Oxford Canal - Kidlington to Banbury (★★★☆☆)

Today is our second day walking the Oxford Canal, having walked from Oxford to Kidlington on the previous day.

One of the unplanned benefits of having stayed overnight in the Premier Inn by the Technology Centre is that I can stop off at the Greggs on my way back to the canal to get a bacon roll - and from here we turn to head north, and leave behind everyone heading off to work, and start to focus on the quiet canal that lies ahead.

From here we have a short walk to Thrupp, where we find a pretty marina - and here we also feel the need to keep the noise down, as we make our way past the boaters in the early morning.

Through this section it is best to just go with the flow, as the path meanders quite a bit, and doesn't quite follow the route laid out on the map - but it is an easy path to follow, so long as you trust wherever any arrows are pointing you.

Trupp boat house

Trusting these arrows eventually leads us through an unusual sight on a canal towpath, in the form of a churchyard - which we wander through, before crossing a bridge - which takes us to the onward path, now on the far side of the canal.

Heading through the churchyard

Here we have touched the very edge of Shipton-on-Cresswell, and as we leave it behind what lies ahead is fairly rural countryside.

Continuing on up the canal we head under the railway, and here our route joins up with the route of the River Cherwell - with this next short section being more of a navigation than a true canal.

But we soon leave behind the River Cherwell - as it heads under a bridge that we pass over.

Heading over the departing River Cherwell

From here we continue onto a section of towpath that is at times more jungle than tidy towpath - and we will for now alternate between sections with a reasonably good path, and sections that are quite heavily overgrown (and this will continue as far as Northbrook, after which things will get more civilised).

But soon we have completed a curve in the canal, and now head under the railway once again - and past the small village of Enslow. 

Next we bend to the right, and then left - before reaching Pigeon Lock - where it is possible to turn off canal, and head to Tackley train station.

But we continue to follow the canal, and soon make our way past Tackley station (although the River Cherwell now provides a barrier between us and the railway) - before continuing on to a bridge over the canal near Northbrook (again a spot from which you can access Tackley train station).

By this point we have gotten used to breaking our way through the foliage, but here we start to see a shift in the trail, with the foliage starting to make a retreat - and with the path starting to open up.

Heading past Tackley (this particular bridge only heads across to the fields on the right)

The lock before the bridge at Northbrook

After Northbrook our next destination is the small village of Lower Heyford - and here there is another train station, which sits right next to the canal.

But leaving this behind, we continue on up the canal, and soon pass Upper Heyford - which was once host to an airfield (still visible on the map), which was first active during the First and Second World World - and which later hosted nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

After World War II a decision was made for four airfields in the Oxfordshire area to host American bombers - and this was chosen to be one of those airfields - in combination with Brize Norton (still an active RAF base), Fairford (an RAF base recently used by the US to strike Iran), and Greenham Common (an active RAF base).

In 1951 Upper Heyford was formally handed over to the US Air Force, before transferring to the control of US Strategic Air Command - and as part of this transfer, the airfield went on to house atomic weapons - ready to be used in any escalation of the Cold War.

By 1982 the airfield also played host to a peace camp - with some folk for some reason not being entirely sold on the idea of all out nuclear war.

But by 1993 the last of the aircraft had left Upper Heyford airfield - with the runways now being left to the enjoyment of the local wildlife.

On our way past we see none of this airfield - but we do get a good look across towards the village of Upper Heyford, and it's rather smart looking Tithe Barn (a barn used to store the 'taxes' in the form of crops paid by the local peasants and farmers for the benefit of the church).

The fairly large Tithe Barn at Upper Heyford

And with Upper Heyford behind us, we now head back into this incredibly rural stretch of countryside.

Heading out from Upper Heyford

And at Heyford Common Lock

Upon reaching Heyford Common Lock we are greeted by the new (and fairly exciting) sight of mown grass - and whilst not everyone is very happy to see the towpaths mown - it is a very welcome sight for those making their way on foot up the canals, as it means we don't have to battle the undergrowth.

Here we are close on the tail of some Canal & River Trust workers, who are clearing down the banks ahead of winter, to help manage the rate of growth along side of the canal.

And by the time we make it round to Somerton Crossing, we have met up with these workers - and moving beyond them we soon follow a path that diverts down through the fields, and away from the embankments that now line this stretch of the canal.

Here I can only presume that the horses could pull the boats along via an extended length of rope - with the horses presumably walking on the top of the enbankment - but this raised embankment does not last long - and at the next bridge we return to our usual position beside the river. And from here we start to get views out towards Somerton.

Looking out towards Somerton

Whilst this is a very rural stretch of country - and whilst there isn't very much to be found in this whole expanse between Oxford and Banbury - it is clear that these small villages were rather prosperous.

The manor at Somerton has generally been held by families of importance - ever since it was first gifted to William the Conqueror's step-brother Odo - and whilst the village has remained small, there was clearly a certain amount of (presumably farming) wealth in this area.

As part of the agreement to build the railway through this stretch of countryside, the village was given a railway station (Fritwell & Somerton - renamed from Somerton in 1907 to avoid confusion with Somerton railway station in Somerset) - and this station opened by 1855. But this train station closed in 1964, and by now it is no longer possible to use this point as an additional rail link.

Continuing on, we continue to walk through this rather empty stretch of countryside - benefiting from the freshly cut verges - and from here all the way up until Kings Sutton there isn't a lot to say, except that we get to enjoy more of this very rural countryside.

And as we have plenty of time until our train leaves Banbury, we can dawdle through this section - and just try and enjoy the autumn sunshine.

Passing a swing bridge

Just before Kings Sutton we pass a closed off lock that is going through some sort of repair work - and then have a long straight section of canal that takes us up to Nell Bridge Lock.

Here we cross over the canal, and then take on a wide meander, that eventually takes us under the M40 - before we pass the village of Kings Sutton (which does have an active railway station).

Kings Sutton was believed to be an important centre during the Saxon period, and was one of three towns in the county indicated to have had a market in the Domesday book - before later being eclipsed by Banbury and Brackley during the medieval period.

The fortunes of town improved upon the discovering of a medicinal spring at Astrop in 1657 (called and marked on the map as St Rumbald's Well) - and in 1740 Astrop House was built near this well, with the grounds being later laid out by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown.

But once again we see nothing of this town as we pass it by on it's western side - and instead for us this really marks the final phase of our walk, as we get ready to close in on Banbury.

King's Sutton Lock

The countryside here continues to be excellent, but it also continues to be a very quiet walk - and we have seen very few people along this whole stretch of canal.

And so we continue to be able to enjoy the peace and quiet, before we finally pass under the M40 once again - and then start to meet up with the footpaths that head out from the edges of Banbury.

A swing bridge along the canal

Soon new-build housing starts popping up on the opposite side of the canal - and once this has been cleared we pass a park (on the far side of the canal), before we make our way past the Industrial Estate that sits just by Banbury train station.

And here we complete the final short walk down to the bridge in the centre of Banbury, where we can turn off - ready to catch our train home.

Total Distance: 21.3 miles (20.7 miles on the canal)

Total Ascent: 325 feet (212 feet on the canal)

Enjoyment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ★ ★ / 5

Click for the adjoining section of the Oxford Canal from Oxford to Kidlington.

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 151 and 164 OS Landranger maps (links redirect to Amazon).  The route simply follows the canal and so is easy to follow