THE WALKING GROUP ENJOYS WHITE HORSE HILL
On a beautiful August morning, fourteen assembled in the National Trust car park for the second outing of our walking group. In the morning the National Trust Area Ranger, Andy Foley, gave us a fascinating guided tour of the ecology and history of White Horse Hill, the neighbouring hill fort (known as Uffington Castle) and Dragon Hill. We learned how the figure of the horse is re-chalked every year, a process which he was currently undertaking with a team of volunteers. In the afternoon about half the party enjoyed a circular walk down to Woolstone, and then up onto the Ridgeway.
Our next walk will be of five-and-a-half miles from the village of Ashbury, taking in Ashdown House, where Nicola Cornick, the well-known author, will give us a tour and an account of the House’s associations with Elizabeth of Bohemia, ‘the Winter Queen’. This will be on Wednesday 29 September. If you would like to receive details and have not already expressed interest in the group, do email jonathan.anelay@gtc.ox.ac.uk.
WALKING GROUP LAUNCH
In glorious weather on 11 June our first walk took place on the National Trust’s Coleshill Estate. Area Ranger, Joe Mayled, gave us a talk about the Estate; and then we set off across the water meadows and the landscaped parkland of the former Coleshill Mansion to complete either 2,4 or 8 miles, according to preference and stamina! The eight-milers took in the medieval tithe barn at Great Coxwell, and the Iron Age hill fort in the beautiful Badbury woods. The four milers were back in time for lunch, and the eight milers for tea, at the excellent cafe in Carpenter’s Yard at Coleshill.
The distinctive feature of this walking group will be to base every walk on a Trust property within easy reach of Oxford. Watch out for notices of future walks!
NEW MEMBERS’ GARDEN PARTY
What better way to welcome our newer members to Oxford Centre than a garden party with strawberries and cream at the end of June!
Members who had joined within the last couple of years, but had few opportunities to join any of our activities since all were cancelled during the pandemic, were invited to meet other new members and Committee members in a sunny garden in the north of Oxford. Fresh strawberries and cream were much enjoyed, with the chance to make new friends and find out more about the Oxford Centre’s plans for the next few months (Covid permitting).
MAY OUTING
22 members were delighted to be able to take a coach ride to South West Oxfordshire to visit Coleshill Park National Trust estate on 27 May 2021. Abiding by COVID-compliant regulations, with socially distanced seating and masks on the coach and at Carpenter’s Yard coffee shop, everyone involved reported that they felt very safe, and thoroughly enjoyed the morning’s outing, which included a pre-ordered home baked cake with a hot drink.
During the visit, Chair Pauline Martin presented Trust General Manager Christian Walker with a cheque for the balance of funds collected by Oxford Centre for planting saplings at Middleleaze Paddock on the Coleshill estate, which will pay for a total of 334 young trees to be planted next winter.
