About the walks

For a normal Sunday walk the minimum you need is:-

• Stout boots or trainers with a good tread suitable for negotiating muddy fields and slippery stiles (even in summer).  Don’t wear new boots for the first time on a long walk – obviously.

• A waterproof top, preferably breathable. This should be carried at all times, the weather forecast has been known to be wrong, especially when in the hills.  Feeling cold and wet all day is less fun than carrying a waterproof, not to mention the risk of hypothermia. 

• Waterproof over trousers are optional for easy walks but strongly recommended for longer walks and / or worse weather. 

• Sufficient warm clothing. It is often colder in the Peak District than down in Derby.  Pack what you think you will need then add another layer.  We still occasionally get caught out by a warm fine day in South Derbyshire which turns into a bitter cold windy day north of Matlock. 

• Drink for the day walk.  If you are not sure what you need then it is suggested for a full days walk you bring 1 litre minimum, 2 litres for a hard walk or a hot day. There are usually no shops.  Country pubs can shut unexpectedly so you need to have enough liquid for the whole day. 

• For Sunday walks only you need food for the day.  Even if we go to a pub for lunch there will not be time to order and eat a meal.  Make sure you have enough food for an active day.  A few spare energy bars are a good idea.

• A simple first aid kit- antiseptic wipes, plasters, lip salve, insect repellent as necessary.

• An OS map of the area, 1.25000 series, the waterproof ones last much longer.  The map will help you find the start of the walk. Carrying it through the day is optional but you will find it useful to see where you have been in case you wish to repeat the walk or parts of it another time.  A compass and / or GPS are optional most of the time.  If you are walking in an area where these are necessary the chances are you have enough experience to know when you really need them. 

• A rucksack to carry the above. A waterproof cover for your rucksack is useful.     

The Club organises walks for a range of abilities but bear in mind most of the members walk quite often and are used to it.  Also uneven paths, thick vegetation and hills make walking a lot harder than it is on a good flat path.

It is preferable to start off with a walk that you find easy and be pleasantly surprised than to struggle round all day.

If you are free in the week then the Wednesday or Stroller walks are a good place to start.

If in doubt which of the walks would suit you, feel free to contact the appropriate Programme Secretary.

Walks start at 9.30 am or 10.00 am and finish around 5.00 pm although this depends on the length of the walk, conditions on the day and the speed of the group so it is variable. There is usually a short al fresco coffee stop in the morning and, where appropriate, another in the afternoon.  

The lunch break is longer, up to an hour.  The venue is shown on the programme and there is often a pub for those who wish to use it.  

Most walks use private transport and are therefore circular. The programme gives the location, grid reference and what3words address for the start point for the walk.  Walks leave promptly so aim to arrive about 15 mins early to allow time to find parking space, put on your boots etc. Any car sharing is on an informal basis.

Easy walks tend to be shorter and/or flatter and generally at a slower pace.  Harder walks are longer and/or more hilly, may involve walking over difficult ground and generally go at a faster pace. The grading, i.e. Easy to Hard, is subjective.

Similarly mileage is difficult to measure accurately and the walk may be a little longer or shorter than advertised, or it may have to be diverted due to unforeseen circumstances.

If in doubt look at the route on the OS map beforehand and use your judgment or contact the Sunday Programme Secretary.

The walk leaders are volunteers.  It is the duty of all walkers to ensure that they are suitably equipped and fit for the walk in question.  Leaders may ask a walker not to participate if they judge they are unsuitably dressed or otherwise not capable of doing the walk.

In the unlikely event of accident or injury we will make every effort to see you home safely.  To this end if you are a prospective member or new to the Club we suggest you provide the walk leader on the day with your full name and address, details of someone we can contact in an emergency and any relevant health details. A handwritten sheet of paper is fine. 

The Wednesday walks are organised on a less formal basis on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. Please contact the Wednesday Programme Secretary  for details.

The walks are approximately six miles long, usually within ten miles of Derby. We sometimes start from a pub and if you wish you can go there for lunch after the walk.

Experienced walkers can skip this but if you are relatively new to rambling you really do need to read the information sections What to bring and Fitness.

Walks start at 10.00 am and finish around lunchtime although this depends on the length of the walk, conditions on the day and the speed of the group.

There is usually a short al fresco coffee stop.

Most walks use private transport and are therefore circular.  The Calendar gives the location, and grid reference and what3words address for the start point for the walk.  Walks leave promptly so aim to arrive about 15 mins early to allow time to find parking space, put on your boots etc. Any car sharing is on an informal basis.

Stroller walks tend to be shorter and/or flatter and generally at a slower pace than Wednesday walks.

The walk leader will navigate the route, so in theory you do not need to be able to read a map for a normal Club walk in the Peak District.  However it is a good idea to learn how to map read and even how to use a compass.  It is a skill that will add considerably to your ability to enjoy the countryside. Members will be happy to help you.  As a start, here is a useful link

https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/resources/map-reading.

For a very few of the hardest walks and weekends away an ability to use a map and compass may be a prerequisite but this will be made clear beforehand.

• Wonderful scenery

• Paths that are new to you

• Fresh air and exercise

• A chat and a laugh

• A feeling of tiredness and achievement at the end

• and finally, last but not least, a burning desire to do it again next week

The Club aims to organise a few weekends away each year.  The accommodation varies depending on the venue and type of walking and ranges from simple YHA or private huts to hotels.  Likewise the walks may vary from simple to challenging.     

On joining Derby Nomads all members receive a member’s pack which includes a plastic wallet with a slip of paper on which to record any medical conditions and emergency contact details. This should be carried in your rucksack so that it can be accessed should there be a need. If you are unable to find this please contact the Membership Secretary for a further copy.

In the unlikely event that there is an emergency on any of our walks we will do whatever we can to manage the situation and call the Emergency Services if required. We will stay with you and will make appropriate arrangements to get you back home.

The Club maintains a list of emergency contacts so that we can inform the members designated person that there has been an incident once we are able to explain what has happened. Our priority must be to get the essential help.

The list of emergency contacts is given to committee members only and not to the full membership. The information is sensitive and must be treated with respect. GDPR makes it inappropriate to circulate the information to all members. The telephone numbers for committee members are included on the Attendance Form should you be on a walk without a committee member present. 

It is important that we maintain an up-to-date list of contacts. Should there be any change to your own details, please let the Membership Secretary know here.

If you are planning to lead a walk for the first time, you can visit the Walk in Derbyshire website. This site has numerous existing walks should you require some inspiration. You can download route maps and GPX files to your phone or mobile device.

To create your own walk, you can visit Plotaroute.com, open an account and use the simple online tools to generate a route. Again, route maps and GPX files can be downloaded.