Guiting Power and Castlett - Miles without Stiles

Walk back to the green, cross to the Old Post Office and turn left. Go carefully round the corner and fork right onto a lane (Wardens’ Way) leading to a path down to the Guiting Stream.

Here 1 turn right over a small stone bridge (or ford the shallow water). Climb to a gate and take the grass path ahead alongside horse paddocks, with occassional views on the left, to reach a lane 2. Turn left along the lane and look out for ‘polo mint’ stones in the wall ahead, to the right of the big house gates.

Carry on past more paddocks to a T-junction 3 Just before you get there look left to see bumps and hollows in the last field: all that remains of the deserted village of Castlett. Turn right uphill on the lane (you may hear buzzards or skylarks) and once over the crest turn left onto a track at a blue sign ‘unsuitable for motors’ 4.

(The Halfway House Inn at Kineton is 400m away; just go straight on to the village and turn right).

Walk along the track past trees on the right to the summit then carry on downhill past Sheephouse Barn. For centuries this was an overnight stop for drovers and their animals walking to Banbury market.

Approx 250m further on, at a cross roads 5 look half-left for two boulders in the hedge. One is roughly carved as a toad. Walk between the stones and down into the valley past an overgrown lake on your right. At the bottom bear right to meet a quiet lane 6.

Turn left downstream through beautiful woodland, out into parkland and to a crossroads with a car park 7. (You could start a shorter walk from here).

Carry on along the track ahead for ½ mile (0.8km). At a cottage and barn look over your right shoulder for more polo-mints in the wall 8.

From here bear left down a short stony path to point 1 and retrace your steps back to the village and the car park.

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