This page is currently under construction and not all links are yet available.
Explore Charlbury on Foot with New Walking Guides
Walking around Charlbury has never been easier, thanks to support from Cotswolds National Landscape. Their funding has helped introduce new walking maps at the Co-op and the station, as well as informative interpretation boards at Mill Field and Centenary Wood. Keep an eye out for our updated walking leaflets, soon to be available in businesses across town.
Whether you’re a local resident or a visitor, these resources will help you discover the beauty of Charlbury and its surrounding countryside. Lace up your walking boots and start exploring today!
Charlbury is a Walkers are Welcome town. Walkers are Welcome is a nationwide initiative launched in 2007 to be ‘welcoming to walkers’. It enables and encourages the development of accredited towns and villages in England, Wales-Cymru and Scotland to support their communities’ economic growth through the promotion of walking.
Walkers are Welcome Charlbury can be found here; https://walkersarewelcome.org.uk/2019/01/charlbury-a-cotswolds-gateway-town/
Walks around Charlbury
Here are a few circular walks from Charlbury as shown and numbered on the map above. Follow the links for detailed maps and walk descriptions
The Forest of Wychwood – A circular walk through Charlbury’s ancient forest (walk 1)
Historic Shorthampton – Along the Evenlode valley to the wall paintings of Shorthampton Church (walk 2)
The Four Hamlets – Explore the beautiful villages north of Charlbury (walk 3)
Ditchley Park – A circular walk with far reaching views across the Cotswold National Landscape and the historic Ditchley Estate (walk 4)
Stonesfield and the Salt Way – A circular walk along historic trackways (walk 5)
Finstock and the Evenlode – An easy, enjoyable walk through glorious scenery (walk 6)
Easier Walks
Gateway Walks
With support from the Cotswold National Landscape, we’ve created two easy Gateway Walks around Charlbury. Walk down to the Mill Field and the River Evenlode (G1), or take in the views on Hundley Way to the Old Shed café (G2).
Whilst you are on Mill Field, stop and read the interpretation boards dotted along the path, kindly funded by Cotswold National Landscape.
Town Trail
Charlbury has been a town since 1256: discover its historic buildings and classic Cotswold streets on the accessible Town Trail, also shown on the town map.
Train and Bus Walks
With an hourly rail service from London, Oxford and Worcester, Charlbury is an ideal location for walking without the need to bring your car. “Frequent bus services to Witney, Chipping Norton, Woodstock and Oxford and local train services are also ideal for “point to point” linear walks – take the bus or train out and walk back! Details of one such walk from Kingham to Charlbury are available by following the link below and more of these walks will be added soon. An excellent book called “From the Thames to the Wye” has been produced by the Cotswold Line Promotion Group with details of walks between stations along the North Cotswold Line. Copies are available to buy from “Number 5″ in Market Street, Charlbury”
Longer Walks
Oxfordshire Way – a long distance path of 67 miles from Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire to Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire which crosses stunning Middle England countryside and which links the Heart of England Way to the Thames Path.
Wychwood Way – a waymarked long-distance footpath in southern Oxfordshire . The route runs for 37 miles through the ancient Royal Forest of Wychwood in the west of Oxfordshire
Guided Walks
Below is a list of the walks being held by the Cotswold Wardens over the next few weeks.
For all the walks available use www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk click on Walking and Exploring to see Self-guided walks and guided walks. You can contact cvw.east.guidedwalks@gmail for any queries.
Thursday 2nd October – Delightful Ditchley
Moderate, 7.5 miles, 4hours 45m
Start 10:00am, The Old Shed, Banbury Hill Farm, Enstone Rd, Charlbury OX7 3JH
Walk around Ditchley Park Estate with classic parkland and views of Churchill’s wartime retreat.
Thursday 23rd October – In the Footsteps of the Romans
Moderate, 9 miles, 5 hours
Start 10:00am, Stonesfield Village Hall OX29 8HA
Circular route with glimpses of Roman life in the Evenlode Valley.
Saturday 25th October – Autumn in the Evenlode Valley
Easy, 4.5 miles, 3 hours
Start 10:00am, Bruern Farm Shop OX7 6QE
Circular walk via two villages and woodland on good paths
Thursday 6th November – Chadlington, Spelsbury & Beyond
Moderate, 8.5 miles, 4hours 30m
Start 10:00am, Chadlington Memorial Hall OX7 3NA
Through villages, fields and woodland with great views. Please bring £1 for hall parking.
Tuesday 10th November – Tysoe & the Vale of the Red Horse
Moderate, 10 miles, 5 hours 30m
Start 10:00am, Tysoe Methodist Church (closed), Main St, CV35 0SE
Two lengthy climbs with sweeping views across the Vale of the Red Horse
Monday 17th November – More Blenheim for Free
Moderate, 10.5 miles, 6 hours
Start 10:00am, Stonesfield Village Hall/Library Car Park OX29 8EF
A walk using Rights of Way through the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Saturday 22nd November – Nice for November
Moderate, 5.5 miles, 3 hours
Start 10:00am, Salford (near Chipping Norton)
A perfect late autumn walk.
Thursday 27th November – Frescos, a Palace and Water Meadows
Moderate: 10.5 miles, 5 hours
Start: 9:30am The Green, Combe OX29 8NT
A walk to take you beyond Woodstock to the attractive village of Wootton
Publication of maps:
The maps published on the Charlbury Town Council ‘Walks around Charlbury’ walks are produced by licence with Ordnance Survey.
We use the Open Government Licence (OGL) for OS OpenData. Under the terms of that licence, we are allowed to use our own attribution statement. Contains OS data © Crown copyright 2025.
• You are not permitted to copy, sub-license, distribute, sell, or otherwise make available the Licensed Data to third parties in any form;
• and third-party rights to enforce the terms of this Licence shall be reserved to Ordnance Survey.”