Shakespeare's Way Section 6: Stadhampton to Maidensgrove

Length: 12.5 miles / 20km
Difficulty: Moderate
Walk leader: Beth (07956242703)

Following the success of walking The Ridgeway in 2023, the Chiltern Young Walkers have set themselves a new challenge of walking Shakespeare's Way in 2024!

A 146 mile route that winds its way through the Cotswolds, the Chiltern hills and along the Thames between Shakespeare's Historic Birthplace and The Globe Theatre in London. Its a beautiful fully signposted route that goes through towns such as Chipping Norton, Woodstock and Marlow as well as the beautiful city of Oxford and of course a long section along the River Thames in London.

For this section, we'll be leaving the Cotswolds behind and heading into the southern end of the Chilterns instead. A hillier walk than the previous ones, this section offers everything - woodland, open countryside, pretty villages such as Britwell Salome and Cookley Green.

We'll stop enroute for a drink as long as we have time, but please bring a packed lunch and plenty of water. Dogs are welcome but must remain on a lead at all times.

Unfortunately this is the first section where we cannot just jump on a bus and go back to the start, so we'll need to operate a carpool system. For those not familiar, this is how it works:

1. We all meet at the end point in Maidensgrove
2. We fit ourselves into as few cars as possible, and drive to the start, leaving as many cars at the end as we can, at least one.
3. We do the walk, coming back to Maidensgrove
4. Whoever left their car(s) at the end drives the drivers back to their cars (about 20 mins) and everyone else either heads off, or waits for the cars to return.

This worked well for The Ridgeway walks, but is reliant on walkers being willing to offer lifts, so please come willing to offer a lift either at the beginning or the end if you have a car!

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