Women Out Walking
"Leave nothing but your footprints"
WOW is an informal group and has no committee; we meet for the common purpose of a chat and a breath of fresh air. We started walking on summer evenings in 2005 and have since continued on Friday mornings.
We walk monthly and anyone is welcome to take the lead. Walks are advertised in the village website's diary and through the village news section in the Gazette and Herald - sometimes we put up posters. We also liaise with the Parish Council.
Please note that, due to various difficulties encountered, WOW walks are dog-free.
Maps of Kington St Michael's footpaths are available from the village shop at only £3.99.
For information on different types of rights of way, who is responsible for them and how to report a fault click here. Further information can be found on Wiltshire Council's website.
Countryside Access: Finding Your Way, Government advice sheet.
Useful Websites:
The Countryside Code
Countryside Access
The Ramblers Association
www.walkinginengland.co.uk/wiltshire - print free maps
www.walkswithbuggies.com/
www.walkswithwheelchairs.com/
www.walkweb.org/ (with walks in Wiltshire)
Wiltshire Council - Rights of Way Information
http://www.wiltshirelaf.org.uk/ (Wiltshire Local Access Forum)
Next Walks
Details to follow. We meet at 10am at the end of The Close on the following dates:
WOW walks have currently been discontinued as someone is needed to lead the walks - if this could be you, please contact Delcia Fussell on (01249) 750529.
News
(Scroll down for walk reports)
In July 2021, Delcia Fussell stepped down as walk leader after 15 years; many thanks go to Delcia for organising dates, routes and enjoyable walks, throughout that time. If you would be interested in taking over the role, please contact Delcia on (01249) 750529.
During November 2011 the footpaths officers spent 3 days walking the parish's footpaths and noting work to be done. Anyone who would like to see a copy of the report should contact kingtonstmichael@btinternet.com.
Walk Reports 2020
Friday 6th March: Following a very wet few days it was a bright, sunny morning when ten of us set out from the village for our monthly walk. We took the lane to Stanton St Quintin, where we passed the church and then took the footpath through the barn conversions. We crossed two muddy fields and then enjoyed the peace and quiet of Stanton Wood. After a short stretch along the road we stopped for welcome refreshment at the motorway services before continuing along the road back to Kington St Michael. Many thanks to Jenny and Pat for leading the January and February walks.
Friday 10th January: On
an almost Ssringlike morning, ten ladies set off down Stanton Lane into
the village of Stanton St Quintin. On reaching Stanton Wood, the path
lead to the main road near Leigh Delamere Service Station, where we
enjoyed a rest and hot drinks before setting off back to the village.
Walk Reports 2019
Friday 4th October: The
weather forecast was not good when eight of us met for our monthly walk; we set
off across the fields to Down Farm, where we took the bridleway to Grove
Lane. After a short stroll along the
road we headed back across the fields to The Priory and then through the Nymph
Hay Wood. We endured a couple of short
showers en route before making our way to Folly Row Café for a welcome
coffee.
Friday 6th September: Cloudy and overcast but mainly dry for
our September walk. Six of us set off
through the playing fields and along Grove Lane until we reached the footpath
which heads towards Yatton Keynell. It
was easy walking, particularly on the homeward stretch, where the crops had
already been harvested. There were quite
a few stiles en route but we eventually reached the lane in Easton Piercy and
made our way back along the road to Kington St Michael. This is one of our longer walks at 5½
miles.
Friday 2nd August: A dry day for our walk, when
six of us set off across the fields to Kington Langley, where we took the path
down through the woodland to Jacksoms Lane.
On the way back we had to cross a number of stiles and fight our way through
fields containing crops, which made the going very difficult.
Friday 5th July: The
weather has been a controlling factor with regard to our walks over the last
two months; in June it was so wet that
we had to cancel the walk. By contrast,
it was so hot on the first Friday in July that there were only two of us
wanting to brave the heat. We enjoyed a
stroll around the Nymph Hay Wood where the meadow cranesbill were flowering in
profusion and then made our way back to Delcia’s garden to sit in the shade and
enjoy a coffee.
Friday 10th May: On a glorious May morning, 11 ladies set off down Grove Lane, into Easton
Piercy Lane and across fields to a private wood, for our annual treat - the
spectacular sight and scent of bluebells. Crossing two more fields, we
walked over the M4 footbridge to Leigh Delamere and onto the service station for coffee before returning to the village through the Millennium Wood.
Thanks to Bill and Pat Isaac for allowing us, once again, to visit their
wood.
Friday 5th
April: Ten ladies
met for our April walk and we set off across the fields behind the school and
on to Down Farm, where we took the bridleway to Grove Lane. We saw primroses, white and blue violets and
early cowslips and bluebells. We
returned to the village via The Priory and the Nymph Hay Wood. Then it was on to The Jolly Huntsman for a
welcome coffee.
Friday 1st
March: It was a fine day for our
March walk, when ten of us met at the top of The Close. We set off through the churchyard, where
there were still a few snowdrops in flower, and then took the footpath
alongside the Old Rectory, which was very overgrown with brambles in parts. We
made our way to Lodge Farm and the dual carriageway and after a very noisy few
minutes alongside the traffic, we headed into the relative quiet of Jacksoms
Lane, followed by a walk up through the woodland to Kington Langley. Our route back to Kington St Michael took us
down Coffin Way, back across the dual carriageway and on for a welcome coffee
in The Jolly Huntsman. We had enjoyed
seeing masses of primroses, crocuses and daffodils on our route. A definite sign that spring is just around
the corner.
Friday 8th February: It was a very wet and windy day when
seven of us braved the elements and set off for our February walk. Due to the strong winds we decided on a
shorter walk than normal, taking a route across the playing fields, into the
Nymph Hay Wood and on through the grounds of The Priory to Easton Piercy
Lane. We were delighted to see lots of
snowdrops as we made our way back along the road to Kington St Michael where
we enjoyed a welcome coffee at Folly Row Café.
Friday 4th January: Another bright day for our New Year walk. Twelve of us set out from the village along the lane to Stanton St Quintin. We took the footpath through the barn conversions and across the fields to Stanton Wood, where the hazel catkins were the first sign of spring. After a short stretch along the road we stopped for welcome refreshment at the motorway services, before continuing along the road back to Kington St Michael.