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.