Millennium Project
My last walk is perhaps the longest, a good six miles. I shall describe the most direct route, though from the map you will see that there are ways of varying or extending it.
We start then going north from Deddington on the Banbury Road turning off up the gated road to Milton at the OCC Depot lay-by. After the second gate you pass Coombe Hill Farm on your left and go on up past the corner where the footpath emerges from the left on the previous walk, No.6. About l00 yards further on (1) on the map is a gap in the hedge on the right. From this point there is a footpath across seven fields to West Adderbury. Channels varying from wide to narrow have been cleared through the crops for most of the way so there should be no difficulty in getting there.
They are the links between the gaps in the hedges numbered 1 to 8 on my map below. They are in all cases except (5) marked with a yellow arrow on a post, though some are rather hidden from view. It is only between (4) and (5) that there is no obvious footpath. Here it is advisable to follow the hedge round on your left. At the further corner of the field you come out on to a broad pathway, across which is a wide gap in the opposite hedge. Just keep your eye on the steeple of Adderbury Church ahead! On the way back follow the hedge on your right from (5) to (4) and look out for the post there. A useful general piece of advice is to look out for Adderbury Spire ahead on the way over and for the Radio Aerials on the way back. At point (8) there is a gate by the corner of St. Mary's Road and the Milton Road, near the triangle. Go right down Berry Hill Road, which has wide grassy verges almost to the junction with the Oxford-Banbury Road. Immediately across this is a long wide lane with a footpath sign.
It is quite a long way from this point down to the Paper Mill Cottages. First there are fine views to the North and East; further on when the blue Silo towers of Adderbury Grounds Farm appear there are glorious vistas to the South. Ignore the two-turnings to the right towards the end of this path. The last grassy stretch brings you down to a large metal gate at a bend on the road down to Paper Mill Cottages. When you emerge into the field below the Paper Mill Cottages you have a choice of routes to take (see Walk No.5) but I would suggest turning right at the wooden gate, going along Paper Mill Lane and then up Mr. Fuller's field to Green Hedges Lane and thus back to Earl's Lane.
You should allow a good two hours in all. If the round trip is rather too long for you I would suggest you get someone to drop you off at either end of Berry Hill Road. If you then go either via Paper Mill Cottages or the gated road you can get to Deddington in about an hour.
