The map used for these walks is the O.S. Explorer 206 Edge Hill and Fenny Compton Oxford.
The English Canal Walks on this page describe walking along the Oxford Canal as it meanders between Banbury, Cropedy, Claydon, Fenny Compton Wharf and Marston Doles. The canal is particularly interesting in the stretch between Fenny Compton and Banbury - with lovely countryside plus lots of locks and bridges to explore - including old disused railway bridges.
There is also an old warehouse at Cropedy and an unmarked (either on the map or even signposted from the canal) very old
brick-kiln where the bricks were made for the now extinct Fenny Compton Tunnel.
We have walked the whole of the Oxford Canal (taking photos of all
it's bridges and locks for our web site) - one of the problems in doing was
the often lack of public transport in some locations. Therefore we had to
sometimes park and then use a taxi to get to the start of a walk - for instance
on the Fenny Compton to Banbury stretch.
This also means our walks described do
not always walk the canal in the same direction - we walked south from Fenny
Compton to Banbury and north from Fenny Compton to Marston Doles.
Fenny Compton Wharf to Banbury - one way and around 10.5 miles flat. This is a really uncomplicated walk since all you do is follow the canal from Fenny Compton Wharf back to Banbury - to do this we parked at Banbury Railway station (it is free parking on Sundays at time of writing (August 2007) but you are apparently meant to be a rail user...). There is a taxi rank at the station and our fare to Fenny Compton Wharf cost us 15 pounds (note there is no realistic public transport available).
The end of this walk is just after Bridge 166 where it's just a short walk back up to Banbury railway station.
Fenny Compton - Marston Doles - Priors Hardwick - Fenny Compton -
a circular walk of around 14
miles - flat for 8 miles then a little hilly in places for the return. If you
don't really believe that the Oxford Canal wanders around a little then this is
the walk to do - in one part between
Griffins Bridge and Stoneton Bridge you
almost expect it to go underneath itself on an aqueduct - the twist is so huge.
This section of the Oxford Canal goes almost entirely through open countryside
with just several bridges to look at and not a lock and hardly any buildings
around.
There is a limited amount of parking by the wharf on the old disused road by the
bridge. From Fenny Compton Wharf by the Wharf Inn go down onto the towpath and
turn left on the towpath and then immediately going under Bridges 136 and 136A.
The only lock on this walk is Napton Top Lock which is where you leave the
Oxford Canal at Marston Doles. Cross over Marston Doles Bridge and walk up the
quiet road for several 100 metres, then take a smaller barely surfaced road on
the right.
The semblance of road surface disappears by some buildings and the
now track goes off sharp left. It eventually arrives at a very sharp
right hand bend at a track/path junction - when we were last there a load of
plastic covered straw bales had been dumped in front of one path/stile and a
huge mound of grey gravel had been dumped on the left hand side in front of
another stile/path entrance. Go sharp left walking over the gravel heap (if it is still
there) and follow the field with a fence/hedge on the left and heading toward
some woodland. Once at the woods follow the field edge round the front of the
trees then stay ahead where the woods end now cross over the field heading
towards a small derelict building.nbsp; Carry on in the same direction now
climbing - the path goes directly towards and into
Priors Hardwick village - head for the church.
From the church continue along the road passing in front of a large
restaurant - at the road junction go left and shortly look out for and take a
footpath on the right. Once into the field go half right climbing up the field
i.e. head for the top right hand corner. Once through the gate continue straight
ahead now walking across the top of the ridge and with the field edge on the
right. After passing through another gate the path bears right and starts to
descend - head for a dip in the field to the right of the trees - take the
marked path ahead which goes across the next field and onto a small road. Go
left along the road and then almost immediately look for and go through a gate
on the right - the path now dips up and down as it crosses the fields and passes
Stoneton Manor. Go through a gate and then bear half right to arrive at Newfield
Pool. Keep to the right of the pool and continue ahead on the marked path - over
several fields - to reach Wormleighton. The church can be reached by heading
right along the road.
From Wormleighton there are two choices to get back to Fenny Compton - one of
which is to simply walk the country lane which heads almost directly back to the
Wharf - this is obviously the shortest way.
However since the map shows that there is the site of the medieval ruins of Wormleighton nearbye and we don't
like walking on roads too much anyway, we took a concrete road leaving by the
church which headed down to the Sewage Works - to the right of the (not smelly)
works enter a field. Head half right down the fields with lots of furrows and
mounds etc on the left showing where the old ruins once were - in fact there is not a
lot see apart from these grassy mounds. Aim towards the clearly visible Oxford
Canal and Wells Bridge 134. There is or may be quite a lot of undergrowth at the
bridge - cross over the bridge and then immediately on the left and well hidden
in the quite dense foliage is a gap where you can get down to the towpath - turn right to
head back to Fenny Compton Wharf.
Marston Doles - Napton Locks - Lower and Upper Shuckburgh - Napton on
the Hill - Marston Doles Circular Walk.
This 23km circular walk was really enjoyable - the as always beautiful Oxford
Canal offers lots of locks and bridges to look at as it wanders about through
the English countryside for the first half of the walk and then there is a nice bit of
hill climbing to get up to Upper Shuckburgh and then Napton on the Hill before a
descent back to Marston Doles.
There is a little bit of car parking available at
Marston Doles - we are unaware of any public transport which can get you there though.
Whilst working out how to walk this stretch of the Oxford Canal
we considered a taxi from Braunston to Marston Doles in order to just walk the towpath one way
and we were quoted UKstg25.
The maps used for these walks were the O.S. Explorer 206 221 and 222.
Simply head north on the canal towpath soon passing Napton Locks - the
towpath was in reasonable condition and the countryside is beautiful. You get
nice views of Napton on the Hill as the
towpath winds below it - eventually the
Grand Union joins the Oxford Canal at Napton Junction. From the junction the
towpath we found to be in a very poor state - heavily overgrown and various bits
had collapsed. Eventually the church at Lower Shuckburgh comes into view across
fields on the right - shortly after this you reach Bridge 104 - leave the canal
here. Cross the bridge and walk up to Lower Shuckburgh and it's pretty church
which makes an ideal place for a lunch break - unusually there is no seating at
the church but you can use the wide steps by the front door.
From the church cross the main road and take the footpath opposite - the path
heads up and across a field towards a farm but continues past it on the right.
After crossing a small muddy stream continue heading upwards to reach a fire
beacon. Continue on up to reach a cross path - divert left because hidden up in
the trees is a really pretty church - Upper Shuckburgh. From the church walk
back on the path to reach a wood edge - now continue up hill to reach beacon
hill and a trig point. Continue to the wood edge and then turn right - this path
undulates across two fields to reach a small road. Go left and then immediately
right on another path again crossing fields to another road. Turn right and then
shortly left on another road - look out for a path on the right a little way
down the road - this path goes to the left of a sports area and then climbs up
eventually on a small road to reach a t-junction. Turn right and then left on a
small road which heads steeply up to Napton's Church. There are really great
views from up here and also there are lots of seats around the churchyard for a
short rest and break.
A path leaves the churchyard from the front of the church - follow this steeply
down into the village - crossing one road and arriving at a more major road.
Turn right and follow the road passing Holroyd Farm and Chapel Green -
then a road junction by Lower Farm take a footpath on the right which crosses
fields - follow this eventually passing what little remains of the old feeder
arm and buildings - the feeder arm is full of rushes and undergrowth and the Old Engine House
has seeminly been used as a cow-shed - it's just a bit of brickwork and lots of rusty old
corrugated iron sheets. We had diverted particularly to see this old building and to be honest
it was not worth the effot. From here continue along in the original direction across the fields to arrive back
at Marston Doles.
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