WANTAGE AREA WALKS & CYCLE ROUTES Kingston Bagpuize N Abingdon N 3 0 1 2 km DE B4508 NCH WO OXF 7 RTH ORD L 16 mile route ROAD ANE optional route St John’s Church 6 E

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Challow SU I D D AL WANTAGE Faringdon V AN O C ROAD R A417 A417 CHALLOW k o G ro S 17 B4001 E A4 East 1 B E D ILL ROA M ST S ON Reading Challow R E RLT E CHA Sparsholt Betjeman e E N b T W Millennium m 1 A o Y EET Park tc ST R Childrey Le Market WAL D L R 7 B4507 IN O A338 G F 0 B4494 Church of Place 5 8 4 Maps produced by Oxford Cartographers, www.oxfordcartographers.com SS Peter 3 B Hungerford Newbury 3 Hungerford

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RouteN 12 - Vale Cycle Route via Denchworth

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The ancient market town of Wantage sits on the Letcombe Brook, at the foot of the Berkshire Downs. The town is characterised by 16th century timber framed houses refaced in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in red brick. In 1847 Wantage became an educational and spiritual centre for the Oxford Movement, and the vicar of the parish church, Rev William Butler, was responsible for several fine buildings in the town centre. This route heads from Wantage to Grove then uses a loop of the White Horse Half Marathon Race through Denchworth, Lyford and Charney Bassett, returning via Denchworth and Grove to Wantage. The route is a flat 16 mile ride from Wantage, mainly on country lanes, and can be seen on the “walkjogrun” web site at: http://www.walkjogrun.net/routes/current_route.cfm?rid=0E7A5AA6-91C3-37B2-626B5333527AA50D

Start in Wantage Market Square near the left. Follow the cycle track past the traffic lights statue of King Alfred. Head out of the Market controlled junction to another set of crossing Square along Wallingford Street past Boots and lights some 200 yards further on. Cross the road Waitrose. At the first mini roundabout, turn left at this point to pick up the cycle track on the onto Seesen Way (signposted Oxford A338, opposite side of the road. Follow this cycle track Grove, and Faringdon (A417)). Follow the road alongside the A338 (in the direction of Grove past The Abingdon Arms Public House to the and Oxford) for around half a mile until it ends “Sainsbury’s” roundabout where you go straight at a set of traffic lights at “Grove Bridge”. Leave ahead, down the hill. As you proceed along the cycle path behind and cross the A338 using

the road towards the next set of traffic lights the light controlled cycle crossing to enter Grove Letcombe Brook there is a cycle track on the pavement to your along Main Street to your left. Note the Letcombe Brook at the edge of the Continue through Grove staying on Main Green and the information board by the bridge. Street, passing The Bell Public House on your Follow the road past The Bay Tree Public House right and Millbrook Square shops to your left. to a mini roundabout (Brereton Drive). Go Shortly after passing St John’s Church on your straight across then take the next right only right you arrive at a mini roundabout by the around 20 yards further on and signposted to Village Green where you turn left (signposted Denchworth. to Denchworth). Note the “Millennium Stone” on the Green on your right, a small monument Leaving Grove behind, passing Grove to the different forms of transport that have Cemetery on your right, follow the lane as it

Millennium Stone historically been associated with Grove. curves to run parallel to the railway line. Carry on along the lane for ¾ mile, until it On arriving in Grove turn left at the reaches a crossroads. Turn left (signed Kingston T-junction then, to vary the route through Grove, Bagpuize and Longworth), but take care to turn right at the mini roundabout into Brereton check for any traffic coming along this road at Drive and follow this for about half a mile until speed. After a further ¾ mile the road crosses it turns sharp right, at which point turn left into a small bridge then rises to reach a staggered Cane Lane. Follow Cane Lane, which has a crossroads some 400 yards further on. Take barrier to stop cars part way along, to its end, the road to the left (signed Charney Bassett, a T-junction with Main Street in Grove, with the Denchworth) to follow a quieter lane. Continue garage on your right. Turn right onto Main Street

Downs view from Grove Cemetery Grove Downs view from to the end of this lane (about a mile), until it to reach the traffic lights at the end of Grove. ends at a T-junction where you turn left (signed Charney Bassett, Denchworth). You may notice the undulations in the field to your left which mark the old pattern of farming. The road takes a sharp right bend to go over Follow the road for about half a mile to the the railway via a narrow high bridge, and you village of Charney Bassett. The village pub, The carry on for a further half mile to the village Chequers, which you pass on your right, makes a of Denchworth with its picturesque thatched good point to take a break. cottages. Arriving at a T-junction in Denchworth the route turns right signed towards West Road cottages Grove Hanney. (This point is known as Denchworth Cross, from the existence of an old stone You will now retrace your route back to Wantage as follows: From here take the cycle route (effectively a right turn) towards Wantage. Stay on the cycle track until it ends at traffic lights. Carry straight on, after a few hundred yards the road rises to the “Sainsbury’s” roundabout, go straight on, and carry on along Seesen Way to the next roundabout with the BP “Broadway” The Chequers, Charney Bassett garage opposite. Turn right to return to Wantage Market Square. As you leave the village go straight ahead over

Thatched Cottage, Denchworth Cross a small bridge following the road signposted fold line non-printing monument that used to stand in the middle of towards Challow Station and Denchworth. There the junction. If you want a short diversion the is a turning to the left just before the bridge village pub, The Fox, is some 100 yards along where one of the shorter options re-joins the the road to the left). main route. Stay on the road for a further mile until you arrive at a T-junction. (The road angled to the left is a point where one of the shorter Leaving Denchworth Village by a double options joins, and can itself provide a shorter bend in the road carry on along the lane. The route back to Grove and Wantage. See map). first turning left (after about half a mile) provides a shortcut to the later stages of this route for those wanting a shorter cycle ride (see map). Staying with our, route however, about 400 yards further on take the next lane left signposted Statue of King Alfred to Lyford. After about ¾ mile the lane makes a sharp left bend, followed soon afterwards by another to the right in Lyford Village. After Charney Bassett Green, Memorial Charney Bassett Green, Produced thanks to funds provided by SEEDA and Oxfordshire County Council through Turn right, signed Challow Station, Goosey and Oxfordshire Rural Community Council follow this road for a mile and half, to take the next turning left, signed Denchworth. You will Series Editor: Jean Nunn-Price MBE pass the Asti Stud on your left, before some Illustrations by Stuart Roper double bends and then after a further half mile arrive at a T-junction. Turn left to re-enter

Almshouses at Lyford Village Almshouses at Lyford Photographs by Steve Trinder the village of Denchworth. Follow the road through the village, with a sharp left turn by Text courtesy of Gareth Smith a further 200 yards you arrive at a T-junction. the Fox Public House, back to the T-junction at The route turns right here (signposted Lyford), Denchworth Cross. Turn right (signed Grove and Further copies of this route and others in the although the road left leads to Charney Bassett Wantage) to retrace your route back to Grove. series are available from the Independent Advice and can be an optional shorter route (see map). Centre, Market Square, Wantage