Pub Walks: The Shutford Circular

By John Merriman 

This walk takes you through prime English rolling countryside with magnificent and varied views and no sharp inclines. The pub is known for its excellent real ale, first rate food, and attractive garden.

Pub: The George & Dragon, Church Lane, Shutford, Banbury, OX15 6PG

Tel: 01295 780320

Distance: 4.5 miles

Time: allow 2.5 hours

Maps: Explorer 191, Landranger 151

Grid Ref.: 386402

Pub Hours of Opening: Tuesday to Saturday: 12 – 2.30, 6 – 11. Sunday: 12 – 10.30 (closed Mondays). Food served: Tues – Sat: 12 –2, 6 – 9pm. Sun: 12 – 2.30pm. Park near the pub.

NB. These walks are undertaken at your own risk. Walkers are recommended to wear stout boots, to take suitable clothing, to carry one of the maps above, and to carry a supply of water.

 From the pub walk up Church Lane passing Church on left.  At the top of lane where road bears right to houses, go through wooden gates straight ahead.  Follow yellow signed footpath heading across field to stile visible in the hedge through trees. 

Cross stile and follow path diagonally left across field heading for tree near corner of field.  Go through gap in hedge joining farm track with young woodland either side.  Just before barn turn right through metal gates and follow farm track with hedge on right.  Pass through metal gates and continue ahead with hedge now on left. 

To the right of you is Madmarston Hill (site of an ancient hill fort).  On reaching the Upper Lea Farm, pass left of the first barn and then continue to right of further barns.  At end of barns go through metal gate and turn right.  Keep hedge on right passing through orchard area.  At field corner just pass through metal gate, take the track straight ahead passing a tree to your left.  Almost straight ahead you can see Swalcliffe village with the church on the hill.  On reaching road turn right where road turns sharp left continue ahead on good bridleway. Where bridleway bears left keep ahead and pass through metal gate.  The track you are following now is actually a Roman road.

Keep going ahead until you reach the road.  On reaching the road continue ahead on bridleway marked Epwell 1½ cross the small stream and pass through metal gate, continue ahead with hedge on your right.  Continue ahead where path bears slightly right between two hedges.  Upon reaching open view to the right continue along the path with hedge on left. 

Join farm track passing lake on left.  At the end of lake and before the metal gates, turn right following the farm track.  After 60 metres on a post to left of path is a waymark sign giving directions (blocked by undergrowth and high brick wall) go just beyond it then cross the field slightly to the left heading for an oak tree on far side just to left of the edge of wood.  Pass through hedge by this oak tree, turn right and follow close to end of the wood. 

On rounding the end of this spinney, cut straight across field (at time of writing a rape field) following the waymark sign.  If the crop looks impenetrable, cut round edge of the field by hedge. I would strongly advise to follow the hedge while rape crop is standing. Even at the time of planning this walk the crop was almost impenetrable. At the corner of field bear left and then immediately right through grassy gap through hedge. Now follow edge of field with hedge on left.  Past through gap in hedge and continue alongside next field, keeping hedge on left.  On reaching a triangular plantation keep hedge on your left still, walking between the hedge and the plantation.  On reaching corner of field cross wooden stile, continue across next field keeping hedge on left.  Cross stile in wooden fence, cross next paddock diagonally right to stile on to road.  Turn left along road (cemetery on left).  At the T-junction turn right, and continue ahead back to pub. 

NB. These descriptions of walks and the maps as printed in Beer of Tap are copyright of John Merriman and Geoff Clifford and may not be reproduced without permission.