Oxfordshire Way Day 3 - 8 August 2022

Some deer passed me by last evening only about fifty feet away. They very quickly caught my scent and were off.

I was away by 6.30am. A large herd of young cows were in the very big field I was in. Whenever I got anywhere near them, they would run on, so no problem. When I left the field, they crowded round the gate. The paths were very clear and took me through the village of Beckley. Here, I saw a lady tending the expansive garden of a large house. I needed water so I went in. I was shown to a tap in a utility room and also offered coffee but she had family visiting so I politely declined but she was very kind. Still, I had four litres on board so was sorted for the next night.

At Noke, I stopped to brew coffee in the churchyard.

At Islip I came towards The Swan Inn and thought a lime and soda might be nice. However, it was being refurbished. There was a sign up saying they would reopen when they are ready. I didn't want to wait that long. 

I stopped for lunch in Weston Wood, just before the A34.

Weston Wood

I cooled off for a while in the church at Weston-on-the-Green. Then on through Kirtlington Park and the village of Kirtlington and over the Oxford Canal. The Way then followed the straight course of Akeman Street, a Roman road. A road walk then brought me to the Blenheim Estate. All was quiet. I made my evening meal just after entering the Estate and then walked right across to the belt of woodland on the eastern edge where I rolled out my bed for the night.