle-deep within days of rain, so plan shorter routes on higher, sandy or chalky ground and save the river meadows for summer. Spring is the time for bluebell woods and blossom lanes; autumn rewards you with hedgerow berries and long golden views. Whatever the season, aim to be back before dusk, tell someone where you are going, and give yourself permission to turn back if the weather closes in. The best footpath is the one you know well enough to enjoy without watching the map.