The Seven Shires Way - Stage 25

Great Barrington to Kingham station - Friday 26 June 2015

Yet again we are on the S2 bus to Carterton sharing stories about how we made it (slowly) back to Oxford last time. Pretty sure this will be the last time we will see Carterton! Ace taxis out to Great Barrington where we left off at the beginning of June. How time flies we are already past mid-summer with 180 or so days to Christmas! (Sorry).

Weather looked good for walking and we set off at a fair pace across fields with great displays of wild flowers (scabious, corn flowers, poppies, etc) in a generally northerly direction to the accompaniment of Skylarks and other small brown (unidentified) birds. Picked up the county boundary at Miletree Clump (Grid ref: SP2146 1578) to then head south eastwards. The county boundary certainly zig-zags around.  Followed the “zig” for half a mile and then “zagged” NE towards Tangley Hall. As we descended through woods to the Hazleford Brook (sometime tributary of the River Windrush) we realized it was quite humid so we  were pleased to get back into a breeze on top of the hill near Tangley Hall (SP2338 1687). This hamlet was well (and apparently expensively) fenced against all intruders, human or animal, but we could see the tennis courts through gaps in the fence.

Fields of barley

Stopped for elevenses (first sandwich of the day - N had missed his meat pie / pasty in Carterton!) Discussed future walks, what are we going to do when we finish this three year epic? We took a vote on which way to go. Should we follow the recommended route towards Little Rissington airfield (disused) or save some time and head straight towards Fifield? We opted (sensibly as it turned out) for the latter. So pushed on up over the A424 (main road from Burford to Stow on the Wold) and down through rape and barley fields to the pretty village of Fifield. We found a convenient bench and had another sandwich, sushi, coffee, etc and watched a selection of horses and dogs taking their owners for a walk. The village was quiet and didn't seem to sport a pub or shop.

Large house, Idbury

Right then chaps the next village is Idbury. Ok, time to put on the rain gear as clouds had built up and it was starting to spot with rain. Nothing too bad though. Across several stiles and passed one of the dog walkers again (walking faster than us on her clockwise sojourn). Didn't see too much of Idbury, several large houses behind high hedges and walls.

We were now getting back to the area we last saw seven years ago when starting out on the Oxfordshire Way. Little did we think that we were at the beginning of a trek across, through and around Oxfordshire all those years ago.

We often mention following or crossing the county boundary but this time we thought we would share with you an obvious change of road surface just outside Nether Westcote (SP2291 2017).  Gloucestershire Highways had just re-surfaced the road and made sure they hadn't strayed into Oxfordshire. We went wrong in Nether Westcote and turned down the first lane so missed the main part of the small village. There was a pub marked on the map but it was no longer the New Inn but now a hotel cum smart (allegedly) dining place ideal for a Cotswold weekend.

Spot the join

We then descended the scarp slope down onto the clays lands of the Evenlode valley. The guide book warned that the bridleway towards Bledington could be very muddy. Well it was right, we hadn't had any significant rain for several weeks and still there were muddy spots to be negotiated.  After about a mile and a half of deeply rutted path we came across a strangely mown path which then headed out towards a deeply ploughed field where we joined the Oxforshire Way. (Hooray!). On the way we examined the deep plough furrows for erratic (ex-glacial) stones and N loaded up his pockets with interesting sand stone pebbles from the Midlands.

We were getting tired and thirsty so were looking forward to getting to Bledington. Stopped near the churchyard for the final sandwich and snack and then headed towards the Kings Head pub for a couple of drinks. We are last here in 2008.

 “Not too much”, cautioned P, “we've still to walk to Kingham Station.”(Just over a mile away along the busy B4450).

Arrived at Kingham station (SP2564 2276) in time to catch an HST back to Oxford and Reading along with school children eager to return home from a variety of private/public schools in the Kingham / Chipping Norton area. Great - we are back on a train. Next time we won’t need to use the bus!

By the way, T forgot the camera so photos courtesy of N and his phone.

In summary: 10.7 miles today. With any luck we should be able to complete that whole walk next time. G day – goodbye Carterton, goodbye S2 bus and a grand-day-out. See you next month.