Cam City WI
Inspiring Women
Our next 'Walking Club' meeting details are shared with members in their Newsletter and on our What's App group.
Cam City WI has a regular walking group open to all WI members, friends, partners and family as a social monthly event.
The walks will usually take place on a Sunday (unless otherwise stated).
It is likely that the monthly walk leader will advise longer route and a shorter route (if available) with all details of the walk being supplied ahead of time (average 4 – 6 miles).
We hope to allow for a suitable refreshment venue at the end of each walk for Tea & Cake or a Sunday Lunch.
Please ensure you are ready for the walk by:
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Suitable footwear
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Layers of clothing
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Water / small snack
Leaders of each walk will be required to:
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Ensure details of the walk are circulated and made available ahead of time on the relevant Facebook event page
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Organise for a small first aid kit to be brought along
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That the walk begins no later than 15 minutes of the agreed start time
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Ensure the walker numbers that leave with group all arrive back safely (unless contact made and agreed with the group)
Some suggested places for walks have been mooted for consideration:
Wicken Fen, Anglesey Abbey (when the bluebells are out), Grantchester, St Ives to Houghton, a weekend break in Derby / The Peak District (YHA accommodation), Devils Dyke, the Three Peaks of Cambridge (just struggling to find a third peak!), Ouze Way, £2 train Cambridge to Waterbeach then walk walk back, Pub walk from The Cock in Hemingford Grey, Grafham Water.
Examples of where we’ve walked:
Sunday 20 August 2017 at 2.00pm - Leader Lisa C | Circular Route via Fleam Dyke and Harmcamlow Way LD Path
Setting out from Fulbourn for Great Wilbraham you wouldn't know you're just a few miles outside the city, partly thanks to the swathe of sunflowers. For much of the walk we followed the Harcamlow Way. It's a mere 140 miles, in a figure of eight, linking Cambridge and Harlow if you fancy a challenge!
Nearing Hawk Mill Farm, we surprised a gaggle of guinea fowl. They didn't feel much like posing though and skedaddled away from us shrieking. Hence the blurry photo! Turns out this is quite an animal and wildlife rich walk. As well as the guinea fowl, we had a slightly too close for comfort encounter with a protective cow on Great Wilbraham common; Gaynor saw a weasel and we foraged greengages and blackberries; we noticed some early sloes (we'll be back for sloe gin making!) and a wild mint.
And proving our WI credentials, we enjoyed home-made cake on Fleam Dyke, debating the changes in state pension ages! Before heading back into Fulbourn, past the lovely Fulbourn Fen nature reserve.
'Walkers' in attendance were: Lisa C, Joye R, Suze and Gaynor
Sunday 23 July 2017 at 2,00pm - Leader Bronwyn R | Beyond Anglesey Abbey Walk, Lode, Cambridgeshire
WI Walk around Anglesey Abbey with dark clouds and blue skies!
'Walkers' in attendance were: Bronwyn R, Kara L, Allison T, Helen L, Kirsty G and Mel R.
Sunday 25 June 2017 at 1.30pm - Leader Joye R | The Water Meadows, through the Hemingfords to Houghton and back to St Ives via the Thicket.
Lovely walk today....started in St Ives, Hemingford Gray, Houghton...flower show, brass band, animals and beautiful countryside...
'Walkers' in attendance were: Bron R, Joye R, Allison T and friend.
Saturday 27 May 2017 at 1.00pm - Leader Bronwyn R | Blickling Estate, Norfolk
Our Walking Club crew crossed counties to Norfolk to wander the estate of Blickling! The ever inspriartional and active Bronwyn R and husband Laurence, put a good few of us to shame doing the full 7km in blazing hot sunshine...
The rest of us (after a good showing at the Cambridge Beer Festival) rested our weary legs (ahem!) in the Parade of the Blickling Estate and took in the rays, ate all the ice cream and judged the 'Festival of the Blues' music entertainment harshly but fairly. A lovely day out and awesoem weather to melt in.
'Walkers' in attendance were: Bron, Laurence, Lisa H, Margot R and Ben, Amna B and Martin and Mel R.
Sunday 23 April 2017 at 1.00pm - Leader Lisa C | Swavesey - St Ives
Our Walking Club crew hopped on the Guided Busway up to the village of Swavesey for a stride out around the lakes and up into St Ives for some well earned cake!
Sunday 19 March 2017 at 1.00pm - Leader: Bronwyn R | Wicken Fen
Our Walking Club crew braved the seriously blustery windswept landscape of Wicken Fen near Ely, for our walk this month! A beautiful mixture of moody cloud with sunbursts, ponies and a huge horned friendly beast!
The main crew took on the 10km/6mile Octavia Trail, finding it at moments like resistance training with the winds making it a challenge! There were fresh faced, rosy cheeked walkers on the return to the Visitors Centre for Tea and Cake at the Docky Café!
A smaller contingent took to the shorter boardwalk trail, a winding mile of pathways over watery stretches filled with Reeds.
Walkers in attendance were: Bron, Laurence, Helen M, Gaynor, Suze, Karina, Kirsty, Helen L, Katie H, Mel H, Mel R, Yvonne with Hubby and pup and Kim, Corran, and the kiddiewinkles.
Sunday 19 February 2017 at 1.00pm – Leader: Bronwyn R | Wimpole Hall
A fantastic inaugural Cam City WI Walking Club outing at Wimpole Hall Estate in Arrington, Cambridgeshire. Exceeding the leader’s initial expectations, we had a lovely afternoon taking a 4.5 mile walk which was completed in 1 hour 45 minutes.
The sun came out, the temperature seemed to stay in double figures and there was a very minimal wind factor. Bronwyn as leader was ably assisted in the leading by Yvonne C in her Hunter Boots and we finished off the afternoon with tea and other liquid refreshments, Devon scones, sausage rolls and cake in the Wimpole Hall Café.
Walkers in attendance were: Bronwyn R, Nikki B, Mel R, Yvonne C, Kara L, Jane H, Alison T, Jenny A, Jack H, Sarah N, Helen L, Kirsty G and Joanna S. (With us in walking spirit...Mel H, Karina Q, Margot R and Amna Q - next time ladies!)