Didcot Circular walk

A walk in Oxfordshire, taking in Dorchester-on-Thames and the Clumps. Can start from Appleford.

Wittenham Clumps from just outside Didcot SWC Walk 44 - Didcot Circular
Wittenham Clumps from just outside Didcot

SWC Walk 44 - Didcot Circular

Apr-16 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

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House in Long Wittenham SWC Walk 44 - Didcot Circular
House in Long Wittenham

SWC Walk 44 - Didcot Circular

Apr-16 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

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Boat Houses along Isis River in Burcot SWC Walk 44 - Didcot Circular
Boat Houses along Isis River in Burcot

SWC Walk 44 - Didcot Circular

Apr-16 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

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Path to Dorchester Abbey SWC Walk 44 - Didcot Circular
Path to Dorchester Abbey

SWC Walk 44 - Didcot Circular

Apr-16 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

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Didcot Power Station from Round Hill SWC Walk 44 - Didcot Circular
Didcot Power Station from Round Hill

SWC Walk 44 - Didcot Circular

Apr-16 • thomasgrabow on Flickr

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Cottage garden Appleford Circular
Cottage garden

Appleford Circular

Jun-09 • moontiger on Flickr

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Old barn Appleford Circular
Old barn

Appleford Circular

Jun-09 • moontiger on Flickr

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Length

13.7 miles ( 22.1 km) with 400 ft (125 meters) of ascent

Appleford Circular Option: 11.8 miles ( 19 km )

OS Map

Landranger 174, Explorer 170

Toughness

3 out of 10.

Features

This walk takes in an attractive part of the Thames Valley south of Oxford, with a lunchtime stop in Dorchester-on-Thames. This handsome village is now bypassed by the traffic but used to be an important staging post between London and Oxford. It has retained a large number of coaching inns and other pubs, so there's plenty of choice for refreshment. You should be sure to visit Dorchester Abbey, one of the few large monastery buildings to survive the Dissolution; it now functions as an impressive parish church. In the afternoon the walk comes to the Wittenham Clumps, the name given to a pair of Iron Age hill forts set in a nature reserve managed by the Northmoor Trust.

Walk Options

This walk can also be done as an Appleford Circular - its a little shorter, and a much nicer place to finish. However, Appleford has fewer trains, especially at weekends. Check the return train times if finishing at Appleford.

Suggested Train

Take the train nearest to 9.30am (before or after) from Paddington.

Lunch and Tea

Picnic en-route.

Dorchester-on-Thames:

The Fleur De Lys High St, Dorchester-on-Thames, OX10 7HH (01865 340502)

The George Hotel High St, Dorchester-on-Thames, OX10 7HH (01865 340404)

The White Hart Hotel High St, Dorchester-on-Thames, OX10 7HN (01865 340074)

Long Wittenham:

The Plough 24 High Street, Long Wittenham, OX14 4QH (01865 407738)

Didcot:

The Prince of Wales 113 Station Road, Didcot OX11 7NN (01235 511380) - opposite Didcot station entrance.

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By Train

Out (not a train station)

Back (not a train station)

By Car

Start OX11 7NR Map Directions

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Help

National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Traveline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234

Version

Feb-22 DAC

Copyright © Saturday Walkers Club. All Rights Reserved. No commercial use. No copying. No derivatives. Free with attribution for one time non-commercial use only. www.walkingclub.org.uk/site/license.shtml

Walk Directions

Full directions for this walk are in a PDF file (link above) which you can print, or download on to a Kindle, tablet, or smartphone.

This is just the introduction. This walk's detailed directions are in a PDF available from wwww.walkingclub.org.uk