Today’s walk started at the car park owned by The Earth Trust, and situated below Wittenham Clumps and Castle Hill – Iron Age hill fort. The route was a circuit which went through Little Wittenham Wood to Shillingford and then to Dorchester back to Little Wittenham and the car. 15 km in total on a rather overcast afternoon with the sun only coming out at the very end.
From the car park the path goes up and quickly reaches the hill fort and follows the line of the earth works around the circumference. The view is extensive but lacks clarity today.
Dropping away down the side of Sinodun Hill the path runs along the side of a field until a wide path way turns to the left through the wood.
As I walk down this track I am reminded of the many times I visited this area with school children. The Northmoor Trust a predecessor of Earth Trust used to operate from Little Wittenham, next to the church and this is where we started our days in their education room. From there it was out into the woods for searches, shelter building, animal print hunting, music making and newt hunting. I was reminded of the time I slipped down a bank whist rather pregnant and accompanied by six and seven year olds. No harm done!
The path continues on through the woods and I was intrigued by this tree. I found a pleasant spot for lunch and noted that it was quite busy and had to guard my sandwich a couple of times from over inquisitive dogs!
Just a little further along a new pond is being created.
This path continues until the end of the woodland and then runs along the side of a harvested field. Large bails await collection and I recall my summer working on a farm – stacking bails in the field to keep them dry, loading them on to an elevator for stacking in the barn and being grateful that the straw bails were much lighter than the hay. Again I notice that the hedgerows are well ladened this year. Lots of hawthorn, elderberries and either very large sloes or damsons!
The path takes a sudden turn to the right and whilst looking at the map note that this is a section of Roman Road. Having manoeuvred around the back of a farm the path cuts back to its original direction but then quickly diverts to the left. The willow trees all along this section would indicate water or at least a ditch – and then the River Thames reveals itself.
The path stops at Shillingford Bridge and as I emerge by the parking for the hotel I’m recall pre retirement / pre COVID headteacher briefings at this venue. Do I miss them? Yes the interaction between us all but no the sometimes dictatorial nature of some of the directives!
Having crossed the bridge the path quickly leads to the right and slides between sets of expensive gardens on either side. Quite dark and foreboding in places.
Just before coming out onto the main road there is a delightful sight. A wall made from a local building material – flint and a border of lavender – the bees were really busy. The other side of the path was a field of beans and this brought to mind the slight green tinge that I noticed they gave to the honey that my dad extracted after he had moved his hives to such a location.
There is a contrast for nearly a kilometre where the Thames path is along the main road before dropping back to the river. In many places the plants on the bank shield the river from view, only to be glimpsed through fishing spots.
Annoyingly I missed the turning right beside the River Thame and had to double back as I wanted to include Dorchester in my walk. This is quite a pretty village which unusually has an Abbey. Once the road through from Oxford towards London would have passed through here and it is evident that at least one of the main pubs was a coaching inn.
Again the use of flint, this time as a decoration and an old toll house. Dorchester was once a walled Roman Town – evident in its name but there have also been local Neolithic finds.
The abbey has an impressive door and is very large inside. Two distinct memories are associated with this place. In my twenties I was part of a contemporary dance group based in Oxford and on one occasion we danced the sermon in the abbey. The other was bringing pupils to perform in a ‘Festival of Voices’ – the building has great acoustics. After looking inside I had a quick snack in the cloister garden.
My route back towards Day’s Lock and Little Wittenham took me through the river side of the village, passing allotments with an array of vegetables and flowers. The path runs next to Dyke Hills – a Neolithic earth work which is possibly part of Grimms Ditch.
My final destination can be seen in the distance. I’m heading for the clump on the right.
The main bridge over the Thames is famous for local Pooh stick competitions and was always a favourite with my own children. The river splits into two or three channels on this bend.
Passing the church and the old entrance to the Northmoor Trust there’s a gate into a field which was also used for activities. The pond where we used to pond dip is now rather overgrown. The climb up to the clumps is very apparent at this point. A struggle to get some children up this and always a challenge to try and ensure they didn’t go to fast when coming down!
The climb is worth it !!! The ever changing view – an excuse to stop and look! The church, the river, Dorchester are all revealed and it is very apparent why ancient man would have dwelt at the top- an extremely good look out post.
Having skirted the clumps the hill fort again becomes very apparent as does the car park!
So many thistles in this field.
Reflection – this walk reminded me so much of children exploring and enjoying the out of doors. As well as activities already mentioned, on different occasions and with various groups we searched for Roman pottery in a field, scrapped a deer skin with a flint during an Iron Age day and much more. These sort of activities should be readily available for all children – not just as a one off but as an integral part of their educational entitlement each year.
Marion's 50 Walk Challenge 