St Birinus Part 3 Long Version: Wallingford - Brightwell

Jacqueline Brown

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The walk starts in the fine old market town of Wallingford, with its old church and castle ruins. Despite using paths and alleys which avoid traffic, it does have to cross the busy bypass on leaving Wallingford. Then on paths beside brooks it crosses low-lying farmland to South Moreton. This is where it joins the St Birinus Pilgrimage route. If you have only done the short version of Part 2, use the loop at the start of Walk 5439 to cover this omission. Continuing through more farmland where fields are often separated by drainage ditches rather than hedges, you reach Mackney. The views are of Wittenham Clumps and the Sinodun Hills which will be tackled in Part 4 of the series. At the right season birds and butterflies can be seen en route. A little further on you reach Brightwell-cum-Sotwell. All the villages are picturesque and this largest is a combination of Brightwell (referring to good clean water) and Sotwell (poor water), with a host of old cottages, a good pub and a pretty duck-pond which defies the name of Sotwell! From here you cross more farmland and the bypass to return to Wallingford.

For more information about the St Birinus Walks please go to St Birinus

England - Central England - Oxfordshire - Thames Valley

Features

Ancient Monument, Birds, Butterflies, Cafe, Castle, Church, Flowers, Food Shop, Gift Shop, Mostly Flat, Museum, Pub, Public Transport, Restaurant, Tea Shop, Toilets, Wildlife