Smisby Village

Smisby WI Pages

Smisby WI Walks : Smisby Striders

 

Smisby Striders are the  Smisby WI walking group, which was set up in 2011.

Snowdrops at Dimminsdale 2014

 

 

Members take it in turns to organise and lead the walks on the 2nd Thursday of each month., Each walk is on average about 4 miles in length and may range from 3 to 6 miles

 

The walk finishes with lunch!  Members can just join in for the walk or the lunch, if they don't want to do both activities.  Members are notified of each venue by email and are asked to reply if they are attending.

 

Well behaved dogs welcome on lead. For most walks we meet at 10:15 am for a prompt 10.30 start.

Please wear appropriate footwear and clothing for the time of year.

 

Walk details are circulated to members by email, normally a week before the walk. The walk leaders for 2019 are shown below and locations where known

 

 

Date 2019

Leader

 Location

January 10th

Suzanne

 Lakeside

February 14th

Jane Barnett

  Dimminsdale, Staunton Harold

March 14th

Julie Cooper

  

April 11th

Chris  & Sue

  

May 9th

Jean  Raynor

  

June 13th

 

  postponed

July 11th

Suzanne

 Willesley Woodside

August 8th

Marie 

  Peak District Open Walk

September 12th

Chris Newman

  

October 10th

Chris & Sue

  

November 14th

Linda & Lynne

  

December 19th

Christmas Lunch

  

 

Willesley Woodside July 2019
July19walk
The Striders June walk unfortunately had to be cancelled as only one person was able to attend due to members taking holidays. Also  the June date was in one of the wettest weeks of the year, especially on the Thursday,  so it all turned out for the best.
July's walk started at the Oakthorpe Colliery car park in Donisthorpe, a very local walk for us. The weather could not of been better,  gloriously sunny with a slight breeze. The walk was through Willesley Woods to the  Scout Camp on the site of the Willesley Hall, which was demolished in 1953.  After walking by the side of the golf course we turned left and across the road and entered the Hicks National Forest Cycling Centre, after a further two miles we came to the visitors centre where we were able to have lunch, it was then a short walk  back to our cars, it was a lovely walk many of the walkers did not know the area so it was all new to them, and Bryn my Border Collie really enjoyed the 4.5mile walk with the ladies.

 

  

Hartshorne May 9th 2019

Thursday's walk was lead by Jean our President, the weather was very cold and overcast when we met at the car park in Hartshorne to begin the walk. A short walk through the village took us on to Nether Hall Wood and to woods that backed on to Jean's house. In the woods there is a derelict building which was once a mill.  The picture is taken on the bridge which goes over the steam, after coffee and biscuits at Jean's it was a steady climb up to Caukley Wood which when looking back offered beautiful views of the rolling South Derbyshire hills. A gentle walk down hill to Hartshorne went past some beautiful old buildings, and then to the car park where we started our walk. The four mile walk was finished with a well deserved lunch at the  Greyhound public house  Woodville. Click on photos to enlarge

 

February 2019 Dimminsdale

 

The February’s walk began at the car park by Dimminsdale woods, after a climb up through the woods we came to what is know as the ridge, this takes you along to a hill which over looks Staunton Harold Hall. The weather was superb ideal for walking and for taking photographs of the hall and church which looked  magnificent set in the hollow of the valley. The idea of the walk is to see the magnificent show of Snowdrops and when we got there, they did not disappoint.  A truly wonderful display of Snowdrops in a woodland setting, and a superb five mile walk, and of course a lovely lunch to finish at a local pub.  Click on photos to enlarge

 

Jan 2019 Lakeside walk

 

It was decided to have lunch before the January walk, so to start 2019 we met at the Lakeside Restaurant in Moira for a light lunch and with weather conditions being suitable we would walk afterwards.
The weather was fine if a little overcast so we walked from Lakeside to the YHA and continued  on to Bath Yard and the canal. When we reached  the Furnace it started to rain so we decided to divert the walk through woods to arrive back at Lakeside for tea and cake.
The National Forest have erected seven interpretation boards through-out the region telling the story of the local area and the people who lived and worked in the mines. We passed three of them and members found the information very informative. 
The picture is of our group on the trail which used to be a railway taking coal  to the Ashby Canal at Measham.  A lovely walk with some local social history.

Jan19walk

 

 

Bluebell Nursery and Arbouretum Walk October 2018

The village of  Smisby are very lucky to have on our doorstep the Bluebell Arboretum, so as the Autumnal colours are now at their best it was decided to pay it a visit.
Robert Vernon the owner greeted fourteen members and two husbands, and over some delicious cake made by his daughter in-law he told about the history and how the arboretum got its name.
We spent a hour and a half being guided round the nine acre woodland garden by Robert,  and saw  trees of all sizes including many rare species from all corners of the globe, two of our ladies even got to hug the very first tree planted by Robert, a Giant Redwood (or giant sequoia). A superb morning and the weather was even kind to us, we certainly will  go back in the spring to see the wonderful selection of Magnolias he has in the woodland. A hidden gem in South Derbyshire staffed by friendly informative staff, and is  well worth a visit. Click on photos to enlarge.

 

 

Aston on Trent, September 2018

Eleven members enjoyed a beautiful autumnal walk round Aston-on -Trent, in South Derbyshire. We followed a history trail leaflet put together by the SDDC and Aston-on -Trent local history group. The three mile walk took us to Aston Hall, now apartments. The very interesting Saxon church with a stone set into the wall which has a carved design resembling early Christian crosses. We found a fire-mark plate on the side of a cottage, then on to the octagonal shelter, built to house the village pump.

After walking across several ploughed fields we joined the path back to the Malt public house for lunch. A very interesting walk and a lovely day, there are several information boards located in the village which were very useful and the display of old photographs in the pump shelter where very interesting.astonwalk

Our next walk in October will be to the Arboretum at Smisby to see the Autumn colours.

 

May 2018 walk and 90th birthday lunch

 

The open bluebell walk in May 2018 was from Smisby to Hartshorne via Sharp’s Bottom. It finished with a meal at the village hall, which was planned as a 90th birthday lunch for Jean Statt.  As well as the walkers and some of their partners, other WI members came to this special lunch, which was prepared by Suzanne and Pat.

Jean has been a member of Smisby WI for 30 years. She has photographed many WI functions, e.g. parties and craft mornings. She has also photographed most of the changes in the village too and produced albums showing the village history.  The guests were able to browse these wonderful albums to remind us of these events.

Thirty three people welcomed Jean to the party. Barbara Ball gave the congratulations speech. Sheila Heap had made a birthday cake, decorated with  a camera and  calendar on to celebrate Jean’s photography and aa a reminder of her many photographs published in the DFWI calendars  over the years. Jean took home with her many birthday cards, a planter full of plants that will last all summer and the cake to share with her family. Jean

cake 

cheese 2

 

 

 

 

 

 Walk reports

 

11January 2018

Chris led the 4.7 mile walk from Conkers car park, taking fourteen members along easy tracks with no stiles. We walked round the Mushroom Lane pond and through Gresley and Tunnel woods, following Sustrans route 63 for some of the way. We returned beside the railway line to Spring Coaatge and back into Conkers. We. then drove the short distance to Lakeside tes Rooms at Short Heath water for lunch. As usual the hospitality and food was excellent.walkj18

 

 

 

13 July 2017 Dovedale circuit

 

Members and husbands met at Ilam Hall. The route started through Ilam village, and across fields behind the Izaak Walton, and crossed over the bridge rather then the famous stepping stones (to avoid a large school party) to follow the Dove upstream past Lover’s Leap, Tissington Spires, and Pickering Tor. Crossing and leaving the river we turned northwest along the enchanting Hall Dale towards Stanshope. Just short of Stanshope we walked south across hay fields to the  road with spectacular views of the rocky Bunster Hill returning through Ilam Village and back to the cafe and facilities at Ilam Hall.This pretty walk was just over six miles. Click on picture to enlarge.
 

Overseal Health Walking group.

 

Some WI walks have been jointly organised with Dot Morson. She leads regular walks on a Tuesday for the Overseal Health Walking group. To see their schedule of Tuesday walks, select from left hand menu