The Seven Shires Way - Stage 26

Kingham station to Moreton-in-Marsh station - Friday 7 August 2015

So this is it the last leg of our trek around Oxfordshire  - in a clockwise direction (is that significant?)The weather looked promising as we enjoyed the train to Kingham. T had caught it at Reading and P and N joined the train at Oxford along with a crowd of festival goers heading for a gathering at Cornbury (Charlbury) and a family of cyclists - complete with their bikes!

We came from over there

Anyhow we arrived at Kingham at 09:50 and set off to retrace our steps to Bledington to pick up the route across the fields and the old railway from Kingham to Cheltenham. Fairly good progress across the quiet Evenlode flood plain along a path that would be extremely muddy if the weather had been rainy. Emerged into a field of young calves who had just been released into the big green world and then crossed the river and Oxford to Worcester railway just south of Daylesford (Grid Ref: SP2428 2558).

We were very close to Adlestrop made famous by the poem of the same name by Edward Thomas. According to Wikipedia Adlestrop House is thought to have been used as the model for the house in “Mansfield Park” by Jane Austen.

Daylesford Park

Past Daylesford Farm (an award winning organic farm and shop featured not that long ago on the BBC's farming programme). We didn't stop for morning coffee.

It was starting to get warm in the sun as we turned north-eastwards to parallel the county boundary. There was a fine herd of Gloucestershire cattle in the field, source of milk for Double Gloucester cheese.

Gloucester cattle

Carried on up the hill. Umh! We hadn't realised there would be any climbing this walk. “Bet we lose all the height again” said one of our cheery band! In the woods there was a helicopter warning sign.  We were walking through posh land indeed.

Distant Chippy

Through equally posh stables and buildings of Daylesford Hill farm with its statute to apparently a famous horse (SP2572 2660) and then on to follow the county boundary and a lunch stop at SP2659 4266 above the small village of Cornwell. We hadn't realise how close we were to Chipping Norton which we could see on the hill to the east.

Cornwell

 After our short lunch we descended (“Told you we would lose all that height”) and skirted Cornwell to head north-westwards towards Chastelton. Cornwell, so our book tells us, was restored by Clough Williams-Ellis, who designed Portmeirion in North Wales. No Italianate buildings here or pottery churning out pieces of “Cornwell” ware for the tourist trade.

Slogged up the minor road across the A436 and took a rest at Chastleton Barrow, an iron-age enclosure, (SP2580 2828). After a 20 to 30 minute rest / sleep we moved on through a field of very fine black cattle (Aberdeen Angus?) a mixture of cows, calves and bull(s). “Isn't there some guidance to farmers strongly suggesting that cows with calves and bulls shouldn't be put in fields crossed by footpaths?” Anyhow we carefully skirted the animals who were happy to remain lying down and emerged through a kissing gate onto the road just above the car park to the National Trust property of Chastleton House.

Chastleton House

T had been there before so suggested diverting through the car park and down the hill side to the Church next to the House for afternoon tea. A local volunteer group serve tea and homemade cakes to eager NT visitors. We found a table and chairs among the gravestones and in the shade of a yew tree had a very welcome mug of tea and a slice of cake each. This was N's treat, which was greatly appreciated.

Afternoon tea

It was about 15:15. After finishing the crumbs of cake and draining our mugs we decided to head to Moreton-in-Marsh on the more direct minor road route, deviating from the recommended footpaths but hopefully saving some time.

We now set off on a four mile walk back to Moreton-in-Marsh, stopping on the way to celebrate the end of the route at the Four Shire Stones, next to the busy A44, (SP2305 3216). It was three years since we were last here on the start of the walk. Older? – yes. Wiser?- doubtful, but certainly happy to have completed the walk even if we had taken ages over it and taken some strategic short cuts in the process. Took numerous pictures and then headed off to catch the homeward train in Moreton-in-Marsh. T was certain there was a train at 18:10 but also thought there was a train at 16:40ish. “We can make it. If not we can visit a pub in town.”

Hats off

As we crossed the railway there was the train leaving, 16:22. “Sorry chaps I knew it was 16 something.” Well looks like its pub time. We slowly ambled towards the station. “No wait”. We inspected the timetable there is another train at 16:45. So long wait avoided and we'll save the pub for another day. After another pleasant day walking we were on the train home with thoughts and ideas about what we could do next.

In summary: Today it was 12.2 miles, our longest leg (section) of the Seven Shires way. Today was perhaps F day – finally finished, fine weather, and fab. Tea.

Four shires stone

It has taken us three years,  in 26 legs or sections to do this walk, officially 234 miles but we did it in 226 miles, (doubt if we qualify for the badge), which included some on and offs and some short cuts and avoidance of bits we had walked before.

A fascinating walk with lots of contrast from the hyphenated locales of the Cotswolds, to the ironstone villages near Banbury. Up onto the beech-wooded Chilterns from the flat clay lands near Bicester. Through smart villages with no shops near Henley and Burford and across the open horse-racing downs in the south of the county.

Memories are numerous and varied: Windy bus stations in Banbury and Swindon. A range of pubs - from the scruffy to carpeted establishments but with several that were delightful and quirky. Sadly many of these great places are now closed.  A  tea shop in Warwickshire, that served wine, a pub like a castle, tea and cake in a graveyard and an inn whose car park contained two Ferraris and a Lamborghini. Often we seem to have been chased by a variety of cattle in fields all around the county, (its probably all in the mind.) Transport memories of buses that were late (sometimes) or never actually turned up, and helpful and talkative taxi drivers.

Daylesford tree

What is surprising is how few people we have actually ever seen on the walks. True we tended to be walking on a Friday but much of the countryside of Oxfordshire and its neighbours is apparently deserted. Perhaps it was because we were on the borders.

At times our progress has been hampered by work commitments (for some), sore knees, barbed wire, broken styles, poor signage and even poorer map reading, floods and poor weather.

Overall though it has been enjoyable and just shows how easy it is to find different places within a short distance from our respective homes.

Any way enough of this. Let’s plan for something else soon.