Oxfordshire Way Day 1 - 6 August 2022

This is just a short outing and not too far from home. I can't find any account online by anyone who has backpacked and wild camped it. Such accounts as there are have been a succession of day walks but that's not my way.

The Oxfordshire Way officially starts at Bourton on the Water (which is actually in Gloucestershire) and goes for 67 miles to Henley on Thames. I've chosen to start in Henley and walk about 60 miles along the Way and then leave it to walk the few miles home.

I've packed waterproofs but no rain is expected. The weather is forecast to be very warm.

I bought some lunch in Henley and four litres of water, most of which is around my waist in an Ortlieb water bag. I wouldn't want that weight on my back and, as it's been so dry, I'm not expecting many natural water sources.

The path out of Henley

 
The Way is easy to find out of Henley and follows a mix of field paths and quiet lanes. I passed through Warburg nature reserve where I've camped with The Backpackers Club (with permission) a few times. There, and beyond, much of the walking was through woodland which gave relief from the heat.

Warburg

I'd planned to walk about ten miles (as I'd started walking at lunchtime) and found a fine place to sleep in the extensive woodland just short of Christmas Common. As there was to be no rain, I cowboy camped. There seemed no point in pitching a tarp.