Our walk leader today will be Dianne Billing (0777 584 4027), sadly without the magnificent Hamilton alongside. Last time Dianne led the walk we had 23 hounds. To refresh your memory from the video please click here.

She says that we make a return trip to the 4500 acre Savernake Forest on the outskirts of Marlborough. Some of the route might be familiar to those who came on my Savernake walk last year, but other parts of the route are new for us. There will be lots of grassy (and sometimes muddy) tracks for the hounds and in the afternoon a stop to see one of the 1000 year old oaks known as The King of Limbs. Throughout I hope we will be able to see the glorious autumn colour of this ancient forest.

The walk will be in two parts – we will return to our cars for lunch, so you can just do a half day if you prefer. Please carry water for the hounds as there are no easily accessible ponds.



Turn right here into Grand Drive

Directions to start (at 10.30am)
From Marlborough take the A4 to Hungerford, climbing the steep hill out of town. At the top of the hill look for the Savernake Hospital on the right – another 200 yards and there are traffic bollards in the road. Turn Right after the bollards into the large stone gateway that marks the entrance The Grand Avenue. Drive 1.5 miles (it’s the longest front drive in Britain) taking care with the potholes and vicious speed bumps. After the 4th speed bump climb to the top of the next hill where there is a right hand turning into Three Oak Hill Drive. Turn right and park up along the road.
The Savernake has no signs or reliable maps so getting us all to the start is going to be an exercise in itself – but see map here.



Start of Three Oak Hill Drive