History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date	#	Post
Sun, 17-Jun-18	6	Stargazer Sunday Walk – A Long or Short Peaceful Clockwise Circular Around Banbury SWC Walk 293: Peaceful Honey Colored Villages and Rolling Hills on a Banbury Circular (Long or Short) t=swc.293 Distance: Short: 10.7 Miles or 17.2 km for those more metrically minded Long: 20.3 Miles or 32.7 km for those more metrically minded Difficulty: Short: 2 out of 10/Long: 4 out of 10 Train: Take the 9:40 AM Birmingham Snow Hill train from London Marylebone, arriving at Banbury at 10:36. Return trains are at 17:40; 17:44; 18:07; 18:40; 18:44; 19:07; 19:41; 20:07; 20:13; 20:36; 21:07; 21:14; 21:28. Buy a day return to Banbury. I am posting this walk as a special request and also because it looks like an interesting and fairly new walk. It covers some nice undulating countryside near the Cotswold and passes through some pretty honey colored villages. Being Father’s Day, this walk also benefits from a number of pubs – on either the short or long route, there should be a choice of three hostelries. Please note that this walk is designed as a map-led outing with instructions provided only at key points. As such, in addition to the walk instructions, it is recommended to print out and bring the map from the OS tab on the walk information page. You can find more information about the walk and the instructions here. On the short walk, there are three pubs located in Bloxham (about 6.5 miles/11 km into the walk). On the long walk, there are three pubs located in Deddington (about 7.5 miles/12.5 km) into the walk. Tea and other post walk libations can be had at a variety of establishments in Banbury. Enjoy the walk! Anonymous, 16-Jun-18 what do you mean 'Peaceful' Karen? am bringing the DOG! ☺ ☺ lol Anonymous, 16-Jun-18 A few of us Plan to do the short version. Mike, 18-Jun-18 I arrived in Banbury by an earlier train, so I found a spot by the canal and waited for the others. No one showed up, so I set off. It would be easy to go wrong leaving Bodicote (I know a man who did). There are 2 paths either side of a hedge, the first leads West so I soon realized my error. I don't understand the ref to turning right to go under the rail bridge at Milton, which is on your left. I went in to the Black Boy Inn but again could find no sign of life so I pressed on. The next path was also hard to follow, but after straddling a barbed wire fence it got much better. I dined at the Joiners Arms in Bloxham (which also has another pub). The path approaching Bloxham Grove was obscured by waist high crops, but not impassable. Anonymous, 18-Jun-18 Just to add to Mike's comment, 4 on scheduled train, 1 on the train 30 mins later, so 6. overcast mostly. Despite only 6 walkers in total, we managed to split into 4 groups in the morning. The instruction was on the economic side, but the GPS map on the mobile was most helpful. We did find the railway bridge aided by GPS, tucked above the overgrown path and and easily missed. Two dined at Joiners Arms in a literally empty pub on father's day, we should have taken the hint and follow the advice from a local Red Lion was the best pub in town. We were later joined by another who did a longer loop, but by that time, the pub stopped served food. Three of us enjoyed walking together in the afternoon and took 5:40 very crowded train back to London. Stargazer, 19-Jun-18 Just to add a few more details...3 from the appointed train set off promptly on arrival while the 4th waited for the late arrival. We did not notice anyone waiting on the canal...2 of these did the short walk while 1 was keen to explore the terrain further afield, but lacked the resolve to complete the full 20 miles so set off on the long route with the aim of exploring a "medium" option. The outer stretches of the route are pretty with gentle undulations and some charming villages...some scope definitely exists for a medium route though potentially at the expense of lunch in a pub....the explorer then caught up with the late starters in Bloxham for a glass of wine....
Sat, 23-Sep-17	4	DAC Cromwell's stronghold SWC Walk 293 – Banbury Circular Length: 17.2km (10.7 miles) / 32.5 km (20.2 miles) Toughness: 2 out of 10 Catch the 9:40 from London Marylebone arrives Banbury 10:36. This is a map based walk, so there are only basic directions included, with more detail in certain sections (Deddington option) where it is not so obvious. Short walk: The recommended pub The Black Boy Inn, Milton is open at the weekend. (Noted as they've had to close for periods during the week due to the nearby road closure affecting business.) It would be advisable to phone on the day to check (otherwise you may opt for an early lunch at the Horse and Jockey or The Plough at Bodicote or a later lunch at one of the pubs in Bloxham). Longer walk via Deddington: Lunch at one of the Deddington pubs. Fast return trains: xx:04 xx:40, then final slow trains at 21:45 and 22:16 T=3.293 DAC, 19-Sep-17 Intend going (via Deddington). BrightSpark, 24-Sep-17 4 on this walk. Pleasant honey coloured villages and large arable fields were noticeable on this walk. Accidentally walked through the garden of a farmer, who was naturally really cross, however I thought he was a bit churlish in not accepting our apologies. Two of us stayed on in Banbury to visit, the museum is recommended but the Banbury Cross was a bit disappointing sitting as it does on a busy roundabout. Tea and Banbury cakes (bought in the museum) were enjoyably consumed on the way home.