"Excuse me."

Along the canal towpath today I passed dozens of people walking in both directions. I noticed something odd. The vast majority of people were walking in pairs along a surfaced path, wide enough for two.  As I passed them, one would step forwards or back so that we could all stick to the dry, clean path and avoid the muddy mess on each side, usually with a cheerful greeting.

However, when passing "organised" groups of walkers, identified by their fancy waterproofs, heavy boots, rucksacks, walking poles and maps, none of them would make way, ploughing ahead with determination, forcing me to trudge through the mud, not departing from their intense conversations to say "hello.".  If this had happened just once, I would not have noticed but three separate groups of about six or eight people all strode along as though they had reserved the path of their exclusive use.

I have never encountered this before. It must have been a special outing for the Ignorant Ramblers Society