M Warwick LEAMINGTON 4 A361 0 SPA 15 M1 14 NORTHAMPTON ‘Lock’ by Jamie McKendrick 46 A 13 A423 16 Stratford- A5 upon-Avon 15A 12 15 A361 43 A3400 A A429 M40 M 1 A5 429 Silverstone Milton A 11 A Keynes A3400 42 BANBURY 2 A43 At the crank of the windlass in the racks ay Fossew Brackley Buckingham the paddle boards’ square blocks of elm M40 A421 To A4260 S A361 A43 D Evesham L are lifted in the lock head like two eyelids O W 10 A421 S Chipping Lower Heyford T Norton BICESTER O A4 C 4 E R 1 I A361 4 H 9 A A41 S D M40 so water sluices through the culverts R Woodstock O To Cheltenham A34 F X O A40 Kidlington on either side of the lock’s brick chamber Witney A40 A40 Location Map OXFORD in swags and scallops and volutes A34 8 8 burled and blurred and bossed and scooped Acknowledgements like a crystal maelstrom in a bottle-neck The production of this leaflet would not have been possible without the help crizzling its uprush in a double ridge of the following people:- Mr Roger Bowen - Clerk to Lower Heyford Parish Council Mr & Mrs Tim Davies - Grange Farm, Middle Aston till risen it overrides itself Paul O’Sullivan - Councillor, Deddington and the sky resembles its reflection Additional Information on the stilled upheaval of one level All of Cherwell District Council's circular walks and rides are published on the Council website and can be downloaded free. Leaflets can be purchased from Banbury Tourist Information Centre (01295 259855). For further information about circular walks and rides, guided walks and grants available for countryside access projects, please contact:- Leisure Services Department Cherwell District Council Bodicote House, Bodicote Banbury, Oxon, OX15 4AA Telephone 01295 221706 [email protected] www.cherwell-dc.gov.uk ] Printed on Recycled paper Designed by TCG Advertising and Design Ltd. Cherwell Valley Walks Places to Eat & Drink The Cherwell Valley Walk offers you a wide choice of rural rambles through the heart of the Cherwell District, where the historic Oxford The Bell - Lower Heyford Canal parallels the beautiful River Cherwell for much of its length. (01869) 347176 Open lunchtimes and evenings. Check The main starting point is Heyford Station where car parking is for times and reservations. Ivy clad available as well as a rail link for those without, or not wishing to use, village pub serving real ales. Bar snacks. private vehicles. Other villages en-route can also be used as starting Restaurant serving modern cuisine plus points, but please take great care when parking along their narrow traditional pub meals. Garden country lanes. Oxfordshire Narrowboats Shop - Lower Heyford (01869) 340348 Open 9am - 5.30pm every day. Refreshments, canal crafts, groceries and narrowboat hire Harris Stores - Steeple Aston (01869) 340281 Open Mon - Sat 7am - 8pm, Sun 8am - 6pm. General store and Post Office • The walk is designed to be followed in a figure of eight, starting off in a clockwise direction towards Steeple Aston The White Lion - Steeple Aston and is 14 miles/22.5km in length. (01869) 340307 Open every evening plus weekend • The southern loop, returning via the Heyfords after crossing the lunchtimes. Village pub serving real Causeway, is about 7 miles/11km (follow instructions 1-16 and ales. Garden 29-30). A shortcut heading east from Steeple Aston is 4 miles/ 6.5km. The northern loop, starting from North Aston and heading The Red Lion - Steeple Aston back north along the canal towpath after crossing the Causeway, (01869) 340225 is about 6 miles/9km in length (follow instructions 25-28 and 15-24). Open lunchtime Tues - Sun and every evening. Check for times and reservations. • The Heyfords Circular Walk, described separately in this leaflet Traditional village pub serving local real ales. and devised by Lower Heyford Parish Council, is 2 miles/3.5km in Bar snacks. Restaurant serving ‘Honest length. A shortened version of this can be enjoyed by assisted English’ cuisine. Garden wheelchair users. The route is waymarked along its full length but it helps to The Barley Mow - Upper Heyford follow the information in this leaflet as you go. Please take great (01869) 232300 care when crossing roads and the railway line. You are advised to Open every evenings and lunchtimes. wear stout, waterproof footwear. During the winter months, certain Village pub serving real ales. Bar snacks sections of the valley bottom tend to flood. Please turn back if at lunchtimes. Garden conditions are too wet. Remember to follow the Countryside Code. 13 Pass 14 Ignore main gate over to right 16 Turn directly right to join the Oxford Canal Towpath. Once 11 Just past entrance to 12 Pass around corner of wood and then bear 15 Proceed through and continue on to small white gate, on towpath turn left to continue with the main walk or right to Middle Aston House on the diagonally left to gap in next field boundary. straight ahead kissing gate and through it to the Causeway. go back to the start via Upper Heyford (go to instruction 29). right, turn left along track and Cross over footbridge and stile. Bear right and through three and continue continue until a field gate on head across next field to right of oak tree. gates and then in same the right. Bear right downhill turn left through direction. 20 17 Continue to follow towpath until you 18 Turn left (via telegraph pole) , towards 21 the fourth. reach the brick road bridge at Somerton off towpath the wooded area. 10 Turn right on reaching road (No.196). (To view the Poem Sculptures, and follow road and notice Warren Lake over to Sculptures continue along towpath past bridge for short over two bridges, your right. Walk along road into and To F North distance. Retrace your steps under bridge and passing Mill House 8 To continue on the main through Middle Aston. Banbury 19 G Aston then up to road to rejoin main walk). on the left. route turn left at Church and 22 18 continue along North Side for 9 25 about half a mile (for alternative Just before Westfield Farm, 23 North 19 Turn right off the road 20 Turn right route back to Lower Heyford (and and sharp left bend in road, Somerton 26 Nicholson Aston through gate. Continue along through single a closer view of The Eyecatcher), turn right off road onto main Nurseries 24 Hall field edge (hedge to your right) gate and then track. Pass through wooded areas e turn right onto Cow Lane before O n 2 a 17 L through three sets of gates. immediate left. Stay know as 'Three Corner Clump'. 6 reaching the Church and follow 4 n A o t To close to field edge d s H A Hendon the waymarks back to the Canal). a Ardley o e Farm R l 16 and then proceed d Grange d 21 7 Turn right again at r Turn left onto farm road. straight ahead o Mid Farm f 27 x Walk up the hill to main road. O through two gates 6 Follow concrete track to village shop then down 15 the dip and up Paines Hill. 28 14 and along track. field gate and then continue Causeway29 up lane to main road, turn right 13 E 22 Turn left 23 Turn right just Middle into Steeple Aston. and follow past gatehouse and 5 Pass through gap, Aston 24 Keep to main 12 road with care. go up driveway stay close to field edge 10 track and pass 4 Cross line and follow field and proceed to kissing gate. Warren 11 Church and Hall. Lake Ox Three Corner fo Continue to main road edge to next stile. Pass through Head straight across next r Clump d 25 Middle River Turn left and walk past drinking fountain at North Aston. small plantation, cross over stile field to second kissing gate. Aston Cherwell C a on left and village green on right. 9 House n and follow field edge to gap in the a Steeple l hedge. Notice the Eyecatcher over The 2 Aston Barley 27 Turn to your right along this stretch. Turn sharp left Eyecatcher Mow Westfield D 30 Upper 26 Turn left onto Middle Aston Lane. left onto off the towpath just Farm C Allen’s Heyford before the Mill House Red Lion Lock Pass Nicholson Nurseries and then bridleway North C Side ow and pass through metal 8 L Hendon Farm. Take care along this signed to 3 From stile, head diagonally up Hill ane Paines narrow road. the hill towards the railway line. gate. Bear round to right Grange Farm. White Lion over bridge, then over a 7 6 3 Village 5 4 second bridge and follow Shop 28 Just before farmhouse bear right onto track and track straight onto the 2 B pass through gate. Stay close to field edge and walk KEY stile with stone uprights. Hopcroft’s 1 Mill straight ahead to small white metal gate and through it Holt Heyford House Station y to the Causeway (see instructions 15 and 16). Route Shop a The Bell W t 1 From the station car park r Heyfords o in Lower Heyford, cross over Lower P Circular Walk A B4O Heyford 3O 29 Proceed along 30 At Allen's Lock Alternative the railway line using footbridge. To Oxford To Oxford Canal towpath (bridge No.204), continue Route Exit from platform and turn left Kidlington Bicester Canal through several gates, past straight on to complete main B onto Oxford Canal Towpath (do Points of Interest not cross or pass under canal Heyford Common Lock walk or turn left across canal To Built Up Area bridge).