The Seven Shires Way - Stage 1

Moreton-in-the-Marsh to Great Rollright - 3 August 2012

The Seven Shires Way

A 234 mile walk around the county boundary of Oxfordshire using public rights of way.

 

So here we go again - back into the Cotswolds well Moreton-in-the-Marsh at any rate. We are following the walk set out in the book The Seven Shires Way by Elaine Steane and decided to start from Moreton-in-the Marsh (which is actually in Gloucestershire). Last year (2011) we started out on the other walk compiled by Elaine Steane The Roman Way which we completed in June 2012.

Moreton-in-the-Marsh is a convenient spot for us as there is a train from Reading for T and Oxford for N (with a connection from Didcot for P) which helps in our aim of using public transport to and from the end of the walk. Actually as we read about the walk we realise that public transport isn’t going to be so easy. Perhaps when the book was published in 2002 book the assumption was to use shared cars beginning and end. Also as P pointed out the path tries to keep to the county boundary so there are no bus connections and more to the point not that many towns and villages on the boundary hence the opportunity of finding a pub on the way is limited.

It is just over four years since we last passed through Moreton-in-the-Marsh (30 May 2008) when we were doing an early stage of the Oxfordshire Way (Bourton-on-the Water to Henley-on-Thames). To fit in with a bus connection we finished the first stage of this walk at Great Rollright (we caught the Stage Coach 488 to Banbury and then trains home).

For those of you who like to keep a record of such things the distance walked was 11.1 miles but that is because we detoured to Little Compton to find a lunchtime beer (more later). The walk from Moreton to Gt Rollright should have been 8.8 miles. We set off at 10:05 and arrived in Gt. Rollright at 16:45, including total stops of 2 hours giving an average walking speed of 2.4 miles per hour. For planning we always assume that we will take one hour to do 2 miles. This one was slow at 1.67 miles per total walking day because we had to stop for rain, and made slow progress through several fields of wet long grass headlands between Barton-on-the-Heath and Little Compton (T also took the wrong path.)

After a long walk out of Moreton on the A44 we came to the Four Shires Stone marking the boundary of Gloucester, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Oxfordsire though these days it should be renamed three shires stone as the Worcester portion disappeared some time ago. Most of the day we were in Warwickshire on rather poorly defined paths and poorly maintained stiles. One in particular (Grid Ref: SP256321) between Barton and Lt. Compton was completely overgrown with brambles.

To the north of Lt Compton the sun came out and dried us off. Was the pub indicated on the map open? So many times we have been caught out finding that the marked public house was closed, only open in the evenings, turned into up-market housing or a balti road-house or high-end dining establishment. So N’s mobile broadband service came in handy to find the pub in Lt. Compton and a quick phone call established that the Red Lion (Grid Ref: SP267302) was indeed open. For one fleeting moment they thought we were a large party of walkers seeking refreshment and lunch. Their hopes were dashed when it was explained that we were a thirsty, tired party of three who would only detour to them if we could be assured of a pleasant pint or two. The detour was made and the Donnington Ale was good. We rate pubs from 1 to 10, this one was a 6.

An aside on pub rating. Too many are being rated between 4 and 7. We need to be bolder to reward excellence and be very clear when we are disappointed. It’s a combined score relating to the beer, comfort, welcome, general feel (very subjective). We know what we like but it is hard to define it. We don’t like sticky Formica tables, or establishments with fancy art and menus or places who admit that they don’t sell much beer or who call their lavatories funny quirky names. The Red Lion, Little Compton lost a point because the toilets were called Standers and Sitters though the beer was good, and they were open after all and friendly.

Back to the walk. Late packed lunch in a field over-looking a modern Cotswold house, along the county boundary (missed out the down hill and then uphill section to Little Rollright we had visited there before on the Shakespeare Way (3 September 2010). Past the Rollright stones and then to the Whispering Knights and then a straight forward quick walk to Great Rollright and the pretty village green to wait for the bus on a “welcome seat”. The pub detour added 2.8 miles to the stage.

Summary: Tired, wet and very muddy early on and hot towards the end. Falling asleep on the bus to Banbury but stayed awake to enjoy the village of Hook Norton (look forward to sampling that ale as we progress northwards next time.) CrossCountry train back from Banbury to Reading via Oxford.

The Seven Shires Way - Stage 2

Great Rollright to Middle Tysoe Friday 21 September 2012

We (P, N, T with L) all met on the train to Banbury and managed with no problem to catch the 488 bus to Great Rollright, Oxon.

Set off towards Ascott. Not long after leaving the road we were confronted with a field of forage maize that had been planted over the footpath (Grid Ref: SP322324). Should we go round the field margins or press across the field? We choose the latter however this proved difficult as the crop was 2.5 m high in places. We eventually emerged wet, muddy and stung by fairly viscous nettles and thistles. We (probably a combination of P & T) then failed to read the book/ look at the map correctly and had to divert via Gottenbarn (Grid Ref: SP318336) to get to Ascott, Warwickshire. Back on course, over the river Stour at Traitor’s Ford Grid Ref: SP336364. (We were last in the catchment of the River Stour on the early stages of the Shakespeare Way in 2010.)

Panorama from our lunch stop

Our packed lunch was taken actually on the county boundary looking into Warwickshire and took the only two photos.  The book promised views right and left as we ascended Ditchedge Lane (the County Boundary) but the field margins had obviously grown-up since the book was written.

Pressed on to Epwell, Oxfordshire (the lure of a pub). Unfortunately the pub in Epwell, (Chandlers Arms) was closed only opens at weekends and evenings. So a detour through the quiet village of Epwell and pushed onto Middle Tysoe, Warwickshire.

And so to the incident of the “Mad Cow”. The footpath at Grid Ref: SP354407 clearly took us across a field with a solitary cow (definitely female) as we approached she pawed the ground and took a run at us just missing N. N displayed some nifty footwork and was unscathed if a little shaken. A big surprise all round. There was obviously a reason why the cow was in the field by herself. Detoured again and came out on the minor road at Grid Ref: SP349414 and then on the path to Middle Tysoe, over the county boundary again and back into Warwickshire. Note: path from  Grid Ref: SP339425 to the village was ploughed up. 

Cotswold view

It was now 16:00 and the pub (Peacock Inn) in Middle Tysoe didn’t open until 5pm. Never mind there was a lovely tea room next door, so scone, cream, jam and tea (L had coffee) was the order. Fantastic they also sold wine so we polished off a bottle of drinkable Shiraz (it helps the aching muscles) before catching the bus 270 outside back to Banbury and our Cross Country train to Oxford and Reading.

Summary: The unintentional maize maze and mad cow day: Slow to start due to footpaths going missing under crops and poor route finding. Good progress in the middle of the day and despite missing the pub stop and N practicing a Verónica the day was a good one, just over 10 miles. The Tysoe Tea Room was most welcome and recommended. It didn’t rain until we got home.

The Seven Shires Way - Stage 4

Stage 4: Mollington to Wardington, Friday 9 November 2012

Usual journey to Banbury on the 10:07 train from Oxford. This connected well with the Stagecoach 66 bus out to Mollington. Back into the village, past the only open evenings Green Man and then headed past the pretty church north towards Farnborough. Attractive country to the east of the barely audible M40. Footpath had been ploughed up at GR435484. 

Farnborough Church

Oak Tree Farnborough Park

Skirted the village through the parkland of Farnborough Hall and then headed south to cross the Warwickshire-Oxfordshire boundary on the A423. Footpath from the road took some finding, sign was completely overgrown and the farmer had fenced off the line of the path and removed the footpath roundels, (GR439487). Frontier shire folk!

Had a bite of lunch sitting on some straw bales and then followed a minor road under the railway to Claydon,  the northernmost village in Oxfordshire. Pretty place with lots of old farm houses that had been converted into dwellings (some even in keeping with the style and history of the place). No pubs. 








The book took us down to the Claydon Locks on the Oxford Canal and then across muddy fields but with evidence of pebbles of Ice Age origin (white quartz, quartzite, schist, i.e. not stones local to this area).

As we followed the Northamptonshire border it was clear we were on a different estate. The farmer had actually reinstated the footpath after ploughing (GR 471497) – it was still knee deep in mud  but we could see where to go.  Pushed on across more fallow fields, over the Cherwell river and then up to Wardington (GR 492463). Footpath took us past a garage specialising in rebuilding old Porsche cars. Stagecoach in Oxfordshire bus number 200 to Banbury - a 15 minute ride.

Discovered the Bell Inn, Banbury, 8 out of 10. Unpretentious pub selling great beer had been rated by Camra as a good pub in 2007. We tried the Hereford Light Ale (a guest beer), at £2.50 a pint so this was a pleasant surprise. Could have sampled some others but the first pint is usually the best so had at least another one before walking five minutes to the station and our Cross Country train to Oxford and Reading (full as always).

Summary:  About 7.5 miles. A pleasant day despite all of us feeling a bit below par.  Improved greatly by the Bell Inn which we will visit again.

The Seven Shires Way - Stage 3

Stage 3: Middle Tysoe to Mollington Friday 19 October 2012

We three again (P, N, and T) all met on the 10:07 train from Oxford to Banbury. Due to the lack of buses to Middle Tysoe at a civilised time of the morning we had booked a taxi (A1 Cabs in Banbury) to meet us at Banbury station and take us to Middle Tysoe.

Spring Hill looking NW

Spring Hill looking NE

Set off NE towards the scarp slope of the Cotwolds and immediately into mud. Reached the ridge and not long after were rewarded with a splendid view northwards from Spring Hill (Grid Ref: 322324).




 
Thereafter we followed the path along the ridge and through pleasant woodlands until reaching the Castle Inn at Edgehill.







At long last an open pub actually on the route of the walk! This one certainly ranked 8 out of 10. The pub looks like a castle and offers views to the north across what once the Egdehill battlefield. The Hook Norton Mild  was good and we each took a turn buying a round (yes that is a 3 pint lunch). Reluctantly left the pub and followed the path south towards Ratley stopping for ten minutes to eat packed lunches.

The Castle Inn, Edgehill

 Criss-crossed the border between Warwickshire and Oxfordshire (the Sor Brook) encountered more mud – makes you appreciate what it must have been like on the Western Front and eventually made it through a field of cattle including a bull (isn’t there something about not keeping bulls in fields with public footpaths? Oh I forgot this is frontier country!) to Shotteswell, Warwickshire. 

According to the book this is pronounced “Satchel”. Starting to get tired. That’s the problem with visiting a pub at lunchtime when you still have seven miles to go.

Shottewell is one of those pretty ironstone villages around Banbury. According to Wikipedia, John Profumo lived here when he was MP for Stratford-upon-Avon. Village was very quiet apart from the rumble of the traffic on the M40 to the east. The village appeared dead - presumably only occupied by commuters at night and at weekends. Many signs up around the village proclaiming great pride in defeating the proposal to site a wind energy farm nearby. P pointed out that the ambiance of the village had already been ruined by the M40 motorway and its ever present traffic rumble.

Plodded across a couple of fields to cross the M40 via  a foot bridge (back into Oxfordshire) and then followed the line of the Motorway until heading across sheep fields to Mollington. The village boasts a pub The “Green Man” but it is one of those establishments that only open in the evenings. It started to rain as we finished off the coffee and packed lunch and waited on the main Leamington Spa to Banbury road (A423) for the 66 bus and a 12 minute ride into Banbury and our Cross Country train to Oxford and Reading. 

Summary:  Lots of mud and mild.