Farringdon to Wantage using The Vale Way

Start: Farringdon town square

End: Wantage market place

(S) Starting in Farringdon town square, turn left on London Street. Continue straight for about 200 metres before turning right on Stanford Road. After a couple of metres, turn left on the footpath following "The Vale Way" to climb to Folley Hill.

(1) From Folly Hill you get some brilliant views across the vale to White Horse Hill. After crossing Folly Hill, continue straight on the "The Vale Way" (East). After another 200 metres, cross the A420 and continue straight on "The Vale Way" footpath. This is a flat route across fields. Keep straight until reaching the B4508 near Hatford village.

(2) Cross the B4508 road to take the "The Vale Way" footpath again. Arriving at Bow village, turn right on Cottage road, then directly left on the footpath between houses. This path will arrive at Joyce's road. Cross the road to find the footpath (with Stanford pre-school on your right hand side). Stay on this path until reaching Church path. Keep straight, then cross Hunters field to find the footpath that will arrive on High Street. Cross High Street road to find Marlborough Lane. At the end of Marlborough Lane keep straight on the footpath.

(3) At the intersection of paths, turn right to follow River Ock (should be on your right hand side). Keep straight until reaching Farringdon Road. Cross the road and take the left path in front of you, still following "The Vale Way" footpath. At the next intersection, take left to stay on "The Vale Way" footpath. Keep straight on this path (crossing little road and train line).

(4) Turn left to stay on "The Vale Way" footpath. Continue straight until the road. Turn right and keep walking on the road for around 200 metres before turning left to still follow "The Vale Way" footpath. Keep straight until reaching West Challow village and Orchard Gardens road.

(5) Turn right on Orchard Gardens Road and keep on this road until seeing "The Vale Way" footpath on your left. Turn left to walk on the footpath. Keep straight until reaching East Challow village Main Street. Cross the road and continue to follow "The Vale Way" footpath.

(6) Turn right at the intersection of paths to stay on "The Vale Way" footpath. Continue on "The Vale Way" footpath (crossing a road) until reaching Wasbrough Avenue.

(7) Turn left on Wasbrough Avenue to stay on "The Vale Way" footpath. Keep walking on St Mary's Way and turn left on Marns Hey. Use the small footpath between houses to reach Denchworth Road. Cross the road to reach Belmont Street and keep on "The Vale Way" footpath. Stay on the footpath until reaching The Wharf road. Cross the road to find the footpath again and then arrive on Mill Street. Turn left on Mill Street and continue on Market Place (E)

There is a nice stream as you approach Wantage town square for a hot dog to have a dip.

Walking with a dog it is a great few hours with very little time on roads. I found that the footpaths around Oldfield farm (north of the main railway line) were not well maintained; if crops are growing, it may be necessary to divert around the edge of the field. I walked this in the morning and found plenty of shade for the majority of the route.

There are fairly good bus routes from both Wantage and Farringdon. The Pulhams 67 bus links the two town centres taking approximately 30mins and running hourly.