The Cotswolds - Bledington, Oxfordshire

 May 2022

This is a rural area of West Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire with properties and dry stone walls made of honey coloured stone. It is also the homeland of ex-prime minister David Cameron. It is attractive and prosperous. 

We stayed at The King’s Head in Bledington on the border of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire

and after a pleasant light lunch took a short walk of 4 miles, a version of the Kingham Station Circular Walk. Starting from Bledington we took in Bruern Abbey and returned via Foxholes nature reserve. Supper was at the King’s Head again. Our stay was comfortable and convenient: we were well looked after for our three days here.

Next day, after a fortifying breakfast, we drove to and parked in the village of Salford, taking a roughly clockwise route following the D'Arcy Dalton Way and taking in The Rollrights, - see The Whispering Knights, below - ancient stones dating back at least 3000 years to Neolithic times. 

Following the rural road for a way we arrived in Chipping Norton in time for lunch at The Blue Boar before completing the circuit on return to Salford, visiting the grand church of St Mary’s and its  tombs in passing.

There are many bluebell woods hereabouts and they were in full colour as we walked.

Supper was nearby, at The Plough in Kingham, which enjoyed an eclectic mix of patrons.

Our third day saw us travel to Milton under Wychwood from Fifield, an 8 mile walk broken up by a light lunch at The Hare at Milton. We wondered why they didn’t offer sandwiches. Perhaps we don’t fit the clientele but we think sandwiches are a great invention and hope to see them more often!

St. John the Baptist, Fifield

Supper was at The Horse and Groom at Upper Oddington. This was an excellent meal, beautifully served, and good value in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere despite the background music (which after a while we were able to ignore).

This is a lovely rural area with extensive fields, hedges and stone walls, woods with little streams and carpets of bluebells. Houses are traditional in style, if sometimes a little twee. The weather has been kind to us and our well planned visits to watering holes and our well organised and pleasant walks have made for a sociable and relaxing break from the troubles of the world.

A cottage in Fifield

Walking the fields of Oxfordshire towards Tangley Hall.

One of several interesting graveyards

On our final day we said goodbye to the wild boar in the field (actually probably Tamworths) and drove to Great Tew, an attractive and popular village unpolluted by modern design. 

Near Little Tew

A curious wooden elephant in a local garden

The Falkland Arms

Our walk took us round for 4 miles ending up with lunch at the very traditional Falkland Arms for excellent meat pies.  With a drive home almost but not quite spoiled by a metal bolt in a tyre we praised run-flats and made it home in comfort (with fingers crossed). 

Next stop - Yorkshire Wolds?

Ashdon

March 24 2022

 Spring is sprung and the Walking Boys are at it again, with a spring in their step and renewed vigour. This time to Ashdon, a pretty and traditional style of village in Essex which was the start of a 5 mile walk through pleasant countryside. 

We took an anti-clockwise route from The Rose & Crown at Ashdon, past Holden End, Newnham Hall Farm, Ricketts Farm, to Bowsers, where we turned back.

"Bowsers" is a place where the fuel tankers used at the local airfield were housed. It was a Word War II USAAF bomber base and was closed in January 1946. The name may predate WW2 and not be named after the fuel tankers, see: https://www.recordinguttlesfordhistory.org.uk/ashdon/ashdonhistory.html

 From Bowsers we went to Harecroft Grove, Ashdon Street Farm, Puddle Wharf then zig-zagged to bypass Ashdon Hall and finally back to Ashdon.

Here is what used to be to be a railway carriage and was used as the waiting room at Ashdon Halt, on the Saffron Walden Line which led from Audley End to Bartlow. The line closed in 1964.

We were interested to pass by the Marpa House Tibetan Buddhist retreat. It was established in 1973 and is run by the Dharma Trust.

And just to confirm where we were, here is the signpost opposite the Rose and Crown where we had lunch.

And the Rose and Crown itself, freshly decorated and furnished, which while elegantly fashionable in its cool grey-and-offwhite way may have removed the old pub character which we usually look for.

Nevertheless a good choice of menu and of beers.

Hemingford Abbots

 10th February 2022

We drove towards Huntingdon and turned off to Hemingford Abbots, parking at the Axe and Compass which has a sizeable car park and pleasant view of the church. 

St Margaret's Church, in Hemingford Abbots is a Church of England church, dedicated to Saint Margaret of Antioch. A church has stood on the site since at least 1086, as it is mentioned in the Domesday Record. Parts of the current fabric date from c. 1300. (Wikipedia)

Our walk took us through Hemingford, turning off to cross a meadow towards Houghton Mill (National Trust). We paused to gaze at the Great Ouse, but there was hardly any boat traffic so we crossed at the lock and on the other side took a path heading for St Ives. 

The path was straight through woodland and parallel to the river, popular with dog walkers and runners. Emerging into St Ives we walked through the churchyard of All Saints ... 

and out onto the wharf (where once or twice dear Patience moored up overnight). 

Continuing through St Ives, crossing the ancient bridge with its chapel we rounded the back of The Dolphin conference centre and out onto another water meadow. 

The route across the meadow lead us eventually to the outskirts of Hemingford again with an attractive stroll alongside the river and delightful views of St James Church, Hemingford Grey whose original octagonal spire was blown down in a 1741 hurricane, and Hemingford Manor, said to be the oldest continuously lived in house in England. 

Then it was back to the Axe and Compass for a very pleasant beer and lunch.

Wandlebury and Stapleford

30th March 2021

We walked out on Rowley Lane from Stapleford Granary, turned left at 495514 just before the bridge over the River Granta onto a field boundary (not a public right-of-way) towards the east end of Magog Down (Vestey Wood), across the A1307, up the track opposite to the Roman Road and back to Stapleford through Wandlebury and the Magog Down.

Great Chesterford

 23rd September 2020

From the Plough in Great Chesterford towards Linton. We walked out north-east on Cow Lane until we got level with Hadstock (547456) turned right to grid reference 553454 and returned to Great Chesterford on the Icknield Way Trail running parallel to Cow Lane, probably about 9 miles in total. 

We had lunch in the garden of the Plough.

Boxworth, Knapwell and Lolworth

 12^th August 2021.

Based at the Golden Ball in Boxworth, we followed a 6.25 mile route through Knapwell, Childerley Hall and Lolworth.

Elsworth and Knapwell

 19^th July 2021.
For a change, we headed northwest of Cambridge, to a 6.4 mile WalkingWorld route between Elsworth and Knapwell. 
They describe it as follows: This is an enjoyable walk partly along the long-distance The Pathfinders Circular Walk. The route is beside field edges and tracks, hardly any road-walking except through the pretty thatched village of Elsworth, where The Poacher Inn offers an excellent menu and a choice of several real ales. There are good views of the countryside on the walk.
We enjoyed an excellent lunch in the garden of the Poacher in Elsworth, where the landlord gave some interesting background to the tribulations suffered by pubs during the pandemic.