Our fourth North Wessex Downs Walking Festival comes to a close

Over 400 walkers took part in the fourth North Wessex Downs Walking Festival which finished on Sunday 9th June. Twenty-eight walks took place over ten days with walks across the National Landscape.

The programme included opportunities to visit farms, meet farmers and land managers and learn about what they were doing to help wildlife and conserve the beauty of the landscape. These included a walk near Streatley to learn about work taking place to restore valuable chalk grassland; a walk through Bucklebury Common with a local ecologist and hearing from farmers in Wilton to learn about the creation of new wetlands there.  Walks also included two in Savernake Forest lead by community ranger Sian and a walk exploring the lesser-known areas around Avebury in the company of two staff from Wiltshire Council’s Archaeology Service.

The North Wessex Downs has top class walking country on offer and the walking festival is the perfect opportunity for residents and visitors to explore more of this fascinating and beautiful landscape in the company of welcoming and knowledgeable guides.

Bedwyn Footpaths Group; Berkshire Geoconservation Group; Bucklebury Estate; Court Oak Farm; Cocklebury Farm; Ewhurst Park; Forestry England; Great Green Bedwyn; Lower Pang & Kennet Farmer Group; Mend the Gap; National Grid; North Wessex Downs Landscape Trust; Pewsey Vale Tourism; Pipsticks Walks; Ramblers – North West Wiltshire; Richard Jefferies Museum; Salaam Seekers; Sheepdrove Organic Farm; Sundew Ecology; The Ridgeway National Trail; Whitchurch Walkers are Welcome; Whitchurch Wednesday Walks; Wiltshire Council Archaeology Service; Wiltshire History Man; Youth Adventure Trust