Stoke Row circular

I had planned to go for a walk on the North Downs today from Leith Hill, but my forgetfulness yesterday meant that I forgot to pick up my dry cleaning. Opening hours on a Sunday meant I’d have to go walking closer to home, to give me a chance of picking up my trousers!

So I opted for this self made walk, i.e. look at the map and pick a circular route that will get you done in time for a tasty pub lunch!

The pub in question was The Cherry Tree Inn in Stoke Row, Oxfordshire, more about which later. First the walk. The handy thing about a walk that finish at a pub is you can make full use of its car park without feeling guilty or annoying the owners. So my route started down Northwood Lane. Not far down here there was a footpath that really passed through somebody's back garden but eventually passed into some fields. Up ahead was what looked like a lych gate of a church, but with no church in sight. Passing through this is was then a short walk up to some farm buildings and then a pleasant walk on a old green lane, in the dappled sunlight forcing its way through the trees. The odd house was visible including the rather grand Oakingham House, but it was less ornate surroundings that we found at the next property.

All along the lane down to to road ahead was piles of old skips, with assorted junk ranging from children's toys to builder's rubble and everything in between including the kitchen sink! Well three kitchen sinks in fact.

No sooner has we passed this by than the best part of the walk began. Through a small plot of beautiful woodland and then onto to English Farm. In the setting of the rolling Oxfordshire countryside was yet another grand house, with a collection of classic Dutch barns. One of which was housing Cobalt Blacksmiths, given away by a oversize wrought iron spider making its decent down the side of the barn.

Beyond English Farm we crossed a large field, the scenery around these parts reminding me of the opening scenes of Enduring Love (minus the red hot air balloon). We were then on another green lane, which continued to offer up some great vistas. I only wish I'd had my camera with me. Writing this now from memory, I recall so much that would have been worth snapping a picture of. Instead, I've made do with a screen dump from Google Earth.

At Howberrywood, after making friends with the owner's dogs, we headed through the woods to Highmoor Cross (yet more grand homes) and then via roads and trackways back to Stoke Row and lunch.

There seems to be loads of good pubs in South Oxfordshire and this is one of them. The food was excellent, and the courgette frites side order, whilst not doubt not very good for you, are well worth a try.