Walk 3 to Benson Lock 3 miles1 – 11/2 hours

1. From the Town Hall, walk north along St. Mary’sStreet to the High Street, cross over and turn rightand walk down the road towards the river.

2. Just in front of the Boathouse pub turn leftfollowing the Thames Path sign and then after twentyyards turn right to the river. Turn left and continueon this path towards Benson Lock for almost a mile.Look out for herons and kingfishers as well as ducksand grebe as you walk. (This path can be very muddyin wet weather). At the lock turn right and crossover the weir.

3. At the road, turn right and walk carefully alongthe street past many beautiful houses until you reacha sharp left hand bend at Crowmarsh Battle Farm.

4. Turn left over a bridge on the road and thenimmediately right over a footbridge and into a fieldon a permissive path. Follow this path which skirtsaround the field, keeping the hedgerow on your rightuntil you reach a kissing gate leading onto a minorroad.

5 Turn right and walk on the pavement past a largeindustrial park until you reach a footpath to theright.

6. Turn here and at the end of the lane turn leftwalking alongside a sports field. Continue until youare approaching the main street in Crowmarshwhere you will see the old rectory and the churchon your left.

Turn right at the Street and walk to the bridge.On your right on some timbered cottages, you willsee a blue plaque for Jethro Tull, the inventor ofthe seed drill. Continue over the bridge andback up the High Street, turning left into St. Mary’sStreet opposite the NatWest bank and thence backto the Town Hall.

Walks in and around

Wallingford

Three Walks – One strolling by the river and

through the town, one taking in theriverside path and two bridges and

the third taking in the river andBenson Lock.

WALKS IN AND AROUND WALLINGFORD

This project is being part financed by SouthOxfordshire District Council and South EastEngland Development Agency.

Photographs by kind permission of M.T. Phillips

is now redundant. (The key can be obtainedfrom the cottage next door if you wish to seeit). Continue along this path parallel to the riveruntil you reach the main road. There is adismounting block for those of you onhorseback who wish to go down under theroad. However, we are turning right andcrossing Winterbrook Bridge,

4. Immediately after crossing the bridge, followthe slope down to the right and through a gateto the Thames Path. Turn left and follow theriver northwards back towards the town forabout half a mile, noting the Old ThamesConservancy House and its flood marks; alsothe new Oxford University boathouse whichyou saw from the other bank. Continue alongthe Thames Path. Further along you will cometo a very old house behind a high hedge beforeturning right through an archway under a house.Go over a footbridge before skirting St.Leonard’s churchyard.

5. Bear right at the church onto St. Leonard’sLane and follow the road straight ahead untilyou come to a wall and gate where the roadcurves left. This is Castle Priory and was thehome of Judge Blackstone who, rumour has it,rearranged the road to give himself more roomto build his house! On the other side of theroad, at this point, is a brick archway into a carpark. Cross the road and go through thearchway and, keeping the wall on your right,walk to the car park exit. Turn right into WoodStreet, go past the car showrooms and thenturn left into Hart Street. At the end of thisroad, turn right back to the Town Hall.

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Walk 11Wallingford Town distance 1.5 miles

1. From the Town Hall, walk north along St.Mary’s Street past Barclays Bank to the HighStreet, cross over and turn right. Walk down tothe river.2. Just in front of the Boathouse pub, turn leftand follow the Thames path sign to the river.Follow this path for 500 yards.3. At the kissing gate and information boardturn left into Castle Meadows and walk acrossthe meadow to a double gate. After goingthrough the gate, bear right across the grass toanother kissing gate with a red brick wall on theleft, leading into Cemetery Lane and turn left.You may want to browse among the graves but,eventually, continue to the main road, cross overand turn left.4. Follow this road towards the town (whereit becomes Castle Street) to the end of the payand display car park on the left. Cross the roadand turn into Bear Lane following the signpostpointing to Castle Gardens. All HallowsChurchyard is on the left and then theentrance, through a wall, into Castle Gardens.

After your visit here,return to Castle Streetand turn left to thetraffic lights.5. At the lights turnright into the HighStreet, past Waitrose onthe left and continue to theBull Croft on the right. Visit the Bull Croft withits children’s playgrounds, tennis courts andgrassy recreation area before returning to theentrance on the High Street and turning right.As you reach the museum on your right, crossover the road to a second area of common land,the Kine Croft. Proceed straight ahead,following the line of buildings on the left,towards the Coach and Horses pub. You cansee the Saxon fortifications over to the right ofthe Kine Croft.6. Turn left just before the pub and note theterrace of cottages to your right as you walk toGoldsmiths Lane. Cross here to walk alongChurch Lane and emerge onto St. MartinsStreet by the Old Post Office restaurant. Crossthe road and turn left to return to the TownHall.

Walk 2 Two Bridges distance 2.5 miles

1. From the Town Hall, walk along St, Mary’sStreet past Barclays Bank to the High Street,cross over and turn right. Walk down to theriver bridge and cross over the river. In themiddle of the bridge turn left down the steps tothe riverside.

2. At the river path, turn left going under thebridge and through gate posts. Follow the pathalongside the river for about 500 yards overtwo footbridges and several kissing gates. Youwill see a very large, modern boathouse on theopposite bank of the river.

3. Turn left and walk across the field to thefence, turning right at the footpath sign.Continue into a farmyard, keeping left and thenexit the farmyard through a gate on your leftand onto a small farm road, where you bearright. The path passes Newnham Church which

WALKS IN AND AROUND WALLINGFORD

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