NEW WALK – Islip Circular T=3.292
Length: 15.2km (9.5 miles) Toughness: 3/10

09:35 Oxford train from Marylebone arriving at Islip at 10:27.

Return trains are at 15:18, 17:18 and 19:18 (journey time 1 hour). If you get back to Islip too late for the 15:18, one option is to go to the pub for refreshments and then catch the 16:28 towards Oxford, changing at Oxford Parkway for the 16:47 to Marylebone.
If you find that the return trains from Islip are inconveniently timed, you could opt to finish the walk at Oxford Parkway, which has a fast half-hourly service to Marylebone at xx:17 (or xx:15) and xx:47.

This new walk explores the quiet countryside north-east of Oxford and is getting its first official walk check today. The route is mostly across rolling fields and woods and takes in several pretty villages, a couple of interesting churches, and a notable RSPB wetland nature reserve, Otmoor. Bring binoculars.

There is an option to shorten the morning part of the walk by 1.5km, though that omits the section through Otmoor. Later there is an option to finish the walk at Oxford Parkway station, though the final stretch here is less attractive than finishing in Islip.

The recommended (indeed, the only) lunchtime pub is the Abingdon Arms (01865 655667) in Beckley, an old inn that was threatened with permanent closure until a successful campaign to save it resulted in it being recently re-opened as a community-owned pub.

Tea can be taken at the Red Lion in Islip.

You will find the walk directions and other information on the Islip Circular Walk page. It can be downloaded as a PDF, but as yet a GPX file is not available.