Cross-Cotswold Pathway - Stage 3

Chastleton to Stow-on-the-Wold – Monday 13 June 2016

If you are following this route on a map you will see that we have advanced nearly 11 miles to Chastleton. We had realised that much of the route between Sibford Gower (where we left off last time) and Chastleton had been walked by us over the last few years on the Seven Shires Way and the Shakespeare Way. Making this jump meant we actually missed about three miles of “new” path but it was worth it as we need to press on towards Bath. 

Stow-on-the-Wold is over there

We met up in Oxford and took the S3 bus to Chipping Norton. It had been raining in Oxford and as it was a bit cold for June we popped into a local pastry shop to have a hot sausage roll before finding a taxi to Chastleton outside the Fox public house (last visited when doing the Shakespeare Way and now “done up”.)

Path from Chastleton

We had previously visited Chastleton on 7 August 2015 for afternoon tea on our last leg of the Seven Shires Way. After some indecision as to the direction to head, the path seemed to head uphill, which was roughly south-east. We broke out the compass and with some surprise we headed south-west to join the Macmillan Way! Crossed from Oxfordshire into Gloucestershire and followed a good path through a wheat field and rough pastures to Adlestrop.

Station sign with signs of "walkers"

Saw the old station name-sign (Grid Ref: SP2419 2717), which is now in the small village with a memorial to Edward Thomas the poet who wrote a poem named after the village about a train stopping unexpectedly at Adlestrop on a warm summer’s day. This is one of T's favourites as it sums up much of the countryside we have rambled in over the last eight years.

Adlestrop cottages

The village is very attractive, with classical “Cotswold” stone cottages with rose-garlanded front doors.  Our route took us past the church and then across Adlestrop Park with its crop of new (getting fat) lambs to cross the main railway and juvenile river Evenlode via the A436, near the site of the old Adlestrop station.

Adlestrop church

Conversation ranged from catching up on family news to discussing old business matters and the forthcoming Referendum. We are not going to discuss the R issues here. Our next walk planned for the day after the referendum will reveal more. We were disappointed about Oxfordshire County Council's decision to remove subsidies from all bus services in the county. From July many communities in Oxfordshire will not be served by any buses at all. Our walks have made use of these services as an important way to undertake walks without having to rely on two cars, beginning and end.

Yet more Cotswold stone

The showers that had been on and off since leaving Chastleton at 11am seemed to have stopped so time to take off the wet weather clothes as we walked into Lower Oddington. Walked smartly past a pub (correction Inn),  looked like they concentrated upon dinning and would not welcome drinking-only walkers, it was called the Fox Inn. The route took us out towards the church which is some way south of the village. The path then turned westwards towards Upper Oddington which is another commuter village with a pub (The Horse and Groom) that wasn't open on Monday lunchtime! We declared it less attractive than Adlestrop and decided that it was now time to find a spot for lunch. A convenient gateway overlooking the village, SP2189 2556 was chosen with the peace and quiet only occasionally disturbed by a bird-scarer (gun).  

Lunchtime view

After lunch we climbed a gentle slope through a field of young beef cattle who appeared inquisitive but proved to be no problem and then past Stow Rugby Football Club.

Another shower threatened which meant donning the water proofs. We walked down to the B4450 and along the road to Maugersbury. Now it was getting warm so off with the waterproofs again! Walked through the village, which seemed to boast several new looking holiday-let cottages in farm barn-conversions. We were now heading up the road to Stow-on-the-Wold (off the route of the Cross-Cotswold path), “Where's your stick, P?” Oh dear left at our last change of clothing stop. We all turned back (can’t leave one chap behind.) N jogged back (he is the youngest after all) and retrieved P's walking stick.

Distant poppies

Back up the lane to Stow. The small town that is perched on the ridge that carries the route of the Fosse Way seemed to be full of people of a certain age wandering around twee stores, antique shops and eateries. Lobsters seemed to be the big offer at one establishment, “How far are we from the sea?”

That’s it then, time for a drink. We found a suitable place “The Talbot” serving Wadworth’s.  OMG, how hot was it in the pub? The heating seemed to be full on and heat from the kitchen made it quite uncomfortable so sorry only 5 out of 10, folks We used the break to agree that we would take a bus north towards Moreton-in-Marsh and then take a train back to Oxford and Reading. That all worked well and we were soon on the 16:24 HST train from Worcester heading homewards.

That chaps was 6 miles. We walk more on our training walks! Never mind it was a good walk across the Evenlode valley. Don’t think we were too tired and we are now in a good position to launch into a part of the Cotswolds we haven’t seen before.  N declared it the “A” day.

Adlestrop : The poem