Circular via Banbury Hill (Cotswold Gateway Charlbury Walk 2)

Leaving from the Co-op (1), go uphill on Enstone Road, past the Health Centre to the crossroads. Take care at this busy junction. Cross first on the left of the junction, then cross again to the righthand side of Enstone Road and walk away from the junction. After about 50 m, a public bridleway (Hundley Way) leads straight on (2).

Follow this bridleway and look to the left for a pleasant view over the valley and countryside beyond. Continue past all the houses until the track runs along the left-hand side of a field. Follow this for about 400 m to a gate in the hedge marked ‘Permissive path to Banbury Hill Farm’ (3). At this point, you may take a longer route to Ditchley Park by continuing to follow the track.

To continue the circular walk, go through the gate and down the steps to the corner of the field, then turn right at the marker post. After 150 m there is another waymarker on the left; go up the footpath to a gate into the wood (4).

Follow the surfaced footpath to the left. After about 300 m, turn left to follow the path along the boundary of the wood. To visit Banbury Hill Farm go straight at this
point.

After further sharp right and left turns, the circular walk back to Charlbury continues along the boundary and finally leads to a metal pedestrian gate (5). Go through this gate to the road.

Take care crossing at this point, as it is a busy road with fast traffic. Once across the road, turn left along the wide verge. A little way down the verge, go through the pedestrian gate on to the footpath behind the road-side hedge.

The path now goes down the left-hand side of a large field. At this point there is a fine view across to the Evenlode Valley and Wychwood Forest. Continue down the path and through two wooden gates at the bottom. The public footpath to the right here leads to Taston and Spelsbury, offering another longer walk.

Go through the metal gate on your left, then turn right to go through the wooden gate (6) that leads into the Wigwell Nature Reserve.

Follow the path, which can become muddy at times, until you reach the main field. Here the permissive path branches into two. The path going up the hill joins the public footpath to Spelsbury.

For Charlbury, take the path straight on, which goes across the field to a way-marker where it turns left to go down to the stream. Go through the metal gate on to the footbridge (7) to cross this stream.

Turn right to go up the bank on the other side. This leads uphill to a pedestrian gate. Go through this and continue straight on across the field, when you will see the town cemetery on the right.

A public footpath goes through the gate into the cemetery, joining the Mill Field circular path (see separate guide). If you want a longer walk, this leads to the station and also back into the town.

To take the direct route to the centre of Charlbury, keep left on the path and then go through a wooden gate on to Nine Acres Lane. Take care crossing the road, then go up the steps on to the path that goes to the right of the tennis courts and the Community Centre, thence to the Spendlove car-park.

To get to the town centre, turn right past the Co-op and go down Browns Lane.

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