Group walk: A Christmas Walk and Social
- bedwynfootpathsgro
- Nov 25, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 6
Sunday 21st December 2025. 1.75 miles
Date: Sunday 21st December 2025
Time: 10.00 am – 12.30 pm
Location: Great Bedwyn Village Hall, Frog Lane SN8 3PD
Our leisurely short Sunday morning walk was attended by a record group of 30 walkers, including children and dogs, and others walking with our group for the first time.
It was chilly but dry for our walk southeast of the canal and railway. From the village hall we walked along Galley Lane to Jockey Green. Then over the road, across the field to the north of Bedwyn Brail entrance and down Coster Hill to Church lock and along the towpath back to the village hall.
At the towpath we met Bedwyn’s latest resident – Gerald the gorilla. He sits high on a tree stump, keeping an eye on passers by so you can’t miss him (see photo in the website gallery). A dangerous tree had been removed from the canal bank leaving only the trunk intact and what better way to decorate this sad stump than with a life size model of a gorilla! That was the idea of boater Bruce so his friends gifted him one for his birthday as a surprise and somehow, he managed to hoist it up onto the tree stump after a short journey from the wharf in his canoe. Gerald has now achieved fame by being featured on BBC Wiltshire.
Back at the village hall the returning walkers were greeted with mulled wine, refreshments and more friends making a party of 35. All the refreshments were brought along by members of the group and they gave generous donations too. Raffle prizes had been donated by members and local businesses, The Three Tuns, The Post Office, The Londis, local artist Ros Hewitt, Dobbies Garden Centre and Huntington-Bourne Bakery at the cattle shed.
The raffle and donations on the day, plus takings from the pot on the Post Office counter this year have raised a total of £172 which will go towards the reprinting of our walk leaflets for the coming season. These are also available here online at https://www.bedwynfootpathsgroup.org.uk/self-guided-walks
No stiles on this December group walk route, one fairly steep downhill. For more details of the route contact
