Not Quite Snowdonia

Since we had made the decision not to risk the journey to North Wales for the Big Christmas Walk this weekend we wanted to get out and do a walk in the Oxford area. With the area covered in snow we looked for somewhere that would offer a pub halfway round where we could get lunch and a couple of pints.

Leaving home we headed up the hill and took the short cut across Dunstan Park and onto Dunstan Road. As Dunstan Road turns into St Andrews Road we turned left and headed down Stoke Place and followed the path to the ring road. Crossing the ring road we went to the right of the power sub station and crossed the stile onto the footpath. We followed this path along the side of the sub station, crossing a stile into the next field and followed the hedge line to the far corner. Rather than crossing Boundary Brook, as we had on previous walks, we stayed to the South of the hedge line and headed East toward Barton.

We emerged onto the end of Barton Village Road, which we followed as it turned left and headed up the hill towards the caravan park at Wick Farm. As the road splits and the right fork heads into the caravan park we followed the left fork into the farm year, heading towards an odd structure that looks like a face.

At the gate in front of this structure we turned right and headed down the track between two buildings.

At the end of this track we turned left and followed the bridleway up the hill. The Bridleway continues up the hill to the B4027, passing Wick Copse and Sidlings Copse on the left.

On reaching the road we had planned to follow the Bridleway to Beckley and the Oxford Greenbelt Way to Stanton St John. However, since we knew the Star at Stanton St John was due to shut at half two and we wanted to get there in time for lunch, we headed down the road to Stanton St John and the Star pub for lunch.

Passing the turn to Horton-cum-Studley we passed a group in fancy dress. There was a Father Christmas, several elves and an angel. They were stopping passing cars, singing Christmas carols and raising money for the Air Ambulance. Having made it to the pub, ordered a couple of pints of 6x and some lunch, the carol singers piled in and set up a CD player as backing music for a selection of carols. As I tucked in to a full plate of roast turkey, stuffing, pig in a blanket, boiled potato, roast potato, carrot and swede (and D tucked into a huge Shepherds pie) we were treated to renditions of some traditional favourites (although I must admit to being a bit Bah humbug about Christmas and all its trimmings).

After another pint of 6x we headed out into the snow and across the snow covered fields to Forest Hill. As we climbed out of Breach Hill we saw some odd patterns in the snow. After some discussion we decided that they were made by a bird taking off.

Looking at the above photo it looks like the bird landed at the top, moved down towards the bottom of the photo, jumped and then took off, its wing tips brushing the snow.

Reaching Forest Hill we walked up the back of the White Horse pub on to the B4027. Crossing the road from the White Horse we headed down the side road towards the Village Hall. Just before the Village Hall we turned right down a short track before heading half left and following the Oxford Greenbelt Way.

We followed the Oxford Greenbelt Way until it reached the outskirts of Barton, where we picked up a bridleway that ran down the back of the estate and then across a few streets to the crematorium road. We headed up to the roundabout, under the underpass and along North Way to Barton Lane and back to St Andrews Lane and then to Dunstan Park and back home.

The full route can be seen as the thick black line on this map. All the photos can be seen on my Flickr site.