K2KS (Kingham to Kings Sutton – stage 1) plus an Oxford walk

Kingham station to Chipping Norton – Friday 9 October 2015

Oh dear, December already and its ages since we last walked in earnest. When we completed the Seven Shires Way on 7 August we agreed that we would keep walking and plan something special to start in the New Year (2016).

In the mean time we thought we would find some walks to fill in the gap. The route of the old railway from Kingham to Kings Sutton part of the line from Cheltenham to Banbury seemed interesting. Whilst not an official long distance path the route appeared interesting cutting West to East across the county and filling in some gaps.

The railway line ?

The railway was opened in 1855 and closed in the early 1960s due to the “Beeching” cuts (more details in the “Lost railways of Oxfordshire” by Terry Moors published by Countryside Books).

A misty veil in a Cotswold vale

So back into the Cotswolds again to arrive just before 10am at Kingham station. Our aim was to walk roughly along the line of the old railway using existing footpaths and roads.  It was a beautiful autumn day, with a low mist clinging to the countryside where trees were already turning colour.

We crossed the old line at Grid Ref: SP2591 2310 and walked into Kingham village watching the mist gently lift around St. Andrews church (SP2586 2371). Kingham was a village unknown to us. T declared that he had no relatives or historical family links to the place.

Misty Kingham church

Harvest festival time

Past a pub/inn with an excellent harvest festival display above the entrance door and out along the road towards Churchill.

We then turned off at (SP2692 2453) and followed a bridle way towards Swailsford Bridge (SP2817 2646). The countryside looked very manicured and “estate-like” with well-kept hedges and field edges.

As we hadn't met for some time we used the time to catch up on news, work, retirement, DIY, families, politics and plans for the future. We stopped for a while to have a first sandwich/roll/cuppa of the day. The ground was too wet to sit but we leaned on a convenient gate and enjoyed the sunshine and blue sky. The peace of the countryside was only disturbed by a muck spreader in a nearby field and a near-by scare-crow that caught in the side of the eye and we kept turning around thinking someone was approaching.

Can you see the scare-crow?

We ambled on, paralleling the old railway, and passed a group of walkers. These were the only people we saw all morning and seemed to be out for a short walk before heading off to a local hostelry. Emerging at Swailsford Bridge, we followed a small road and then turned onto a footpath across a scrappy field of weeds and poor drainage to head eastwards towards Chipping Norton.

Distant Salford

On through a field of sheep and up Cornwell Hill where we had a view of Salford to the north (last visited on the Shakespeare Way on 3 September 2010.)

Some convenient logs to sit and rest! The track then took us along to the A44 main road towards “Chippy” or “Chippie”.

Bliss tweed mill

After a traffic-busy half mile we crossed over Chipping Norton Common with its iconic view of the old Bliss Tweed Mill (one of the reasons that the railway was promoted was to connect the tweed mill to the main railway at Kingham.)

 The site of the disused railway station is now a light industrial estate (hidden from the town centre, of course!) We climbed up the hill and emerged onto the A44 just where we left off on the Shakespeare Way five years ago!

Chippy church

Now was our chance to complete the section of the SW that we missed back in 2010. So we headed towards the ornate church and the past the alms houses in Church Street (SP3131 2728) that we skirted last time.

Chipping Norton Alms Houses

"Good stuff! That’s completed,  so is it time for a lunchtime drink?” The pub we went into last time (The Fox) was closed, undergoing refurbishment so we went around the corner in to The Kings Arms. 

The beer was OK but the decor was not very special, 5 out of 10, however it was convenient for the bus stops.

 N & T planned to return to Oxford on the S3 (better for N) but as he has a return ticket from Kingham, P returned to Kingham station and took the train home from there.

Tired-out at disused Chipping Norton station

 An Oxford walk - Friday 6 November 2015

N's work commitments meant that we couldn't rely on walking until November. So we planned to meet again on 6 November to start on the Cotswold Round, Banbury to Bath on the Cross-Cotswold pathway (86 miles) and then back via the Cotswold Way to Chipping Camden (100 miles) and then on the Cotswold Link (21 miles) to Banbury.

Research on the transport options meant that we would have to start from Banbury and head west to either Swalcliffe or Epwell. Well to cut a long story short the forecast of heavy rain all day on 6 November helped us to decide to stay in Oxford and plan the route more carefully. We met up at Oxford station and headed to the coffee bar in the basement of the Ashmolean museum.

After about an hour of getting up-to-date, drinking coffee and eating pastries, we set off into a grey, rain-spitting Oxford day, north up St Giles and across to Keble Road and into the University Parks and then East to cross the Cherwell towards Marston. When we got to the college sports fields we turned south and joined a busy footpath actually it’s the Marston cycle way between Marston and South Parks Road. Not such an easy walk as cyclists appeared impatient with three old gits wandering along. When we reached the rollers on the river (where a punt can be manhandled past a weir, we turned south again, missed the path known as the Mesopotamia Walk, and ended up wandering around the modern concrete buildings of St Catherine's college. There was no way out into Magdalen College grounds so we retraced our steps, and emerged into Manor Road, past St Cross church where T's parents were married and the small school where T's Mum went to primary school.

Holywell was full of students apparently rushing off for lunch in various whole-food organic sandwich bars and noddle shops. N suggested visiting the Turf tavern (8 out of 10) instead of our usual HQ. A couple of lunchtime drinks (their own brew) while we watched a succession of tourists pop in, nearly hit their heads on the low beams and then (we guess) “facebook” their experience to followers back home, wherever that was. We agreed to walk before Christmas (18 December?). In view of restricted day light we agreed to find something in the Oxford area.

Autumn colours

In summary, the 9 October was a lovely autumn day in the hinterland of the Cotswolds. We managed a gentle 6 miles of our invented K2KS and ticked off those missing metres of the Shakespeare Way. Surprisingly, we walked 4 miles on 6 November if you count starting and finishing  at Oxford station! It didn't rain that much and by all accounts it wasn't that wet in northern Oxfordshire – never mind!