Dadima's walks 2023 Family walk programme

Theme: Tapping into mindfulness through nature along the historic Ridgeway.

This year, Dadima’s 2023 festive walk is a special historic one – linked to celebrating 50 years since The Ridgeway officially opened as a National Trail in 1973. The Trail has had hundreds of thousands of visitors, all with so many stories to tell. Dadima’s attended the special 50^th celebration event on 29^th September, 2023 at Coombe Hill and heard interesting historic stories of how the trail and landscape has evolved (see a few of our celebration highlights). We are grateful to Sarah Wright, The Ridgeway National Trail Project Officer, for collaborating with Dadima’s CIC and planning the route for this year’s December walk.

Unique features of this walk:

• Dadima’s have co-planned features of this walk with Sarah Wright. Sarah will plan five stops along this walk at special points of interest, using the 5-4-3-2-1 mindfulness and art techniques which will be used to observe nature around us. The final stop will hopefully open up special conversations about our unique nature connections, which cannot always be explained through the senses. We will have some snacks for the stops, and hopefully these will generate some interesting conversations and help to keep us warm.
• Date, start & end time: Sunday, 10 December, starting at 10am sharp until approx. 2pm. Please arrive by 9.45am to be ready for the brief introduction talks by Sarah and Dadima’s walk leaders at 10am. (Please car share where possible).
• Distance and speed: Approx. 7.6 km route, at a moderate, conversational walking pace.
• Start and end point: The walk starts and ends at Pitstone Hill free car park, Stocks Rd, Aldbury, Tring, HP23 5RX.
• Route: Sarah has plotted the walk and gradient using the OS maps app – information can be found here.
• Refreshments: The route involves a halfway coffee and toilet break at the Church Farm Café, which has indoor seating. We should arrive here for approx. 11.30am and stay for around 45 minutes.
• Booking: Email Geeta Ludhra (gludhra@gmail.com) ASAP, so we have an idea of numbers to assess parking and call ahead to the café.

Important points to note:

• Timings: please arrive promptly and plan your route ahead. Note that the end time of the walk is approximate, depending on the conversations we have at stop points.
• Please wear suitable clothing for the weather, particularly footwear that is supportive and comfortable.
• We always carry a first-aid kit and there are a few qualified first-aiders on our walks.
• This walk is probably not suitable for pushchairs, but fine for children who are good walkers at a moderate pace.

Watch this space for more information.