A Walk to Banbury
One of the less charming aspects of living in a rural area is the lack of public transport. Even the simplest task—like collecting my motorbike from the garage—can turn into a logistical headache when you can’t just hop on a bus.
Rather than inconvenience friends for a lift (and assuming they’d all be busy on a weekday anyway), I decided to make a trip of it and walk to Banbury. Using the OS Maps app, I plotted a route that favoured country footpaths over roads—partly for the scenery, partly for the challenge.
Here’s the route I chose:
The journey began over gently rolling hills before dipping into a quiet stretch where any signs of civilisation seemed to disappear entirely. It was wonderfully peaceful—exactly the sort of escape you hope for when you set out on a walk like this.
At one point, the path cut straight across a field of wheat. The farmer hadn’t marked the public footpath, so I had to rely solely on the OS app to stay on track. Standing there, surrounded by swaying crops under a big open sky, I couldn’t help but think of the old Windows 3.1 desktop background.
I’d been particularly looking forward to seeing the old dismantled railway line along the route, but it turned out to be somewhat underwhelming. That said, there was a lovely grass-covered bridge spanning the line—quiet, green, and unexpectedly charming.
As for the railway itself, it appears to have turned into a pond. Whether that’s a permanent feature or just the result of a few days of heavy rain, I couldn’t say—but it did make for an unusual sight.
The final stretch was less enjoyable. The path deteriorated noticeably, and the section running alongside the M40 was barely passable in places. After the tranquillity of the earlier parts of the walk, it felt like an abrupt and slightly disappointing end.
Overall, though, I’m glad I made the effort. It was a refreshing way to spend the day, and certainly a cost-effective way to retrieve my motorbike. Next time, though, I’ll be rethinking the route—especially that less-than-ideal stretch by the motorway.