Wikiloc | Banbury - Rollright Stones loop Trail

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Author

jalfer

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Trail stats

Distance: 38.07 mi
Elevation gain: 1,768 ft
Technical difficulty: Easy
Elevation loss: 1,768 ft
Max elevation: 782 ft
TrailRank: 43
Min elevation: 281 ft
Trail type: Loop

Time: 4 hours 54 minutes
Coordinates: 2349
Uploaded: November 21, 2019
Recorded: November 2019

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near Banbury, England (United Kingdom)

Viewed 902 times, downloaded 6 times

Trail photos

Itinerary description

Circular route starting in Banbury to the Rollright Stones, a Neolithic and Bronze Age stone monuments in the Cotswolds.

Roughly 70% of the route is paved, with the unpaved bits consisting of bridleways of either grass or dirt. Those sections were very muddy and slippery when I did the route in November. Other than that, and being comfortable riding right next to the water along the Oxford Canal, the route poses no technical challenge. It's a bit of a roller coaster but none of the up/downhill sections are very long.

There're several villages on the route with either pubs or convenience stores.

The route exits Banbuy by the west, quickly joining the National Cycle Route 5 until before Sutton-under-Brails. Although open to cars, this section is very quiet and barely met any cars. From Cheringdon to Long Compton it runs mostly on bridleways.
Once at Long Compton, it goes on the A3400 first and the A346 until the Rollright Stones. These two road are probably the busiest (more than what I'd like to) bit of the route. After departing the A436 onto the Hook Norton Road it all becomes very quite again.

The Rollright Stones are roughly halfway the route and so it makes the perfect spot to take a break, but there was a fairly strong and chilly wind blowing the day I did it and wasn't all that pleasant.

Waypoints

Elephant & Castle Pub

Horse & Groom Inn

Sibford Ferris

Small village with a convenience store / post office

Path next to the B4035

Very funny bit. Shame that it's so short. The route joins the National Cycle Route 5 after this.

Cross Cotswold Pathway

This bit was very muddy!

Whispering Knights

Turn Right

Cross over to the nearby field by the small footpath. Although back at home I realised it's also possible to keep left and continue following the edge of the current field until eventually finding an opening on the right hand side to reach the path behind.

Water might run across the road

Good news is there's a small bridge on the side if it's too much

Turn Left

If you followed the previous indication, find the small footpath on the left to get out of the field onto the path behind the bushes.

The Sun Inn

The King's Men Stone Circle

You're asked to donate £1 to enter the site

The Joiners Arms Pub

Sibford Ferris Stores and Post Office

Conveniently located on the route should you need some supplies

Plough Inn

Red Lion Pub

Bridleway to Hook Norton

It was very slippery and muddy when I did it in November! A bit of a pain when having to open and close some of the gates.

King Stone

This is on the other side of the road. There might be cattle in the same field where the stone is. Somehow I ended up befriending a bunch of cows when I stopped for a snack here.