The map used is O.S. Explorer 180 Oxford.
Islip - Kidlington - Oxford Canal - then the Oxfordshire Way back to Islip.
25km - fairly flat. Important Note: The route of the Oxfordshire Way is shown on (at least up
to) the 1999 OS map as crossing the A34 in the wrong place (The latest OSGB (2006) Explorer 180
Oxford shows the Trail correctly. The
Oxfordshire Way from Weston on the Green via Staplehurst Farm and on to
Islip has been diverted to avoid you having to traverse the highly
dangerous A34 which at the shown crossing point means trying to get over a
busy dual carriageway. Instead you go past Knowles Farm and onto the B430
and get over the A34 on a bridge. Should you decide to use the original
route via Staplehurst Farm note that the paths are heavily overgrown with
nettles and bramble etc, very difficult to walk and poorly/not way-marked.
This is quite a long walk at 17 miles - generally quite flat as it goes
via fields, some woodland and a nice trek along part of the Oxford Canal -
we think this canal is one of the most scenic in our area with it's
beautiful trees, shrubs, wild flowers and small "one barge at a time"
locks. Parking. The walk starts at Islip - on the B4027 from
Stanton St John as you cross the river at Islip turn right onto a side road
and on the immediate right you can park your car in a -currently (May
2006) - free car park.
Turn left out of the car park and walk straight ahead across the B4027 and onto a smaller road (Mill Street) - follow this initially with houses either side and around half a kilometre along take a small road on the right which goes to railway crossing gates. According to the signs you are only meant to cross if the lights are green, we had a red light so after a short while we phoned the signal box on the provided phone but no answer after a couple of minutes of ringing - so we just crossed anyway.
Continue along the road
to a junction, turn left and follow this fairly quiet road as it soon
bends quite sharply right - a few 100 metres after the bend look for an
unmarked faint path on the left. This path goes across a field and
reaches a high hedgerow. Continue in the same direction and keep the
hedgerow on your right as you head towards some trees. As you get to the trees
a small brook starts on the right, the area is full of high nettles and
the path is hardly visible.
Just as the way ahead is blocked by a small
river turn right and cross over the brook via a small plank bridge -
turn left and head again through high nettles and foliage towards and
then under the A34. From here thankfully the path is clear - follow it
across fields to reach a road on the outskirts of Kidlington.
Cross the road and then turn left on a pavement now
heading into the town - shortly after crossing Gosforth Bridge take a path
on the right signposted "Kidlington Circular Walk".
Follow this signed path as it goes via several estate roads - the route
soon leaves the houses and arrives at a t-junction - with a high wall in
front of you. Turn right and then take a path on the left by a stone
wall marked to "St Mary's Church". A little way along the path forks, here take either option to
continue along to the church - the left fork being the most direct.
Kidlington's St Mary the Virgin church is quite a large affair and well
worth a wander around - it has an extensive graveyard, one of
the most beautifully kept we have seen.
Leave the church by it's main gate, turn right and keep
straight ahead on a footpath now with the graveyard on the right
and heading towards Thrupp. The path continues in a
westwardly direction crossing fields - ignore cross paths.
At a hedgerow
the way ahead appears blocked, simply turn right then shortly turn left
through the hedge and cross a field to
reach an old railway bridge. Cross it and stay ahead
over another field to soon arrive at the Oxford Canal by Sparrowgap
bridge. Cross the canal and join the towpath by walking through the
pub's outside garden area. Turn left onto the towpath and fairly soon
arrive at Thrupp's swing bridge. Cross the bridge - the towpath
continues now with the canal on the left. Follow the towpath now heading towards
Shipton-on-Cherwell - when you reach a nice little canal bridge perhaps
take a diversion by crossing over the bridge and walk the short distance
up to have a look at Holy Cross church.
Back on the towpath just continue along enjoying the countryside - even the large chimney and buildings of a huge cement works don't spoil the view. Go under a railway bridge and then look out across the fields on the right for Hampton Gay's church of St Giles. There is a footpath which appears to head towards the church but you cannot reach the church since the river blocks the way. The River Cherwell appears on the right just as you reach Shiptonweir Lock - here the canal and river join forces and the towpath continues on the left.
Follow the River/Canal along through probably even more impressive countryside - shortly after going under a railway bridge the River and Canal part company - cross over the river via an impressive iron footbridge and simply continue along the towpath. The canal goes on via Enslow (where the River Cherwell reappears below on the left) - yet again the countryside is a delight to walk through. A little way after passing Pinsey Bridge the canal straightens and then arrives at Pigeon Lock - a perfect spot to stop for lunch at around 14km into the walk.
Cross the canal via the bridge - now on the Oxfordshire Way - and stay on this wide dirt track all the way to reach a small road on the outskirts of Kirtlington. Follow the road as it bends slightly right to reach a main road. Turn right soon going past a school and then a public house - as the main road bears right cross over to the Green opposite (the Oxfordshire Way is also signposted). If you like looking at nice churches you can divert here to have a look at/round Kirtlington's church of St Mary the Virgin - a small lane leads to St Mary's from the far side of the Green. To continue the walk take the small village road leading away from the Green - this becomes a path after a short while. The path is clearly marked and continues in an almost straight line across fields - Kirtlington Park is on the left and there is a small lake on the right - ignore all side and cross tracks - just follow the Oxfordshire Way signs to finally reach Weston on the Green's church of St Mary the Virgin.
Apart from St Mary's being a great looking church with lots of features the churchyard is surrounded with trees - not just the usual yews but also some great looking horse chestnuts - and to add to all this there is a very convenient bench seat. Leave the church by it's main entrance and cross the road onto a small lane/track opposite - follow this then as it bends right look for a footbridge on the left hidden in the hedgerow. Once over the bridge follow the path which more or less follows the left-hand hedgerow as it passes Weston-on-the-Green Manor's grounds (including it's large wrought iron gate).
Continue along the field edge to reach another bridge on the left, cross this now with the
Knowles Farm ahead of you. The Oxfordshire Way goes half right across
the field to reach the hedged corner of the farm, then continues
across the field to reach a style by a woods Go through this fairly
narrow strip of woodland and then continue across another field to
reach a style by the public house's car park.
At the road turn left
and then almost immediately cross over to take the tarmac road which
soon crosses the noisy A34.
On the far side of the bridge take a
small road on the right and then immediately take a farm road on the
right heading to Oddington Grange. Follow this narrow road - it
eventually turns sharp left then around half a kilometre past the bend
look out for a path on the right which heads for a footbridge. At our
time of walking this path was not marked and the footbridge was barely
visible but you can see two low styles across the field. Head for the
right hand style, cross and then continue straight ahead to another
style/footbridge on the far side. From here the Oxfordshire Way is
mostly clearly marked and easy (but often very muddy) to follow. When
the path emerges on a small farm road (Barndon Farm) the path markings
are obscured - turn right then around 50 metres along turn left next
to a hedgerow into a field Simply follow the marked path first with
the hedgerow on the left then eventually on the right - to reach a
railway line.
Carefully cross the line then head right along the track and shortly turn left to pick up the path again. It may be worth noting if pollen is a problem for you that when we last walked this route - end of May 2006 - two of the fields were planted with oilseed rape and the plants were heading upwards of 5 feet high. The amount of bugs let alone the pollen made for interesting breathing for a while... Now simply follow the path almost always directly ahead to finally reach a small stream - just after crossing this turn left and follow the field on into Islip. At the road go left to the road junction, cross over to go into Lower Street and follow this back to the car park..
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