Discover the Lower Windrush Valley
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Walks Key Walks TL Turn Left Windrush Path, Standlake to Newbridge Sites of interest Leisure & Walks TR Turn Right Valley Windrush Length: Approx 1.7 miles / 2.8 km If you are driving to a walk start point, please FL Fork Left Time: 40 minutes Dix Pit lake is a Local Wildlife Site and is ensure that you park respectfully, especially in FR Fork Right important because of the lack of disturbance, Lower the village locations. Start point: Standlake the presence of shallow areas and islands and BL Bear Left End Point: Newbridge is particularly good for terns, ducks, grebes Witney Lake BR Bear Right and gulls. Discover Gill Mill Circular Walk 1. From Black Horse Pub in Standlake Stanton Harcourt Archeological digs here between 1990 and Stanton Harcourt is a small, pretty village Length: Approx 5 miles / 8 km cross the main road to 1999 resulted in approximately 1500 bones dating from the Bronze Age. Rich in history, Time: 1 hour 45 minutes Shifford Lane. Follow and teeth from large animals being excavated. the village has been a focus for archaeologists The remains belonged to a range of species Start and end point: Rushy Common Car Park Shifford Lane past STANDLAKE for many years including the Channel 4 the Maybush School including mammoth, elephant, horse, bear programme ‘Time Team’. Stanton Harcourt 1. TL out of Rushy Common until you reach a and lion. Manor House is well-known for its 14th car park and walk 2 crossroads. 1 century medieval kitchens - the most complete Devil’s Quoits approximately 100 metres surviving medieval kitchens in the country. 2. TL and follow the path 4000 to 5000 years ago, this would have along the road where you In the grounds of the manor house is the until you reach a T 2 been one of the most important standing 15th century Pope’s Tower in which the poet will find the entrance to junction. TR and follow stone circle sites in Britain but by the end of Alexander Pope worked on his translation of the Down Valley Way. Go the track until you the 19th century only three of the stones were Homer’s Iliad. through the gate and follow 3 reach a gate. standing. The henge earthwork was rebuilt in Down Valley Way. 2002, and in 2005 some of the original stones 3. TL through a kissing Gill Mill Quarry, near Ducklington, is one 2. When you reach a gate at 1 were moved back into position and new of Oxfordshire’s largest quarries. Gravel gate and you will find stones were erected to replace lost ones. the end of the Down Valley 3 extraction will be continuing for many years the Picnic Area. Carry 4 Way, TL and you will join the and will extend to the A40 at Witney. Once on along the path Ducklington sits on the bank of the River extraction is completed new sites for nature Northern Cross Valley Way. until you reach a small Windrush. The village is renowned for the conservation and recreation will be created. Follow this path and cross bridge which you Snake’s Head Fritillary, a rare wildflower that There will be extensive areas of new habitats, Map reference for route and key points the East Arm of the River cross, TL and then grows locally. In April, the village celebrates including reedbed and lowland meadow, and Windrush. almost immediately TR Fritillary Sunday, when the fritillary field is open a network of new paths and bridleways for to the public. people to enjoy. 3. As you near Ducklington you Map reference for route and key points 4 on to a narrow path, part of which is a wooden boardwalk. will reach a crossroads.TL 4. At the end of the boardwalk you will come to a private drive. Follow this Witney Lake and Country Park offers a and walk down the Windrush Tar Lakes until you reach the main road. Here you TR through a kissing gate and gateway to the Lower Windrush Valley. There Tar Lakes consists of multiple lakes and ponds Path along the River Windrush. follow the well-trodden path through the fields and across a bridge until are surfaced paths round the lake and rougher created as part of the restoration work that 4. As you approach Hardwick, there is a kissing gate. Go through the gate and you reach the Rose Revived Pub at Newbridge. paths through fields providing a rich variety of occurred after gravel extraction. The wildlife take the footpath across the field. Follow the footpath around Founders Lake walking experiences on the doorstep of the interest includes swans and great crested and then Brasenose Two Lake.The path then crosses the East Arm of the historic market town of Witney. grebes on the water all year round, dragon River Windrush and takes you towards Tar Lakes. and damselflies in the summer, and flocks of fieldfare in the winter. Catch a glimpse of Rushy Common through the viewing gaps along the footpath back to The paths around Tar Lakes are open to the car park. everyone for walking and quiet recreation. About 800 metres of path is suitable for disabled access and pushchairs. The car park LOOK OUT FOR: Water voles LOOK OUT FOR: Art Underfoot Mosaic across the road at Rushy Common has space Water vole numbers continue to increase on the Trail. Along the footpath look out for the series of for approximately 20 cars and is open at all Lower Windrush after re-introductions in 2005. striking mosaic sculptures created by the community of times. Cycle racks are available in the car park for those arriving by bicycle. Standlake during the summer of 2004. Devil’s Quoits Map reference for route and key points Northmoor Circular Walk 1 M40 Length: Approx 5.5 miles / 8.8 km Map reference for NORTHMOOR WITNEY Time: 2 hours route and key points A40 BURFORD 1 2 WITNEY A40 Start and end point: Red Lion Pub in Northmoor A44 OXFORD 3 2 1. From Red Lion, TL west along road 8 A34 for around 150 yards. TL into Moreton 4 3 DUCKLINGTON Lane for 250 yards. TL onto farm road 7 ABINGDON 5 towards Church Farm for about 350 yards. 6 HARDWICK 2. Pass farm buildings on right & go Bird Hides Rushy Common Nature Reserve 2 through metal gate on right before The Lower Windrush Valley has some Restoration of this site after mineral extraction The Lower Windrush Valley covers 28km of West Oxfordshire incorporating the fantastic spots for birdwatching, including was carefully planned to create a diverse floodplain of the River Windrush from Witney to the River Thames at Newbridge. road straightens. Footpath goes 4 straight across the field from the Windrush Path, Witney to Hardwick Rushy Common and Standlake Common range of habitats including standing open Over the last 60 years the landscape of the valley has been extensively modified by Nature Reserves. Bird hides at both sites water, ponds, ditches, islands, and gravelly mineral extraction with large areas of the riverside pasture transformed into a mosaic of gate, under powerlines to a metal 5 Length: 3 miles / 5 km can be accessed by key, which is available shorelines. Winter numbers of waterfowl such open water. kissing gate under tall trees opposite. Time: 1 hour 15 minutes to purchase from the Lower Windrush Valley as wigeon and teal can be in the hundreds and 3. Go through gate & into next field. Follow hedgerow on left for 3 fields. You will reach Start point: Witan Way, Witney Project. in the summer breeding common tern swoop The Lower Windrush Valley Project works closely with mineral operators, landowners and open ground down to the Thames. The path goes across the open ground at 45 across the water and great crested grebe carry the community to co-ordinate, implement and help manage a wide range of landscape, End point: Hardwick degrees to right, to a footbridge. Standlake Common Nature Reserve their stripy chicks on their backs. The bird hide biodiversity and public access initiatives throughout the valley. Standlake Common is a well-established on the southern shore and the bird viewing For shorter route, TL at river & go east along river just under a mile, rejoining main route at 1. From Witan Way, take the path right of Bishop’s Farm Mill across a bridge and BR. nature reserve. Over one hundred and fifty screen to the west offer good views across the Northmoor Lock (point 7). Much of the valley is in private ownership but a network of footpaths and bridleways After an Information Board follow the arm of the Windrush to the left. bird species have been recorded so far as site. The hide is accessible to wheelchair users gives access to walks beside rivers, lakes and lowland meadows. 4. For longer route through Appleton, cross bridge & follow path through trees. As trees 2. At the far side of the field, go through a gate following the path under the A40, then well as toads, grass snakes, roe and muntjac from the car park. end, FL through bushes. Reaching wide green track, BL following track to Appleton BL. At the end of the trees go through a gate, TR and follow the field edge towards deer plus bees, butterflies and other insects. Surveys of the aquatic life in the lake show Please note that both Rushy Common and If you would like to find out more about the Common woods, past electricity pylon on your left. Witney Lake. that the water quality is good, and supports Standlake Common Nature Reserves are Lower Windrush Valley Project, please visit our website: 5.