The Oxford Green Belt Way - Stage 6

Swinford Bridge to Wolvercote – Monday 10 February 2020

Following our practice of undertaking shorter journeys nearer to the home base of Oxfordshire in the winter we agreed, when we met for our pre-Christmas amble around Oxford and lunch at the White Horse, Broad Street, to continue the Oxford Green Belt Way.

It seems ages since we assembled in St Frideswide’s Square to catch the S1 bus to Swinford Bridge on 10 February. P&T had travelled up from Wallingford on the X39 and A arrived just about on time. N appeared a bit later (sans pie in hand) but, no worries, the bus seemed to be late anyway. Not a bad day for walking, fairly mild for February with a pulse of rain forecast for midday.

Way through the Woods? (Morse ref)

We started to catch up on news of friends and family as we swayed along on the top deck of the bus past Dean Court, Farmoor and Pinkhill. We soon arrived at the Swinford Toll Bridge and alighted opposite the Waterworks (used to be the main supply for Oxford) and walked down to Eynsham Lock (Grid Ref: SP4453 0865) to start this leg of the OGBW. The short bus journey hadn’t been long enough to catch up with all the news so we were in good spirits catching up on Christmas, New Year and so on.

The route follows the Thames Path and N&T owned up to the fact that they had followed the same route back on 25 June 2010 when they circumnavigated Wytham Woods. The going wasn’t too bad despite the previous wet conditions. We had had doubts about the condition of the path so close to the river and whether it was flooded but that wasn’t really a problem.

We went into the woods and emerged opposite one of the mouths of the Evenlode River.

Evenlode joins the Thames (Isis)

Discussions changed to speculating about reinstating the railway link from Oxford to Witney. The old track bed was across the river from where we were. T remembered travelling from Oxford to Eynsham on a train back in the 1950s. In these days of daily traffic jams on the A40 anything to improve links would be useful. Speculation of railway links inevitably lead on to discussion of HS2. The Government announcement was due fairly soon as to whether to continue or modify the project. Our own discussions carried on after the walk with various WhatsApp exchanges.

“Hang on chaps, we’ve deviated from the route”. Hurried examination of the maps showed that should have stayed next to the woods and not followed the tow path. An easy course correction and we were back on the Oxford Green Belt Way.

The going was getting a bit stickier as we slowly climbed round the edge of Wytham Woods and turned eastwards to go past the University Farm Field Station. We were hit with the rain as forecast. Well “hit” is a bit strong, it was certainly unwelcome but the Howbery Hiker boys are made of strong stuff and we pressed on past Wytham Mill on the Seacourt stream (SP4768 0949). This is a mill stream that takes off from the main Thames River and flows to the west of Oxford. It also provides some flood relief capacity though how effective that is debatable. After several name changes the stream re-joins the main Thames downstream of Oxford near Redbridge/Iffley

A34

The sound of traffic on the A34 (Oxford Western By-pass) was becoming intrusive as we plodded through sodden meadows, under the A34 and came out at Godstow, SP4840 0920. Opposite were the ruins of Godstow Abbey through most locals know this as Godstow nunnery. By all accounts this is where “Fair Rosamund” Clifford who was the mistress of Henry II retired to and died at the age of 30!

Our path then followed the road towards Wolvercote, past the Trout Inn one of many Inspector Morse pubs in the area. It was either P or N who said they came across a pub in Oxfordshire once where there was a notice to say that “Inspector Morse hadn’t drunk there”!

Past the entrance to Port Meadow (a SSSI, ancient common pasture, etc). N has special status being one of the Wolvercote Commoners. Past the Red Lion and White Hart pubs but neither took our fancy or weren’t open on Mondays or something like that. A quick diversion to look at the new fancy housing development on the site of the Oxford University Paper Mill (SP4882 0971) and then on towards Upper Wolvercote and our destination of the Plough Inn (SP4960 0966). We’ve been here before and it doesn’t disappoint, 8+ out of 10.

Sad end

By now we were cold so a warming cup of tea for some of our party, a refreshing pint for others and some chips (fried potatoes not those things in bags) to share. After a warming hour we said cheerio to N who wasn’t far from home and P, A & T headed up to the main Woodstock road to catch a bus into the city centre and thence home.

Not a long walk, 4.64 miles (7.5km) but pleasant enough. In the next few days we discussed when we should meet up again, should we continue on the OGBW out to Kidlington or plan to get back to the Cotswold Way. The remainder of February became rather busy for all of us and then the coronavirus hit. Doubtful if we are going to meet up for some time.

Cotswold Way - Stage 8

Stonehouse Station to Painswick – 11 November 2019

Panorama of Stroud

Apologies, your reporter had planned to publish this post in November in anticipation of another walk before the end of the year / decade. As it turned out we were defeated by the wet weather and family activities. Before we realised it December was upon us and the build up to Christmas had begun. We (all four of us) celebrated the season and another year of walking by meeting up at HQ (The White Horse, Broad Street, Oxford) on 16 December for lunch and drinks after a relaxing stroll around the Oxford University Parks. Very pleasant despite the recent general election. We, of course, touched on the result and the likely future for the country but to keep true to our principles we will refrain from talking politics in this blog.

Right then back to the report of our most recent walk which, as it turns out, was the last walk of the year. Was this the last walk of the decade? Never too sure when the decade ends, at the end of the 09 year or the 00 year? Come on get back to the Cotswolds.

P was still not fit therefore it was A, N & T who got off the train at Stonehouse station (Grid Reference SO8082 0524) on a sunny but breezy morning. We had decided that Stonehouse was nearer to the end of the last walk than Stroud and within 20 minutes we were back on the Cotswold Way.

Doverow vineyard

Irrigation potential

Our path took us up past the Doverow Vineyard (part of Woodchester Valley Wines), SO8158 0502) professional interests were discussed as we examined the drip irrigation kit along the rows of vines.

The path continued to slowly climb up onto the scarp front of the Cotswolds with a panorama across Stroud and Nailsworth. Luckily there wasn’t too much mud even though it had been raining on and off for weeks.

We emerged onto the ridge and had a view out to the west across the Severn Valley towards the Forest of Dean though the middle ground was dominated by the SKF factory and other industrial units in Stonehouse.

Industrial stonehouse

After passing through a field of relatively docile cattle we entered woodland (Standish Woods) and stayed on this woodland path for some distance coming across various dog walkers on the way. We found a bench in the woods with some sort of view so we stopped for a quick packed lunch – quick because there was a rain shower.

Celtic lands in the west

After about 2km we came out at the National Trust carpark for Haresfield Hill. Here the path takes a detour of about 2km to Haresfield Beacon. Well we decided that as daylight was precious, more rain was likely and we had seen the view into Wales before we would give the Haresfield detour a miss. We turned eastwards and followed a lane to join the Cotswold way at the foot of Scottsquar Hill Unfortunately we took a wrong turning and very shortly ended up at the top of a cliff above our desired route. We backtracked up hill and after a bit of wandering around in the woods detected a path that took us safely down to the Cotswold way. Always dangerous to lose elevation as not long after the path climbed back up the hill to cross an area of disused quarries to the south of the village of Edge! We came out opposite the Edgemoor Inn on the A4173.

Washbrook

We didn’t stop but carried on downhill towards Jenkin’s Farm. The path left the lane and proceeded across wet meadows and scrub land towards Washbrook Farm (Mill), (SO8569 0951). On the way we passed a stone monument telling us that Chipping Campden was 47 miles away and that Bath was 55 miles behind us. Good news - we are more than half way. Why build a monument in this rather unremarkable field? Would something to mark half way at say 51.5 miles have been more appropriate? There is no clue in the Guide Book.

Washbrook Farm / Mill had been attractively restored and part of the buildings turned into a holiday let. The path headed uphill again past tennis courts and below a large house renovation in the “Grand Designs” style.

Sign of the times?

Somebody's "Grand Design"

Across another field on the outskirts of Painswick past a rather ornamental wrought iron sign post (SO8635 0972) and then down a lane into Painswick.

This attractive village is on the main A46 and we were pretty certain there would be a bus back to Stroud.

We stopped to take pictures of the lynch gate to St Mary’s Church, found the bus stop and realised that we had 40 minutes or so to have a refreshing drink in the Falcon Inn (7/10). It was warm and welcoming and we had plenty of time to warm up and relax with some interesting beers on offer.

St Mary's lynch gate

The 66 bus back to Stroud was on time and before we knew it we had arrived in the town. We have yet to discover the more scenic route to get from the bus stop to the station. Our tried and tested way involves dodging through the multi-storey car park of the adjacent shopping centre. This surely can’t be the most desirable route? We checked at the station and were in time for a slightly earlier train and we even had time for another drink. This time we found the Imperial Hotel in Stroud (7/10) near the station and a great improvement over the Weatherspoon pub with its sticky tables and carpets that we had been in before. It was warm and comfortable and mainly full of elderly patrons playing backgammon, cards and bridge. We found a comfortable spot on some leather seats and enjoyed the 15 minute wait before strolling across to the station.

St Mary's church Painswick

 The train was much smaller than usual and crowded with school pupils from the various Stroud secondary schools returning to Swindon, mainly. A few got off at Kemble. Obviously the noise levels were high and the train was full. It got us thinking about the education policy and costs involved. Stroud in in Gloucestershire and Swindon is a unitary authority 25 miles away.

At Swindon it was a short wait to change trains and back to Didcot and Reading by a reasonable time. 

 Yes we know we only did 6.3 miles (10.1km) but it is late autumn and the days are short. Not a bad day for walking we managed without too much mud or getting rain-soaked.

That is all for 2019. Look forward to returning to Painswick in the spring especially as we are now more than halfway.