# 🥾 Walk 506 - Great Bedwyn and the Savernake Forest

On a cool Mother's Day Sunday we met at Bedwyn Station and headed off towards Savernake Forest. The recent sunshine and wind had dried out the paths so mud was almost non-existent as we moved through Bedwyn Common, a predominately flat area that can be quite wet and muddy. Upon entering Savernake forest, at its extreme South Eastern point, we begun the hunt for "the king of limbs". This 1,000 year old tree is immortalised in the Radiohead Album, "King of Limbs". For those interested it can be found on google maps, a rare tribute to a tree!

After a failed attempt, blocked by a huge fallen tree, we quickly found the track that led us to the tree. Radiohead, a band from Abingdon, recorded this album at the nearby Tottenham House. Apparently it is the only British Album named after a tree. The tree is feeling its age and many limbs have broken off - as to be expected of such an old tree.

![The King of Limbs oak tree.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume39/images/king_of_limbs.jpg)

We then made our way to the Grand Avenue before heading off on a side track where we had lunch on a fallen tree. We then moved onto 8 ways, an intersection of 8 roads that all span out at 45 degree angles. We then decided to head along Great Lodge Drive before heading off onto grass tracks. Fortunately the tracks had dried out as the tracks can quickly deteriorate into mud.

The grass tracks took us deep into the forest and we were blessed with a collection of magnificent old Beech and Oak trees - all twisted and gnarled. Fortunately the sun had broken through the clouds and this provided an excellent temperature for our walk.

![The Ailesbury Column on Three Oak Hill.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume39/images/the_ailesbury_column.jpg)

Onward we ventures and over Sawpit drive and then joining Pig Stye before heading down Charcoal Burners Road where we saw the remains of a second world war ammunitions dump. Apparently Savernake was used for this task during the war. We then reached the rather formidable Column which is a tribute to George 3rd.

We then made our way through Tottenham ground, the site of extensive ground works, for what we were not sure. Onward to St Katherines, built for the Lady of the House, where we had a quick look at this beautiful church. We then made our way down to Great Bedwyn and went our seperate ways - some of us to the nearby Three Tuns pub whilst waiting for the train. The length of the walk was clocked at 12.2 miles.

![Inside St Katherine's Church.](https://www.berksww.org.uk/scrapbooks/volume39/images/st_katherines_church.jpg)

*Thank you to Ian for leading this walk and writing it up.*

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