Napton, Marston Doles, Fenny Compton, Claydon, Cropedy and Banbury English Walks Guide.

Hiking on Towpaths along the beautiful Oxford Canal - England

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.

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). Walk down onto the tow path by the Wharf Inn and turn right heading south towards Cropedy and Banbury. The pub itself is covered in flowers and looks really pretty and almost immediately the tow path and canal are bordered by trees, wild flowers and foliage - it really is pleasant walking. The canal narrows considerably after a short distance as it goes - for once - quite straight through a cutting - this was originally the Fenny Compton Tunnel.
Just after going under Bridge 138 (which carries the A423 road) you will see a narrow path going half back and up the canal bank - just a little way up you come to an old brick kiln. This was where the bricks were made for the old tunnel - the building is still intact though somewhat covered in vegetation including some huge stinging nettles however you can go inside it.
Back on the canal the towpath slowly climbs for a while before dropping back down to the become a proper towpath again as it nears Wormleighton Reservoir - the route of the canal also goes back to what it knows best - wandering around with bends etc. everywhere. The railway is quite close by along the old tunnel route with frequent trains just about visible as they rush by but perhaps of more interest are several semi-dismantled railway bridges where once another line existed.
Around Claydon there are a series of locks within a short distance so this part of the canal is quite busy especially on summer weekends however after this things become much quieter again until you reach Cropedy. The church is quite near to the canal and well worth looking around and there is also a pub/restaurant opposite the church. After Cropedy the canal again becomes serene until you get closer to Banbury and the noisy M40. 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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