Our walking group was one of the first subgroups established after the founding of Clifton Doves WI in 2017, and has remained popular since.
Currently, we meet once a month on the last Sunday at 10.30am to stretch our legs and spend time with our friends in the fresh air. We walk at a conversational pace, with plenty of stops to admire the scenery or take pictures.
Over the years, we’ve visited Wollaton Hall, Highfields University , Rushcliffe, Attenborough Nature Reserve – most of the usual strolling spots in our beautiful area – and been up and down the Grove more times than we can count! We especially enjoy taking a sunset walk in the summer, to Barton In Fabis along the Grove where we have stopped off for a refreshing brew and bite at The Dovecote Barn in the past. In fact, refreshments are pretty high on the list of criteria when we plan our walking programme – we like to make sure there is somewhere pleasant to stop off for a hot drink and a snack, or perhaps something stronger or heartier!
Our Annual Christmas Jumper Walk is a regular fixture too, along the Embankment to Brewhouse in our best festive finery for a reviver. We even managed to keep this tradition through Covid restrictions, keeping to groups of six and bringing our flasks with us, to perch on the cold steps and toast to many more walks in the future!
Our recent January walk began at Green’s Mill in the city, we admired the urban architecture on our way past Sneinton Hermitage and the Sneinton Dragon, before joining the Greenway to follow the route of the now retired Suburban Railway on our way to Colwick Woods. After we scaled the muddy heights and gained some fabulous views across Nottingham, we followed sunny footpaths through the woods, back to the Mill, via Hermitage Square, nodding to Bendigo’s statue and admiring The Towers, a lofty residence where a captain of industry kept watch over his barges on the canal from a high window.
We were very grateful for the recent donation to our group of some trekking poles that helped us make short work of the mud and steep slopes!
Our next outing will be a circular walk of Nottingham Canal and Rivers, meeting by the statue of Sir Robert Clifton by the Toll Bridge at 10.30am. The route is about 8km or 5 miles, allow at least three hours to walk at a conversational pace and break for refreshments.
Starting from the Toll Bridge, along the River Leen, following the canal through the city before re-joining the River Trent with the Embankment as our finishing straight.
We’ll pick somewhere to stop off for a drink and a bite around the halfway point.
As with all our subgroups, our friendly Walking group is open to all in our community, please drop us a message via our Facebook page Clifton Doves – The WI, or an email to [email protected] if you would like to join us or for more information.
