A difficult route in Warwickshire. Check the GPS track on Outdooractive for full details of the route, waypoints, and terrain.
Starting Point: Roadside parking, Main Street, Mollington (SP 440 474)
Terrain: Road, field paths on the D'Arcy Dalton Way, Farnborough Park, village lanes, Macmillan Way field paths, railway crossing, Claydon village, Oxford Canal towpath, Cropredy village, Battlefield Trail field paths, footbridge, road, farm tracks
A thoroughly enjoyable circular from Mollington that combines three of the great named routes in this corner of Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, linking them across a varied and historically rich landscape. The opening leg on the D'Arcy Dalton Way is quietly impressive— the path climbs steadily northwest through the fields above Mollington, passes through the woodland edge, and then delivers the unexpected pleasure of Farnborough Park, where the Obelisk appears above the treetops and the whole estate has a composed, unhurried grandeur about it. The Macmillan Way takes over at Farnborough village for the eastwardleg, carrying the route across open country and over the railway at Claydon Crossing before dropping into Claydon and picking up the Oxford Canal. The towpath south to Cropredy is easy and pleasant walking, the canal calm and the views open across the surrounding fields. Cropredy itself is one of the most engaging villages on this stretch of the canal — a place with real historical weight and a charm that repays a pause. The Battlefield Trail return across the fields and back into Mollington is a satisfying close to an excellent day out in this underrated corner of the south Midlands.