Ascent/Descent:
approx. 300m; Net Walking Time: 5 hours
Toughness:
5 out of 10
Take
the 10.22 Hereford train from Paddington (10.36 Slough, 10.52 Reading),
arrives Charlbury 11.37.
Return trains are on xx.22. Buy a Charlbury return.
Why
walk it in reverse? The pub in Stonesfield proved a bit disappointing the last
time around, so let’s try out the one in Finstock, which got good reviews from the
group that went there for an afternoon break…
The
River Evenlode and its soft, easy hills and fertile countryside; Lord
Rotherwick’s deer park, Cornbury Park; the delightful stone villages of Charlbury,
Finstock and Stonesfield; Akeman Street, the Old Roman road from Alchester to
Cirencester and the extensive grounds of Blenheim Palace.
Lunch: The
Plough Inn in Finstock (4.6 km/2.9 mi, food to 14.30)
or the White
Horse in Stonesfield (9.1 km/5.6 mi, food to 14.00).
Tea: Cafés
at Blenheim
Palace (ticketed entry), or The George & Dragon and The Three Horseshoes in Long
Hanborough, about 10 minutes from the station.
T=1.38
Next Week: Margate to Ramsgate (via Broadstairs Folk Festival)
Next Week: Margate to Ramsgate (via Broadstairs Folk Festival)
2 comments:
Ealing broadway residents take the 10.05 and change at Slough.
Given the woeful Wednesday weather forecast (third in a row!), just n=2 resilient regulars on this picturesque ramble through the Cotswold. Initially, the forecast seemed to unfold as promised as we encountered a w=steady-stream-of-persistent-rain en route from Charlbury to Finstock during which we interestingly observed the ongoing dismantling of the Wilderness Festival at the Cornbury Estate. We soon arrived at the early lunch pub and practically had the charming Plough Inn to ourselves and so enjoyed our main courses we opted to stay and have a second "chocolate course" which did not disappoint either....During lunch there were some tantalizing periods of dryness outside -- and, amazingly, when we set off for the bulk of the walk to Hanborough conditions were w=largely-dry-with-atmospheric-dark-clouds-and-some-blue-skies. The route in this direction is very scenic with lots of great vistas. Definitely recommended....We paused in Long Hanborough for a quick half before catching the 18:44.....back into rainy London...
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