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From Chipping Norton to Woodstock, Oxfordshire, along the valley of the River Glyme. Distance: about 16 miles/25 km. Total ascents and descents some 280 metres and 380 metres respectively. Approximate time excluding stops: allow at least 6 hrs 30 mins, if walking at an average speed of 4km or 2½ miles an hour on the flat. The Glyme is a tributary of the River Evenlode, which runs into the Thames. It rises about a mile (1.6 km) east of Chipping Norton, close to Glyme Farm, and flows in a south-easterly direction. At Wootton the Glyme is joined by a tributary, the River Dorn, and itself joins the Evenlode near Bladon, just south of Blenheim park. The Ancient Britons gave the river its name, which means “bright stream”, and if the light is right, its clear waters certainly do justice to the description. The Way’s condition and waymarking are generally very good. There are only four stiles left of 22 reported in 2007, while the opening and closing of gates (kissing and fixed) should not cause much annoyance: there is an average of just three a mile. A couple of very short stretches may get rather overgrown: depending on the season, you may need to carry a stick in case vegetation there - especially nettles - needs to be beaten down. Waymarking is deficient at very few points. For comments on these locations see the Route Description. The Glyme Valley Way, step by step. The download link is at the foot of this page. The Way visits peaceful, attractive Oxfordshire villages and hamlets, starting and ending at two towns of considerable historical and architectural interest: Chipping Norton became wealthy in medieval times thanks to its production of wool and developed into a thriving market town. Its fine church is the result of rebuilding in the late fifteenth century funded by a wool merchant. Wealthy merchants built handsome homes and premises using the local stone and many survive to this day. The most iconic are the 17th century almshouses and the former Bliss Tweed Mill building (1872) with its tall chimney finely styled as a Tuscan column, which surprises many a visitor driving into the town. Though still a small market town, "Chippy" punches above its weight in terms of its range of amenities, from hotels, pubs, restaurants and cafés to an award-winning theatre, not to mention no fewer than four supermarkets. Other shops reflect the town's strong cooperative roots, and also include increasingly rare breeds such as a traditional ironmonger's and a cobbler's. A newly devised historic trail around the town includes around 50 points of interest, half of which are buildings to be identified by plaques. Details of the trail are due to be published online by the summer of 2019. The River Glyme is first crossed by the Way when just a small stream, but at the end of the walk, in Woodstock, it is transformed into impressive lakes in the park at Blenheim Palace, which is crisscrossed with footpaths including the "Royal Manor loop". The magnificent ancestral home of the Churchill family, Dukes of Marlborough, and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, the palace annually brings approaching a million visitors to Woodstock. The town once prospered making gloves, and produced steelwork fine enough to be used as diplomatic gifts, maybe through its royal connections. Close to Blenheim Park on the bank of the Glyme is the Black Prince pub, recalling the warring son of King Edward III born locally in 1330. Two centuries earlier, Henry II would visit his mistress nearby at his royal manor. This "Fair Rosamund", Rosamund Clifford, was rather unflatteringly commemorated in the name of a tank engine that steamed between Oxford and Woodstock, although it did sometimes pull a royal train along the line! Between these two towns the River Glyme flows through Old Chalford, Lidstone, Enstone, Cleveley, Radford Bridge, Kiddington, Glympton and Wootton. Each of these places is interesting in its own way, as referred to in the endnotes accompanying the downloadable Route Description. However, a common feature is the existence of evidence that from prehistoric times, the valley provided conditions favourable to human settlement. There are remains of neolithic and bronze age burial places, abandoned villages, and ancient standing stones, some of which have inevitably given rise to myths and legends. Local lore has it that the stone said to give Enstone its name, which means "giant stone", would go into the village to drink on Midsummer's Eve ..... Services: Walking a linear route obviously means having return transport available. Fortunately, there is an hourly bus service, the Stagecoach S3 (running 7 days a week), along the A44 from Woodstock to Chipping Norton, with bus stops on it not far from various points on the Way. This makes it possible to shorten your walk and board a bus after doing 4, 5½, 8½, 10½ or 13¼ miles (6.5, 9, 13.5, 17 or 21.3 km), or to walk the Way in easy stages. Again, for more details see the Step by Step file. For refreshments, as well as Chipping Norton, Woodstock also has many eateries to suit different tastes. Options along the Way are limited (* = near a return bus stop): the route passes the Crown Inn, Church Enstone; Adams Stores/coffee shop* and the licensed Artyard Café* are at Enstone (800m-1km or ½-¾ mile off the Way); on the route is Glympton Post Office shop (tea/coffee, snacks, ice cream). The Wootton Stores community shop (hot pies and ice cream!) is 800m/½ mile N. of the Way, and the Duke of Marlborough pub*, a similar distance SW of the same point. Directions to all these, and phone numbers to check opening hours or menus, are given in the detailed route description and accompanying notes. Pdf file downloads (1 and 2 are bookmarked) (1) Detailed description of footpath route with endnotes giving practical information and comments on points of historical and cultural interest: The Glyme Valley Way, step by step.
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This watermill at Church Enstone was one of at least ten along the Glyme
