Oxfordshire Way Circular Route 2
Start / Finish: Russell’s Water. Grid: SU 716 887
Distance 11.4km
Today, we took advantage of a promising forecast and set out for the second part of our journey along the Oxfordshire Way.
We parked the car on the common at Russell’s Water (SU 716 887). There is a pub with a large car park slightly further west, but the sign informing visitors that the car park was for patrons only prompted us to explore other options. There is plenty of parking along the southern edge of the common, with easy access, particularly in the dry or if you have a 4×4.
From the common we headed south, skirting Warburg Nature Reserve. There is another car park here, accessible from Bix, and is on the list of things to do another day. We rejoined the Oxfordshire Way at Bix Bottom, just north of the ruins of St James’ Church, where we left the Way last time.
We followed the Oxfordshire Way northwards through the Beech Woods, towards Maidensgrove. Although there was a definite chill to the air, particularly in the shady areas, in the sunshine it was very pleasant. The woods looked fantastic, lots of golds and browns, with a range of different fungi sprouting after the recent rains.
For most of the route the way is well signposted and easy to follow. One area where this is not the case is as the Oxfordshire Way comes out of the woods into the picturesque hamlet of Maidensgrove the way jinks to the right towards Lodge Farm before turning left.
We passed through the hamlet of Pishill with its flint covered church and stopped for lunch just before entering College Wood. At the far edge of College Wood, just south of Hollandridge Farm the Oxfordshire Way meets the Chiltern Way. This was as far as we were going on the Oxfordshire Way today and turned left, on to the Chiltern Way to Pishill Bottom. Crossing the road we followed the Chiltern Way back to Russell’s Water and then across the common back to the car.
Carl Sprake 