Walks in Chilterns/Ridgeway

[rural roamer]

Has anybody walked in the area around Watlington, Oxfordshire, on the edge of the Chilterns and on the Ridgeway? We’ll be at our daughters from the beg of September so that we are there when she has her baby and are sort of looking at it like a bit of a holiday too, depending on how long we end up being there before she actually produces! They only moved there just before lockdown so not had a chance to do any walking there yet. If anyone has done any circular walks in that area I‘d love to hear about them. That’s assuming we get time off from the 2 year old!

[fernman]

That's part of my stomping ground! (Or was, when I could get out.) A fantastic walking area which is an easy drive for me from home up to Junction 5 of the M40.

Try these. Note that there is a NT parking charge at Watlington Hill.

https://www.chilternsaonb.org/uploads/files/Walks_and_Rides/Christmas_Common_Commons_Country_Walks.pdf

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chilterns-countryside/trails/watlington-hill---greenfields-and-saxon-roads

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chilterns-countryside/trails/watlington-hill-and-the-wormsley-estate--an-emblematic-chilterns-walk

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chilterns-countryside/trails/from-chilterns-escarpment-to-remote-interior

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chilterns-countryside/trails/a-long-walk-in-the-chilterns-

[rural roamer]

Thanks fernman.    Will take a good look at those. I forgot that the NT often have walks on their site. We’re members so no problem with car park charges! We could probably walk to Watlington Hill from their house anyway.

[Theo Frum]

I walked the Oxfordshire Way last August, which passes ~1km north of Watlington. The section over the Chilterns to Henley is very pleasant.


https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/environment-and-planning/countryside/walks-and-rides/oxfordshire-way

[SteamyTea]

Parts of the Ickneld Way are nearby.

[fernman]

We could probably walk to Watlington Hill from their house anyway.

Should be easy! And there's a moderate pub, The Carrier's Arms, at the foot of the hill, in which you can recover on your return.
But at the Fox & Hounds at Christmas Common you are greeted at the door by waiters in black aprons holding menus, not my idea of a pub, while if you walk as far east as The Fox at Ibstone it has turned iteslf into a "country club".

(IF any of them still exist post-lockdown.)

[SteamyTea]

Should be easy! And there's a moderate pub, The Carrier's Arms, at the foot of the hill, in which you can recover on your return.
But at the Fox & Hounds at Christmas Common you are greeted at the door by waiters in black aprons holding menus, not my idea of a pub, while if you walk as far east as The Fox at Ibstone it has turned iteslf into a "country club".

(IF any of them still exist post-lockdown.)

Friend on mine used to own the Plough at Pyrton.  Think it is a house now.

[fernman]

Friend on mine used to own the Plough at Pyrton.  Think it is a house now.

As are many in the Chilterns now. You can no longer rely on the blue beer glass symbol on your map. And that was before Covid-19.

[rural roamer]

Thanks all, we are off at the weekend, hoping to get some walks in while grandsons at nursery.


BTW son in law informs us that the Carriers Arms was closed but has now reopened as the Spire and Spoke and does great pizzas.

[cpjmathieson]

This is a nice walk I did not far from there in Turville where they filmed Vicar of Dibley down to the Thames and back.


http://myadventures3.blogspot.com/2018/02/vicar-of-dibley-walk-recce-5th-february.html

[fernman]

This is a nice walk I did not far from there in Turville where they filmed Vicar of Dibley down to the Thames and back.

http://myadventures3.blogspot.com/2018/02/vicar-of-dibley-walk-recce-5th-february.html

Thanks so much for posting the link to your Chilterns walk, which illustrates perfectly the beautiful area of woods, views and pretty villages that I personally am priveleged to have within reasonable reach for walking. Some of my photos are mirror copies of yours! The weir on the Thames with its lengthy walkway is quite spectacular and not to be missed.

You could have saved yourself walking along that nasty stretch of the main road. The last time i was in that area, which was in March this year, I discovered an L-shaped courtesy path between the buildings in Mill End at roughly SU785851 that joins a bridleway in the edge of Ridge Wood at 782858. A little further up the lane in Mill End there is also a public footpath by the last house; that heads W and crosses the courtesy path.