Astrophill, Coleready Plantation and Charlton
Route facts
Waterways:
Oxford Canal »
Distance: 8.08 / 13
Duration: 4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Circular route from: King's Sutton Station
This is one of a series of walks devised by the Cherwell (Banbury) Group of the Ramblers’ Association. They cover the middle and lower reaches of the relatively narrow Cherwell Valley, through which canal and railway interweave their way between Oxford and Banbury.
The walks start and finish at the local stations on this line, and although most include a section of the Oxford Canal, they also explore the attractive villages in this part of north Oxfordshire and west Northamptonshire.
Getting there
Parking: Parking is available at King's Sutton Station.
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Waypoints
Start point, walking route: Astrophill, Coleready Plantation and Charlton
Easting: 449510, Northing: 236140
From King’s Sutton Station follow the lane out of the station car park and into the village. At the Post Office turn left into Bulls Lane; ignore the first junction on the left after fifty yards, instead continue straight ahead until the Three Tuns public house on the right at the next junction. Turn left into Richmond Street, and left again into Newlands. After a hundred yards turn left into Blenheim Rise and then immediately right onto a public footpath between houses and gardens. On reaching the field turn diagonally right towards a single tree in the hedgerow, then keep this hedge on the right. Just short of Field Barn turn right through the hedge, towards Cobbler’s Pits Spinney.
Easting: 449945, Northing: 236638
Bear slightly right through Spinney, but keep towards the fence on the left. Cross over the stile and head diagonally right to another stile in hedgerow, and head to the left of Keeper’s Cottage (although much more than a cottage now). Keep the cottage and Rowdon Plantation on your right. Cross over the road and stay on the concrete track, with particularly fine views of this Northants/Oxon border country along this stretch. After quarter of a mile this track doglegs right, eventually passing Astrophill Farm and outbuilings on one’s left. Going downhill, turn left at the very end of the concrete track, and after quarter of a mile turn left again. After a hundred yards or so strike off right across the field, heading towards some trees to the right of a gap in the far hedgerow. The track through these trees is Sandy Lane, which climbs for a half mile to the Farthinghoe-Charlton road.
Easting: 451285, Northing: 238295
4. Through Coleready Plantation to Woodend Grange
Cross the Farthinghoe-Charlton road to another track, Green Lane and follow this for another half a mile to a road junction. Take the road which bears round to the right and after three hundred yards turn right at Wellington House, into Coleready Plantation. After a quarter of a mile turn left, eventually emerging from the wood by a tall wall which appears to serve no useful purpose! Cross over the track to a path ahead, keeping the fence on your right. The area to the right is used by a paintballing company, while a little way over to the left Walltree Farm lies at the edge of Hinton Airfield, used by gliders and parachutists. Pass through a gate, keeping the hedge to your left and soon emerge on to a road, where you turn right. After Woodend Grange is passed, follow the road for another hundred yards and take footpath to the left.
Easting: 454485, Northing: 237080
After almost a quarter of a mile turn right at gate, keeping the hedge on your left. The footpath gradually ascends to the village of Charlton, crossing a stile to emerge on to the sports ground. Turn sharp left, heading towards a waymark post which directs you left on to a footpath backing on to gardens. At the road turn right and at the junction turn left, following this road through the village, to the Rose & Crown on the right. Immediately after the Rose & Crown turn right on to path signposted King’s Sutton, going down to a stile to cross a bridge over a stream. Rising again, head for the gap through the hedge straight ahead, ignoring the gate on the right which is on another footpath intersecting the one being followed. Passing through the gap it is probably easier to follow the perimeter of the field, keeping the hedge on the right.
Easting: 452907, Northing: 236181
At the next field the easy option appears to continue straight ahead with the hedge on the right, but the path veers slightly right, to keep the hedge on the left. This soon bends around a small copse on the left, through another hedge to eventually reunite with the original hedge! Here turn right, hedge on left for a short distance, before striking out across the field and through another hedge. The way ahead is now clear, with King’s Sutton visible ahead. Continue downhill until the footbridge and turn right, keeping the hedge on the right. Turn right on to another footbridge over a more substantial stream. Continue ahead for a short distance, with the sewage farm on the other side of the hedge, and go through a small spinney. King’s Sutton church is straight ahead. At the lane turn sharp left and within fifty yards turn right (signposted “White House”). After a couple of hundred yards turn right through two gates and bear diagonally left, the station footbridge soon appearing on the left. Pass through a gate, cross the field and emerge onto the country lane just short of the station car park.
Easting: 449735, Northing: 236120
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