Category: Walking Group

Short walk at Clanfield with lunch at Ye Olde Swan, Radcot  –  15th January 2019 – approx 3 miles

It was a raw cold morning when 25 members left Carterton for Clanfield.  As we arrived 2 more walkers were waiting for us and 2 more joined us for lunch.  The original walk was to be just over 2 miles but as we had time to spare we made it into a longer walk.  Most of the walk was on pavements alongside the brook running down the side of the main road, down a lane which looked to be a bridle way and across 3 small meadows. It was a flat walk and not muddy.  After finishing the walk, we made our way to Radcot for lunch.  The Inn was welcoming with open fires and friendly staff. The meals were well received, served on time, and with good sized portions.  It is certainly a venue we will visit again.  Thanks once again to the car drivers.  Our next short walk is on 12th February at Sherborne where we hope to see snowdrops.  Pam

6.5 miles walk starting at Minster Lovell 8 January 2019

On a beautiful, cool, crisp and sunny morning 13 members left the usual meeting place and made our way to Wash Meadow, Minster Lovell.  Arriving at Minster Lovell we were all taken aback with the amount of cars in the car park, in fact it was full.  Most of the vehicles belonged to contractors who were working at the Old Swan.  Six more members met us here for the walk. Mike and Alan were going to do a shorter walk and meet us later.  Although several members live in Minster Lovell they hadn’t walked the route we took. We crossed the bridge and then took a set of steep steps onto a track besides a hedge.  At the end of the hedge was a lovely memorial to the husbands of 3 of our members; bulbs had been planted and the memorial is maintained by  the 3  widows who live in Minster Lovell.  A moving tribute. The terrain was relatively dry with a few undulations.  Short sections of road walking made up part of the walk, one passing Worsham Mill.  A short steep downhill was not  as slippery as expected and was successfully navigated by all.  After 2 or 3 fields we emerged onto the road and this was the final section of the walk back to our cars and mysterious Minster Lovell.

Thank you to all those that came on the walk and to the car drivers.  Our next long walk is on 20th February Coombe/Blenheim Palace Parkland. Pam

On a dull morning, with heavy rain promised later, the group set off for our walk to Hazel and Jane’s home for coffee and mince pies.  Approx 3 miles each way.

 Ian and Josephine met us in Corbett Road and Alan drove to The Crescent to park his car.

It was quite windy but we were still able to walk at a good pace.  The route took us round the airfield perimeter past the sewerage works and then down the main road in Black Bourton.  Hazel and Teresa started from Black Bourton and met us in Black Bourton itself.  Arriving at our Hosts home we were served coffee and mince pies and some of Hazel’s all butter Christmas stars, Yum!  We had a nice natter and then retraced our steps, and managed to reach Carterton with only a few drops of rain falling.  The usual animals were in the fields at the rescue farm, and the RAF provided us with numerous fly pasts  which provided a topic of conversation.

Thank you to Hazel and Jane and to the walkers. 

Our next 2 walks are on the 8th January 2019, yet tbd, 15th January at Clanfield followed by lunch at Ye old Swan Radcot. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Pam

On a beautiful morning 16 members left the Town centre and walked footpaths, lanes and through Kilkenny Park arriving back 2 hours later. We had stayed in Carterton as it was the U3A meeting in the afternoon.  We did managed to have a quick coffee and chat before dashing off to get to the meeting on time.  Thank you to all those that walked.  Our next short walk is on 8th January at Clanfield and then lunch at Ye Old Swan, Radcot.  Pam 

18 walkers turned out for this walk, all well wrapped up as we were promised biting cold winds.  We met Angela at Hailey and commenced the walk. The area around the green was very picturesque with a variety of trees and with  a memorial at one end.  There was a short road walk before joining a footpath and entering a very long avenue of trees.  The majority of the walk was beautiful with the ground being covered in a carpet of leaves, which many of us enjoyed listening the  rustle beneath our feet and the odd kicking of them into the air.

Several large remote houses were visible between the hedgerows.  Leaving the footpath, we crossed the B4022 road to continue the footpath again past Chasewood Farm.  Here we joined the course of the Roman road Akerman Street which linked Cirencester to Bicester. Following the track through open fields we saw Leafield Church to our right and Witney Church and Didcot power station to our left.  We came to a cross of two concrete tracks which were part of a World War II airfield. A short length of road walking came next and then we joined a byway towards Orchard Farm.  Reaching farm cottages, we stopped for a breather and then walked along another byway, Pay Lane, and through some woods.  At the end of the woods we crossed the B4022 again and walked down St John’s Lane.  The Wychwood Project volunteers had reconstructed a dry stone wall on this byway. Continuing to the end of the wood we came to a lane, which led to the road where we had started from and back to our cars.  It was a great walk with great company, and we had managed to stay sheltered from the wind. Thank you to the car drivers.  The next long walk is to Hazel and Jane’s at Black Bourton on the 18th December, where we will have coffee and mince pies, and then walk back again.  Pam

14 members met at the normal car park to drive to  the start of the walk at Witney where 6 other members were waiting for us.  It was a gorgeous morning with the sun shining. The route was just over 3 miles and easy walking.  The terrain was mostly on lanes, tarmac roads, and fields (we were warned that a bull might be in one field), thankfully there were no cattle at all on the route.

We crossed one or two stiles which were quite low, several dog walkers were seen, our normal fly past took place, and plenty of chattering and laughter.  The trees still had plenty of colourful leaves as did some gardens, the paths were a carpet of yellow and brown. Unfortunately, there was not a café in sight.   Thank you once again to the car drivers.  Pam

4 miles

On a very misty and drizzling morning 10 members gathered at the normal car park to travel to Coleshill. 3 cars made their way to the National Trust Coleshill Estate carpark . The route we were following today was the Red Walk; this is one of five walks round the Estate which are all advertised as easy. From past experience I knew the walk would be wet and muddy.  We left the car park, crossed the road and entered the park via a cattle grid to a well-defined grass track and then onto a concrete path.  This took us through Waterloo Copse and past Waterloo Lodge.  From here we followed the hedge lines, some were beneath 5 towering wind turbines.  At Ashen Copse Farm the terrain became concrete and then it was soon back to the fields passing by Flanborough Woods and the circle was completed by walking across Coleshill Park.  Although it was muddy and wet underfoot it was an enjoyable walk.  Arriving back at our cars, 4 travelled back to Carterton and 6 of us went for a coffee at the Radnor Arms.  Our next long walk is on 20th November, route tbd.  Thank you to the car drivers.  Pam

It was the most beautiful morning for our walk.  15 members made their way to Asthall for the start of the walk. We took what we thought as being the easiest route only to get held up by road works in several places. As we were parking our cars a young lady came and spoke to us and asked which way we were walking as there was a herd of cattle heading towards us. Fortunately, we were going in the opposite direction.  The walk was mainly over fields with a wonderful vista over the Windrush Valley, very peaceful and colourful. We didn’t get our fly past but we did a walk past of a helicopter.  It was a very sociable walk with plenty of chatter.  Unfortunately, there wasn’t anywhere suitable for coffee but this didn’t seem a problem as several were pleased to be going home to sit in their gardens.  Thank you to the car drivers.

Our next short walk is on 13th November, walk to be decided.  Pam

5 Miles

It was a lovey morning when 14 of us set off for Winchcombe Station.  Mike had kindly offered to be one of the drivers to Winchcombe and then, wouldn’t walk, but would drive to Toddington and wait to take the car drivers to retrieve their cars at the finish of the walk.  It was a walk where we were able to use 3  different facilities and to purchase refreshments, if wished. The walk was gently undulating over, tracks, fields lanes, and quiet roads, some of which were near to the railway line.  Unfortunately, there was a mystery /scenic route for about ¾ mile in the middle of the walk, but we eventually we found where we should have been. We stopped at Hayles Fruit Farm where some bought refreshments others ate their own lunches. Several bought freshly picked fruits from the farm shop.  Suitably refreshed we continued the walk past Hailes Abbey, which is steeped in history and worth a visit.  It has its own museum and headphones are supplied when you visit.  After a  short road walk we  followed a track into  Didbrook, with its bright red telephone box,  a small green with seats placed round the trunk of a very large tree.  Continuing on the road for 200 yards and then climbing a stile, we were entered a field next to the railway line.  There were bridges to cross, cattle grazing in the fields, and sweetcorn crops that had grown very tall.  Next came a ridge-and-furrow field from the days of medieval strip farming; the ridges are the result of generations of ploughing from the centre outwards, using oxen. Three more stiles to cross and we were at Toddington Station.  Mike was waiting to take the car drivers to pick up their cars, the remainder had another coffee and slice of cake.

An enjoyable walk on a lovely day with good company.  Thank you to the car drivers especially  to Mike for doing all the “ferrying”.  Pam

18 member left Carterton at 8am.  When we arrived at Bampton, 7 more members were waiting for us.  It was a blustery, warm morning, ideal for walking.  The beginning of the walk was through an avenue of trees on the side of the recreation field; into a small wooded area with 2 more avenues of trees. It was so beautiful and peaceful; it will be a picture when the leaves turn colour.  We came out into the open and crossed two fields.  We emerged onto a lane and then  a quiet road passing RAF Bampton Castle and Weald.  The next part of the walk took us on a lane, passing through some houses and a field with Shetland ponies in.  Then we followed a pathway back to the main road and to where our cars were parked. After changing our boots we drove the short distance to the Bampton Plant Centre where we had breakfast.  Although everything was pre-ordered it was a little chaotic until we were served our food, which was very nice.  Unfortunately, one of our cars had its windscreen smashed which took the edge off a very pleasant morning.  Thank you to the car  drivers.  Our next short walk will be circular from Asthall on 9th October. Pam