Swerford - Little Tew - Great Tew -Swerford

Ron and Jenny Glynn

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A great walk in fabulous rolling Oxfordshire farmland, with three very picturesque villages where you can believe that you have taken a step back in time. From the lovely setting of Swerford, an uphill meadow path allows splendid views. Footpaths, tracks, bridleways and road-walking follow, to reach Little Tew, a most pretty, tiny settlement. It is worth leaving the route to wander around and see it fully before continuing.

The patchwork fields, streams and woods are a constant delight whatever the time of year, but the spring and early summer is a time of enchanting beauty, when the fresh new mantle of green splendour is upon the earth.

The Great Tew Estate has been revived after it fell into decline and the rustic charm of the village is wonderful to behold, of picture-book quality.

The Falkland Arms pub is ivy-strewn and attractive, bearing the name of the former Lords of the Manor; a few yards away is the pretty thatched shop and post office which looks across to the village school. The Mill Lane track leaves this charming setting in quiet and secluded woodland and the last part of the walk takes a superb track before the downward approach to Swerford brings it to its finish.

England - Central England - Oxfordshire - Countryside

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Church, Flowers, Food Shop, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Lake/Loch, Pub, Wildlife

12/30/2020 - Nick & Jaq Gosling

The villages were delightful but this walk has changed and description not accurate! Thank goodness for GPS or we would never have been able to finish this walk!

1/15/2012 - Noel and Lesley Johnson

We have done this walk twice, once in spring 2011 and today (15.01.12). We enjoyed the walk both times but there are a couple of sections that require full attention and (in our opinion) there are a couple of areas to avoid. Others may think differently. First time we messed up at the start, but in hindsight I think it was because of lack of concentration; with a compass and the notes there should be no real problem finding the way to 5 (to avoid walking along the potentially busy A361 we stayed on the waymarked footpath and joined the road at 366304). Second, another section worthy of note is between 9 and 10. Our advice, to avoid the bog in the middle of the field is to keep right and high up. The field exit is visible at all times (do not confuse with another exit to your right!). At 18, for us, the track (Mill Lane) has been impassible. The first time it was to boggy to walk, and the second time there was lots of fallen trees as well as being boggy. Our advice is to walk on the road from 16 to 19. Lastly, at 21, although the way marker is clear from the roadway, we were unsure about passing by Myrtle cottage so we walked via road back to Swerford Church. NB. Ron and Jenny, we think your walks are great! Noel and Lesley Johnson