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As part of Bristol Walkfest, Friends of Oldbury Court Park, have asked me to lead a trail for them; one of three that the Friends group is organising.
This free History & Tree Trail is specifically for parents/carers with children in buggies and people in powered wheelchairs. On this one and a half hour trail, we'll stick to the metalled paths and take frequent rest breaks. It's one and a half miles long from start to finish. For the last half hour, we'll have a little picnic.
Set within the ancient Forest of Kingswood, Oldbury Court has a long and fascinating history, the word ‘Oldbury’ meaning ‘old fortified place’ in the Saxon language.
At 11am, we'll meet at the Oldbury Court Road entrance. We'll then examine the site of Oldbury House, which was built on the remains of a Saxon hunting lodge; looking at several photos of this magnificent Jacobian building. We'll look at an artist's impression of the Grotto, as the Landscape Gardener - Humphrey Repton - envisaged it, and a photo of how it looks now. We'll look at a photo of the Holy Well where medieval pilgrims stopped for ablutions on their pilgrimage from Winterbourne to Glastonbury Abbey; and many more photos besides.
We'll then examine the Crinkle Crankle Bridge over Henry Slead's Stream and journey down to Frenchay Bridge; before coming back to where we started. It always looks different when you're going in the opposite direction!
Along the way, we'll identify and learn more about the spectacular trees that flourish in this rich and varied landscape.
We'll finish off with a little picnic (drinks and cake), kindly provided by the Friends of Oldbury Court Park.
If you'd like to join us, tick the 'going' tab and we'll be in touch.
We hope to see you there!
https://www.facebook.com/tenamazingtrees
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Oldbury Court Estate, Oldbury Court Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 2JH, United Kingdom