Author: Pam

Thirteen members met up at the factory shop car park from where we made our way to the recreation ground car park at Bampton , there we were joined by Hazel and Theresa.  After the obligatory start photo we set off in bright sunshine with a large cock pheasant pointing the way, He obviously came to see Pam?

We circled Bampton;  at one point we sighted RAF Brize Norton perimeter. 

Ninety minutes and 3.75 miles later we arrived back at the start car park.

After a shoe change we adjourned to Bampton garden centre for coffee and cake.

Another very enjoyable walk amiable company

Thank you Pat and Mike for taking the register. Thank you Mal for the photographs. Thank you Hazel for leading the walk. Thank you to the car driver.

You looked after the group excellently. Pam

Our numbers were depleted this morning for one reason or another. 7 members only for the walk (1 thorn amongst 6 roses, these turned into sunny sunflowers later in the walk).
As the walk was linear and with so few car drivers it took some planning to leave a car at the end of the walk and still be able to transport everyone to the beginning ; It all worked out well eventually. Thank you to the car drivers Alan, Ann and Janice, also to Jane for coming to the end of the walk to help with transport.
The walk started from Black Bourton towards Bampton, and then via an incline over Lew Hill and afterwards downhill to Brize Norton. There was a small section of road walking but mostly over fields. The paths had been marked through the crops some of which had been harvested and some still waiting to be cut.
From the top of Lew Bank the panoramic views were picturesque.
It will be a walk which will be repeated in the future.
Our next long walk is on 17th September, the 2nd leg of the Wychwood Way, from Stonesfield to Lidstone. Pam

An attractive circular walk starting from the twin villages of Eastleach Turville and Eastleach Martin and continuing through the surrounding Cotswold countryside.  Each has a parish church although one is now redundant.  The churches face each other across the narrow River Leach.  We did take a very short cut at the beginning of the walk which officially starts by the memorial cross in Eastleach Turville and runs beside the river and over a clapper bridge into the church yard at Eastleach Martin.  From here there was a short section of road walking and then it was over open fields by streams, a short section through a wood and a narrow valley.  We passed by another clapper bridge over a stream which joins the two villages together. It was quite an undulating walk and cows  grazed in two fields.  The walk finished near to the Victoria Inn where some stopped for a coffee or cold drink before driving back to Carterton.  17 members turned out for this walk.  Thank you to the car drivers. The next short will be at Bampton on 10th September and Hazel will be leading this.  Pam

At 0930 when we met it was already quite a hot morning.  3 cars had left early to leave 2 cars at the end of the walk and the 3rd car drove the 2 drivers to Woodstock for the start of the walk (complicated).  In all there were 17 of us.  We stopped frequently for drinks, lunch was going to be while the cars were being manoeuvred at the end of the walk.  There was a field of sheep and several birds flying overhead but apart from this very little wild life.

The walk starts from Market Place in Woodstock, Park Street, Chaucer’s Lane, Hoggrove Hill and then into the Blenheim Estate.  The walk directions were easy to follow and for the first 2 miles we walked on a tarmacked road through the Blenheim Estate.  Eventually we joined part of the Oxfordshire Way and Akerman Street; continuing over cultivated fields and through a belt of trees, leaving  the park by climbing a ladder stile onto a pathway and then followed in the same direction to the Stonesfield-Combe Road. Walking for a further 2 fields, passing Baggs Bottom, and  grassy slopes until we came adjacent to a footbridge over the river.  Here we turned up a steep “hollow” way leading onto a gravel path and into Stonesfield. The track turned into a lane, which we followed to The  Ridings. This is where we start from for the 2nd Stage of the walk. The cars, which we had left earlier, were a few hundred yards away; this is where we had lunch whilst waiting for the cars to come from Woodstock to take us home.  An easy and enjoyable first stage of the walk.  It is not easy making sure the cars are in right place at the right time. A very big thank you to the car drivers.  Pam