Cholsey - Blewbury - Ridgeway - Goring
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This walk was originally contributed by Howard Dell. In March 2010 it was substantially updated by Andrew Long. Our thanks go to Howard and Andrew.
This fairly long (twelve miles) but not particularly strenuous walk has only a couple of 'puffy' hills over two quite different types of Southern English countryside. The walk begins on the gentle Oxfordshire Plain of undulating farmland before reaching the lunch stop at a first-class pub (the Red Lion; Good Pub Guide-listed) in the village of Blewbury. This is very attractive and it's worth spending a little time to explore its medieval features (see Additional Information, below).
The afternoon session of the walk climbs up to the harsher terrain of the Ridgeway, giving a number of good views. Birdwatchers will notice the change in bird varieties from farmland and hedgerow to high downland species.
The walk concludes at the small, pleasant, Upper Thames twin towns of Streatley and Goring, which face each other on opposite banks of the river. The Thames is very picturesque around here and is an ideal spot to unwind after the walk.
This is an A to B walk, both start and finish points being adjacent stations on the same rail line. For car owners who will need to run a shuttle from the finish back to the start, the drive time between the two points is no more than fifteen minutes. Walkers with dodgy knees should be aware that the last quarter-mile is a descent of very steep slopes and many steps. Fortunately, there is no correspondingly steep climb earlier in the walk!
England - Central England - Oxfordshire - Ridgeway
Features
Birds, Flowers, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Pub, River
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