Two Walks In Oxfordshire

We have travelled back down to Oxfordshire for a few days & yesterday & today have been out walking with Karen's parents. Yesterdays walk started in Thrupp which is just outside Kidlington, it is a walk we have done before along the canal which after about an hour is rewarded with a pub lunch. To start with we walk across a couple of fields to reach the canal at Shipton-On-Cherwell. Here the Oxford Canal is to our left & the River Cherwell is just beyond the trees to our right. When the Cherwell floods this path is impassable. The river & canal are joined on the last section, this is where they first meet (the river is to the left & the canal goes off to the right).. Looking down the canal We reach the hamlet of Gibraltar & more importantly the pub: The Rock of Gibraltar

It is lovely & sunny & the dogs seek shade under the picnic bench

Walking back a virgin train races above on one of the bridges

Today we headed to Iffley & the River Thames (or Isis as it is called in Oxford), we have previously walked upstream from here into the centre of Oxford, but today we walked in the opposite direction.

We go under the bypass & there is some artistic graffiti under the bridge

This railway bridge carries only freight trains heading the short distance across the city to the BMW plant near Unipart to collect new vehicles.

After some narrow paths the area opens up into an area with cattle grazing in the distance

The Oxford Spires Four Pillars Hotel a 4* hotel set in a great location. They have this ex University Boat House permanently moored outside now.

A weir from the river feeds this pool covered in water lilies

Todays lunch spot The Kings Arms in Sandford

It got busier & busier with people arriving on foot, by car or by boat. When we left there was a 1hour wait for food.

These geese seem to have taken over the bottom of this garden

We are on the Thames Path which is 184miles long stretching from near Cirencester in the Cotswolds to the City of London.

Part of it around Oxford is a sustrans route; National Route 5 which runs from Reading to Holyhead. Like at home they have made a real effort with some of the ironwork here.

We are back at Iffley lock which dates back to 1632

Two lovely walks & two exhausted dogs now.