Dadima's walks 2023 Family walk programme

This will be a storytelling walk, with environmental scientists from the Open University sharing a variety of stories about the creative and destructive power of rivers in our lives and landscapes.

Date & Time: Sunday, 29th January 29, 10am start

Starting point/parking: From the (pay) public car park at Skirmett Rd, Mill End, Henley-on-Thames RG9 6TL. See also this Parking map link

This walk commences at 10am sharp from the usual Lewknor meeting point, just off the M40 (see FAQs for parking/bus-stop points). I will be in the parking lay-by area to greet you ahead of 10am.

This is not a powerwalk or distance race, but rather a slowish, mindful walk that encourages us to connect with nature through all our senses, at an individual and community level. I will start the walk with a short mindfulness activity for grounding and calm, to release some of the stresses that we may carry. I will then set a simple photography activity on ‘noticing the small things’, which will lead towards creating a storyboard of 3 pictures by the end of the walk (5 max if you struggle with 3).

We will then walk along the famous Ridgeway trail towards Watlington, pausing at ‘notable’ points along the path. We will stop-off at the Spire and Spoke for a coffee/drink/toilet break and discuss some of our ‘noticing’. We will repeat this on the walk back and observe what we may ‘notice’ differently. I would love to share your story images on my social media with your permission (and full credit to you), to encourage others to explore nature and ‘notice the small things’.

Date: Sunday 26th March, 10am start.

Title: A walk down Memory Lane: Canals, musical trails & woodland.

Led by: Dadima’s Ambassadors: Priya, Professor Clare and Harbind Singh.

Meeting Time: 9.45am for a prompt 10am start.

Meeting Address: We will meet at the Daisy’s in the Park Café, 200m from the Gade Avenue car park – Gade Avenue Watford WD18 7LG.

Toilets & refreshments: Available at the café. There is an excellent children’s playground next to the café too.

The walk: We will walk a 7km route north along the canal, then looping through the Musical Trail at The Grove. Here, we will stop for a musical interlude and tea/snacks (bring your own flasks/drinks please). There will then be a 500m section along a road (half with a pavement along a main road, half along a minor road with no pavement) before coming back into Whippendell Wood, and back across the canal into Cassiobury park. The surface underfoot is all firm, although a bit muddy if after rain. There are some minor inclines, but not very long or steep. We expect the walk to take up to 3 hours, depending on how many people are in the group, and our stop times.

Suitability: The walk is suitable for pushchairs/buggies, although there is one set of steps at the end that can be bypassed. Children are welcome to join the walk, but please be aware we will be walking along the canal tow path for about 2km where extra care is needed. The trail is not suitable for scooters.

Getting there

Car: Cassiobury Park Car Park (Pay-and-display in the order of £2-3), Gade Avenue Watford WD18 7LG. If you park on the residential roads surrounding the park, please check restrictions and signs carefully.

Underground: Watford Underground Station (1 km away) is served by the Metropolitan Line from Baker Street.

Bus: The Cassiobury Park Avenue bus stop is served by various bus services including the 103 from High Wycombe via Beaconsfield, Amersham

Date: Sunday 23rd April. This walk commences at 9am sharp (Note: not 10am like some walks!) from the usual Lewknor meeting point, just off the M40 (see FAQs for free parking/bus-stop point). We will be in the parking lay-by area to greet you just ahead of 9am.

Starting point and times: 9am start from Lewknor (see FAQs). Allow 3.5 hours max to ensure time for some pauses, nature story sharing and discussion. We walk at a moderate pace, not a power race. Aim to end by 12.30. Please be prompt and plan your journey ahead to assess traffic & weather conditions.

Intensity, distance & pace: There will be some gradual inclines, and up and downhill walking (not too intense). Approx 5 miles (8km) distance.

Walk Overview: We did this Spring bluebell walk at the same time last year in 2022 (see picture). We will walk up the Chilterns Hill at a moderate pace, and into Cowleaze Woods and back again through a loop (some up and downhill walking). Due to the colder March weather we have experienced, bluebells that normally carpet the woodlands have appeared later (we have seen some though). Bluebells are such a special springtime flower, and hold such beautiful stories, to include folk and fairytales, important biodiversity properties and are an inspiration for writers and poets. They are commonly found in woodlands and we will share some interesting stories and facts about this protected species, encouraging you to find your own points of creative connection.

What do you need: Suitable clothing to suit the weather conditions (layers are always better so you can remove), to include comfortable walking shoes or trainers (ensure a good grip and ankle support, socks with some padding). A light back-pack with your essentials. This may include: a water bottle, light snacks, any personal things to make your walk comfortable. You may want to bring a notebook (some people do) and your mobile phone to take pictures. If you have walking poles and find them helpful, do bring them along (not necessary though).

First-aid: As walk leaders, Geeta and Subash are first-aid trained and carry a small kit on the walks.

Booking: Please email or message Geeta gludhra@gmail.com via social media to book. No charge to attend – it is always useful to know who is coming.

Butterflies, badgers and bees, led by Dr Elaine King

Date & Time: Sunday, 21st May, 9am start – 11.30/12 noon approx.

This walk commences at 9am sharp from the National Trust car park in Bradenham village, near the cricket pavilion.

Grid ref: SU827969.

Satnav: HP27 0PR

Led by expert Dadima’s Ambassador, Jon Mason @theearlybirder who led an amazing walk in 2022. Place: Tring Reservoirs. Pre booking will be required. More information coming soon.

This event will building on the success of 2022’s South Asian Heritage Month event. We welcome stories, poems, songs etc on the topic above. Pre-booking required. Details to follow.

Watch this space for more information.

Watch this space for more information.

Watch this space for more information

Watch this space for more information.

Watch this space for more information.

Watch this space for more information.