2010-11-23, 31 There are large "Bull in Field" signs at three points: 1. just after 124/3 leaves 124/1 and Spring Hill Road; 2. at the point where 420/16 becomes 124/2; 3. at the start of 124/2 at its junction with 124/1 ("Dolton Lane"). 2010-11-21, 30 2010-11-16, 29 It would be useful to have a post with waymarks at the junction of path 260/4 with the Oxfordshire Way (260/x, 260/y). It would be useful to have some signs at Barndon Farm to indicate how 318/5 goes through Barndon Farm. It would be useful to have a waymark in the layby of the A34 to indicate the start of 318/5. It would be useful to have a waymark at the junction of paths 134/11 and 404/29. The approach to the crossing of the railway line by 260/4 from the North has an Oxfordshire Way sign but 260/4 is not part of the Oxfordshire Way. 2010-11-15, 28 Waymarks on either side of the track to Oddington Grange where 318/2 crosses the track would be useful. I'm uncertain as to where 318/2 leaves on the N-ern side of this track and whether you have to climb over something to get to it. It would be useful to have a waymark showing where 318/6 leaves 404/16 (51D51.230, -1D12.878). I had to climb a gate at the start of 398/4 where it leaves the road that goes past Weston Park Farm (51D51.882, -1D12.125). There is a broken stile on the N-ern side of the hedge gap where 398/2 becomes 157/2 (51D51.017, -1D11.038). 2010-11-14, 27 It would be useful to have a waymark near to the BBOWT board showing the direction of 157/4. Some waymarks at the three junctions where 398/4, 398/5, 404/9 and 404/10 meet would be useful. 2010-11-10, 26 353/15 first proceeds SW-wards when it leaves the road through South Leigh. It then turns to go SE-wards (to go to its junction with 353/14). As you turn to go SE-wards, it's unclear as to where the path goes. Although my Explorer map seems to imply you go along the W-ern side of the trees, this is not possible and I eventually went along the E-ern side. There is a waymark at this switch of direction but this seems to point inside the trees. If the waymark came earlier so that it pointed alongside the E-ern side of the trees that would help. Proceeding NE-wards along 353/14 towards the road through South Leigh, the path leaves a field to enter a plantation of young trees. I missed the entrance into this plantation. Although there is a post with a waymark sign on it, the waymark is not on the side from which you approach the post. It would be good if there were a waymark on the SW-erly side of the post, i.e., the side which has the field next to it. 2010-11-08, 25 The ford on 114/5 is not marked on the Explorer map. Grim! There ought to be waymarks on the paths at either side of the ford on 114/5 to confirm that you are fording in the right place. I had to climb a gate on the North side of the ford on 114/5. There are no waymarks when you approach Old Shifford Farm from the West on 114/5. The cow dung slurries along the route of 114/5 as you pass S of the buildings of Old Shifford Farm are not nice. Waymarks are missing at the junction of 360/1 and 360/2. 2010-11-04, 24 Although there is a waymark where 362/12 goes NW near to the road to the waste disposal site, it's not too clear whether you continue NE along the path and then go NW along the road. You actually go along the NW-ly path that runs parallel to the road but it's a bit overgrown. Path 362/12 does a double bend: so it goes NW, then NE and then NW again. Whwn it goes NW, you have to enter some property that has quarry furniture. Although there is a waymark here, the arrow on the waymark has completely faded, and so it is not clear that you have to enter this property. 2010-11-03, 22 It may be useful to have a waymark where 313/12 and 313/2a meet. The end of the footpath 313/1b from Moreton where it is about to meet 313/6 is overgrown. This was also the case on 2009-08-23 when the area was visited by Bill Nicholls as shown in the photo at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1467892. The section of 313/6 (Thames Path) where it is about to meet 313/1b from Moreton is overgrown. On path 221/19, there is a hedge gap with protectors on barbed wire and either a stile or a footbridge (I forget). It would be useful to have a waymark here to indicate whether the path swops from one side of the hedge to other at this point. When proceeding NW-wards along 268/6, it enters a wood. It would be nice to have a waymark in the field to indicate where the path through the woods starts. 2010-11-02, 21 It would be useful to have waymarks at the two junctions of the paths 313/4a and 313/4b. The path is overgrown at the start of 362/6 from the road near to Elms Farm. From the main road near Linch Hiil, path 362/12 first proceeds NW along a road and then goes SW and then NW to go round some buildings. It would be useful to have a waymark where it turns from NW to SW. There is a lot of confusion in the area where 362/12 and 362/29 meet. Waymarks at these junctions would help. I think there is no waymark where 313/4c starts on the main road near Manor Farm. I think there is no waymark where 313/11 leaves the road through Northmoor. 2010-10-28, 20 It would be useful to have a waymark on the Thames Path to indicate where the 313/5 leaves the Thames Path. It would be useful to have a waymark on the Thames Path to indicate where the 313/7 leaves the Thames Path. More waymarking in the area where the 313/3a, 313/3b and 313/8 meet would be useful. When proceeding along the 313/3a W-wards, fater leaving the road through Northmoor the first hedge boundary has a FB marked on the map. There is no FB but the area is under water and so some help here would be useful. There is no path across the ploughed field on 313/4d. It looks as if the field was ploughed several weeks ago. 2010-10-27, 19 I think the DM has 184/34 running along the front of the boatyard. But I was advised that this was not a footpath. Does the road (B4044) have a footpath number between its junction with 184/34 and its junction with 184/35? I think the DM has 362/27 and 184/56 crossing the Thames upstream of the sluice from Farmoor Reservoir but there is no sign that it exists. I saw no evidence of the existence of 184/54. So I didn't do it. What are the footpath numbers for the path between 184/33 and the 362/25-362/26 junction? There is no waymarks for the NE-bound 362/1 or the S-bound 362/1 at the junction of 362/1 and 362/25. I think 362/1 is routed differently on the ground at Pinkhill Farm. I didn't do 184/53. 2010-10-24, 18 I found some difficulty at 51.7436376,-1.389980 on 362/7. If I remember correctly I had to climb a gate. At 51.742011,-1.385337, there was no waymark where 362/7 leaves the E-bound road to go S. It was hard to find the path in the S-ernmost section of the 362/7. The hedge over the stile where the S-bound 362/8 leaves 362/32 needs pruning. The access to S-bound 362/8 from 362/7 is difficult. There is no discernible path between the road and the hedge gap and it is covered in stinging nettles. I think there is a lack of waymarks at the junction of 362/8 and 362/9. I need to check this. I did not do the S-ernmost section of 362/8. It is not too obvious where the 362/5 leaves the 362/1. I don't think the DM has the S-ernmost section of 362/10. I need to check the DM. 2010-10-21, 17 There is a post with waymarks on it in the wood at 51.762393,-1.411126. This is just after 353/10 becomes 362/33. When you are travelling SE, you have to turn right at this post. With the post in its current position, it is difficult to find the path through the woods. If the post were 4m earlier, i.e., 4m further NW, it would be easier to find the path. 2010-10-19, 16 I was proceeding SE along 353/12. Although there is a waymark at 51.773234,-1.415780, there is no waymark at 51.773166,-1.415420 where there is a junction: one path carries on SE, the other goes E. At this point I wrongly went E. Later I discovered that 353/12 continues SE to 51.772905,-1.415259 at which point it then goes E. 2010-10-12, 15 At Bowles Farm, I think the DM has 216/1 going S of Bowles Farm. On the ground it is difficult to work out where this is. I would be useful to have waymarks at the junction of 216/1 and 216/9. When proceeding NE from the A40 along 206/13, there is a gate at the NW corner of the first field. This is immediately followed by a gate that can't be opened (i.e., you have to climb over). It would also be useful to have waymarks at this point. There is no waymark where 206/13 leaves Freeland Road. I think there is no waymark where 206/20 leaves Freeland Road. I think there are no waymarks at the junction of 206/11, 206/32 and Mill Lane. 2010-10-06, 14 I think a clearer waymark at for 206/5 pointing S at its junction with 206/6 would be useful. There is no waymark for 206/5 at its junction with 206/23. Is there a waymark on Oxford Road for 206/2?
Barry Cornelius
oxonpaths@gmail.com