Didcot Circular Walk
A walk in Oxfordshire, taking in Dorchester-on-Thames and the Clumps. Can start from Appleford.
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swcwalks, swcwalk 44, Appleford Circular. 6/6/19.amib, Jun-19
Thirteen miles (12 'officially') of walking around the Thames Valley village of Appleford, South Oxfordshire.
Having past Appleford's church, the initial walking is alongside fields and the River Thames to Long Wittenham. Then, it's more quiet road walking and field margins to rejoin The Thames Path. Following this through water meadows, and a crossing of the Thames at Day's Lock, the walker soon reaches the attractive village of Dorchester, where lunch is had in the Abbey grounds.
Thereafter, there's another section of riverside walking before the ascent of Wittenham Clumps, which provide some fine views back of the earlier walking. These are former Iron Age hill forts and now managed by the Earth Trust charity.
This is followed by more field-edge walking and an option to finish in Didcot, or Appleford, as desired.
The Appleford version passes the interesting Pendon museum, which houses a number of miniature villages and railways.
A decent day's walking, with good paths and notes. Would be very different in the wetter months though. Quite cattle heavy near the Thames.
The train service to Appleford is very sporadic, so is best done on a week day.