Kings Sutton Circular walk

Main walk: 17.2km (10.7 miles)

Banbury start: Add 8km (5 miles)

Banbury finish: Add 6km (3.7 miles)

OS Landranger 151, 152; Explorer 191

3 out of 10.

This circular walk passes through four small Cotswold villages each with a good pub serving real ale. During the longer days you can take the opportunity to visit all.

There are some great long views, much is out in the open across the large fields, with less variety than for some walks. The villages are noteworthy (apart from the pubs): churches in most of them have unusual features (e.g. medieval wall paintings in Croughton, spire and weird monument in Kings Sutton, tablets in Aynhoe), the fine Grammar School in Aynho, Anynho Park (grand 17th century house, with John Soane involved in design and gardens by Capability Brown) is private but one gets a very good view of the house from the road, handsome houses such as Souldern House and others.

For the first 2-3km, depending on the speed and direction of the wind the nearby M40 can be noisy. On other days it's a far off sound.

Start and / or finish at Banbury. You may start and / or finish the walk from Banbury station which has the advantage of better transport links. The walking distance from Banbury to Kings Sutton Station is 6km.

Kings Sutton village website

Trains from Marylebone to Kings Sutton direct. Others from Marylebone changing at Banbury (1 stop further). Others from Paddington changing at Oxford.

Return trains are not that frequent, giving you an excuse to stop off at one of the two pubs in Kings Sutton prior to the 10 minute walk downhill back to Kings Sutton station.

Suggest departure from Marylebone at around 9.45 am if you want to stop for lunch halfway through the walk at either The Fox or The Blackbird.

A choice of four pubs for lunch.

• 5km : The Cartwright Hotel and Restaurant, Aynho, OX17 3BE.
• 7.5 km : The Fox Inn, Souldern, OX27 7JW, closed Mon.
• 11 km : The Blackbird Inn, Croughton, NN13 5LT, closed Mon.
• 14 km : The Rose & Crown, Charlton, OX17 3DP, closed Mon and Tue. Beer garden.

In Kings Sutton.

• The White Horse, OX17 3RF.
• The Butchers Arms, OX17 3RD, open all day