The Shakespeare's Way: Oxford to Chipping Norton; 8th April 2014

Well, after a very wet winter, I've decided the time's right to begin Phase 2 of this periodic end2end I'm taking on for charity. Today sees me returning to Oxford to take on a part of the Shakespeare's Way to Stratford Upon Avon via Chipping Norton. I will then circle around Birmingham on the Shakespeare's Avon Way and the Severn Way via a number of towns to Stafford. This will then set me on a more northern path and closer to the Pennine Way.

My constant companions on this end2end

Today sees a marathon 40-42km from Oxford to Chipping Norton, well, it should have been around 33-35km but I digress! I was lucky enough to get trains a little earlier due to a great connection at Paddington and so I leave from the station I had left behind in October and make my way back down to the Thames Path, on which I shall travel on for a couple of miles before heading past Wolvercote village on the Shakespeare's Way.

Leaving Oxford

Cow - didn't stop staring! 

Rabbit

Godstow Abbey

Godstow Abbey

Somehow though, probably because I'm so used to the clear signage of the Thames Path and not concentrating fully on where I was heading, I missed the turn off to Wolvercote, and in fact was on my way pass Kings Lock to Eynsham! I asked the friendly lock keeper if there was any way of crossing the fields and getting over/under the A40 and the A34 at Duke's Cut where it was stated in the SW guide I should be going! He umm'ed and ahhh'ed, let me through the garden and pointed in a general direction...

I ruddy well wish I'd just retraced my steps back as I plodded through boggy fields and found I was unable to cross the river where the A40 crossed! So headed back towards Wolvercote by following the river, being stared at by farmers going through their newly ploughed fields and ripping my trousers on a 2 metre high gate, which had barbed wire all over it, in order to access the road to Wolvercote! Ahhh, man...

The way markers don't get much better the further we go, but with reasoned(!) deductions and lots of comparisons of maps, I'm finally on track for Yarnton, Begbroke and Bladon, where Churchill's Memorial is.

Way marker for the Shakespeare's Way

Bridge near the Duke's Cut

Yarnton Church

MUD! 

St Martin parish church, Bladon

Churchill's memorial

 After Bladon, the plan was to follow the Shakespeare's Way around Blenheim Palace and through the woods to Chipping Norton where my hotel for the night is. But by this time, it's getting late in the day and I decide to risk walking on the A44 for 9 miles all the way directly to Chipping Norton. So I get my head down, tune out everything and just march! This does mean I don't take in very much of my surrounds so am sure Woodstock was a lovely village(!)

Airfield near Blenheim Palace

Eventually, I arrive at my destination, just as the evening draws in! My hotel for the evening is the Crown & Cushion, once owned by Keith Moon, the drummer of the Who and a personal hero of mine! It's a nice old hotel with a little bar at the back and after a meal of a sandwich and a large chips, I raise a few glasses of the local beer to "Moon the Loon"! And no, I didn't cherry bomb the toilet...