The Fat Fox Inn - Route 1

(S/E) Come out of the pub, turn right and follow the road to the crossroads at the Town Hall. Turn right on to the High Street, and follow the road past the War Memorial. Take the second turning on the right, on to Church Street. The road ends at a white metal rail, leading to a footpath.

(1) Where the path forks at the entrance to Mansle Gardens; bear left and keep following the path past the entrance to The Meadows and between houses until you reach a road. Cross the road to another short path, then cross straight over the next road (B4009).

(2) Turn right and walk along the pavement to the next junction where you turn left onto a lane called The Goggs. Follow the lane, which twists between houses, until you reach a kissing gate. Go through the gate into West Meadow; follow the hedge round to your right, which leads to another kissing gate. Go through this gate and turn left, following a small stream, which is dry for much of the year. When you reach a track, turn left. The track goes past the Willow pond.

(3) Keep walking straight along this track, up the hill, round to the right and then onto a narrow path on the left. Follow the narrow path beside a field; at the end of this path, go straight across a lane and through an opening into a grassy field; there is a conveniently placed bench here with a good view towards Watlington Hill. You are now on the route of the Ridgeway. Walk along the edge of the grassy field, an alternative route to the adjacent lane.

(4) When you reach the road turn right; this is quite a busy road but there is a narrow path along the raised road verge. After about ¼ mile/400m, cross road with care then fork left onto a track, and through a wooden kissing gate. Walk a very short distance along the track and then fork left again onto a footpath, which winds between a narrow strip of trees. Keep going straight along this path, through two kissing gates.

(5) At the next kissing gate turn left, onto a path that climbs up through a small area of yew woodland and out onto the open hillside of Watlington Hill, a patchwork of chalk grassland and scrub. Keep following the same path past some silver birch trees, do not leave the path until you reach a waymark post. Turn left at the waymark post and follow this path downhill past the White Mark, a large triangle carved in to the chalk. At the bottom of the white mark the path bears to the right and goes past a gate. Keep following this path which leads down to Hill Road.

(6) Walk straight down Hill Road, past the car park on your left. At the cross roads beside the Town Hall, turn right on to Shirburn Street, where you will see the Fat Fox Pub ahead of you on the left hand side of the road.(S/E)

Watlington Town Hall – This beautiful brick building was built by Thomas Stonor of Stonor in 1664 and has served as a market hall, school, court, and now serves as the Town Hall with a market space below.

Watlington Hill – This site of scientific interest is owned and managed by the National Trust. Look out for flower rich chalk grassland, scrub areas that are good for birds and areas of dense yew woodland.