Church Hanborough-Long Hanborough-East End
Ordnance Survey Explorer map (1:25,000):
180: Oxford
Length: 13.7km (8.5 miles).
Duration: 4 to 5 hours.
Start: Long Hanborough, Church Hanborough or East End
Nearest Station: Hanborough
Public Houses:
George and Dragon, Hanborough: 01993 881 362
Three Horse Shoes, Hanborough: 01993 882 148
Cock Inn, Combe: 01993 898 003
Watch Where You’re Going
The first thing to note about this walk is that you need to keep your wits about you as it is not always clear which way the path goes and there is the real possibility of ending up going the wrong way. Therefore, I recommend, as I always do, that you take a map with you.
Railways and Rivers
Along the northern section of this walk, you are never far from the Oxford to Worcester railway line which cuts a very straight line through the countryside and there are a couple of opportunities to get photos of a sleek high-speed train zooming down the line. The trains make a surprisingly soothing noise as they whoosh through the countryside.
The River Evenlode, in contrast, meanders across the countryside. One of the delights of this walk is the opportunity to walk right beside the river, which has its source near Morton-in-Marsh and joins the River Thames just east of Eynsham.
Wet Socks and a Roman Villa
A feature of note on this walk is the remains of the North Leigh Roman villa. This is maintained by English Heritage and entrance is free. However, beware as the path to (or from) the villa passes beneath the railway line and during wet weather the path can be flooded. Be careful as the water may be deeper than you think, as I discovered to my cost. I ended up with very wet socks on the day I did the walk.
At its full extent, the villa was a very large courtyard style dwelling, with buildings on three sides of a rectangle and a corridor and gatehouse enclosing the courtyard on the fourth side. However, this impressive building was erected on the site of previous smaller Roman villas and finds of pre-Roman Iron Age pottery are evidence of even earlier occupation.
The first Roman buildings were built in the 1st or early 2nd century and consisted of three buildings, including a bathhouse. These occupied the area of what became the north-west wing of the later villa. The south-west and north-east wings were added early in the 3rd century and parts were entirely rebuilt, probably in the early 4th century. It was during this time that the mosaic floors were laid, for which the villa is particularly noted. At its height, the villa had 16 mosaic floors, one of which is protected by a small building and can be viewed through a large viewing window.
Kites and Kingfishers
West of Combe, the walk follows a road high above the river. Keep an eye open for red kites (Milvus milvus) that can be distinguished by their large size and distinctive forked tails. I saw five swirling around the sky on the day I was walking. It was a very stirring sight.
These magnificent birds had previously been a common sight over much of the country. Indeed, during the Middle Ages, red kites were valued as scavengers, helping to keep the towns’ and cities’ streets clean. As such, they were protected by a royal decree and killing a kite was a capital offence. However, by the 16th century a bounty was payable for their carcasses and the species was persecuted as vermin.
The persecution continued through the following centuries and as the birds became less common they became a target for taxidermists and egg collectors. Their activities hastened its demise and the red kite became extinct in England in 1871 and in Scotland in 1879. A small remnant population survived in the undisturbed upland valleys of mid-Wales where their numbers remained extremely low until the 1960’s after which the population slowly started to increase in number. By 2003, their number had increased to between 350 to 400 pairs.
To help the expansion of the species, between 1989 and 1994, kites were introduced into Scotland and the Chilterns from Sweden and Spain. The birds were breeding by 1992 and then expanded their range such that they are now a common sight in the Cotswolds and are a truly wonderful thing to see on a day’s walk.
A bird to look out for on the stretch of river south of Combe is at the other end of the size spectrum – the kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). Personally, I have never seen on here, but I have it on good authority this is a good place to spot this colourful little bird. Kingfishers tend to favour slow-flowing rivers or motionless water in relatively lowland areas. Their preferred fishing spot is a firm perch overlooking a clear, shallow pool of water, so overhanging branches are essential fishing perches and are something to look out for when trying to spot the bird.
What’s in a Chatterpie?
Walking through Combe I noticed a road called Chatterpie Lane. This was a new word for me and I wondered what went into a chatter pie. Imagine my surprise, and delight, when I discovered it is a colloquial name for the magpie (Pica pica). Delight, because the magpie is my favourite species of British bird. I delved into this a bit more and discovered the magpie has a veritable magpie’s hoard of local names. My favourites are; chattermag, Cornish pheasant, haggister and long-tailed nan. If you are aware of other local names for the magpie, I would be delighted to hear them. Please leave a post on my Facebook Page: @MartinMaraisAuthor.
Sandwiches and Singing Trees
On the whole good views across the countryside are limited on this walk. However, there is a good view across the Evenlode valley just north of Long Hanborough which has the added benefit of having a well-placed bench (GR: SP425146, W3W: denim.zaps.whom) where you may wish to stop for a sandwich break. An alternative place for a stop is on the buttresses of a long-lost footbridge located within the wood adjacent to the river (GR: SP408146, W3W: thrusters.pity.until).
Something to listen out for on the wooded section of the walk beside the river is the singing pine trees. If a breeze is brushing the tops of the trees, stop and listen and you may be lucky enough to hear the trees singing to you. They sang quite a song when I was there, and intermingled with the gentle chorus of bird song it was enough to make me halt for a few minutes to listen to these wonderful sounds of nature.