Swyncombe Circular Walk

Swyncombe Circular Walk

Date of Adventure: 22 Jul, 2023

File this oh so lovely Swyncombe circular walk under ‘snowdrops’ and return in February when the churchyard at St Botolph’s, the starting point for this walk, will be full of them and the church itself open (see poster below for dates) for tea and cake afternoons – how very quaint!

This walk is short at only 3km and is very doable for little legs. The hamlet of Swyncombe is within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Beauty and it certainly lives up to this; the route itself passes along the Ridgeway National Trail, through fields, woodland and across the Swyncombe Estate with its sloping views of the Chilterns below – it’s really quite breath-taking. There is the option to lengthen the walk along the Ridgeway instead of the shorter route across the estate, and there were plenty that were: families with young children in carriers, solitary walkers and groups of ramblers.

The sheep in the fields seemed totally unfazed by us but we were fascinated by them; they had really quite human faces, I was almost expecting them to rise up à la Animal Farm!

We made it back to St Botolph’s church and had a nosy inside; it’s damp coldness a strangely comforting smell. Small but architecturally very interesting, it is open 24 hours for all who wish to peak inside.

This fantastic walk is just the right distance and has many points of interest along the way. Long enough for toddlers who like to walk and short enough for older children who have to be cajoled into the fresh air.

 

AT A GLANCE

Free
Always open
No booking required
No café but St Botolph’s Church (the starting point) opens on various weekends in February for Snowdrop Teas
Not accessible due to terrain and gradient
25 minutes from Headington roundabout
No public transport links due to the rural nature of this location
Free parking on the lane by St Botolph’s church
The details

Website

Starting point is St Botolph's Church, Swyncombe,RG9 6EA

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Lye Valley is part of the Wild Oxford project, a joint initiative between BBOWT, Oxford City Council and local community groups to create a more resilient network of wildlife habitats across the city which benefited Oxford’s natural heritage and improved people’s access to nature.

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