30/03/24 - Chiltern Chain Walk - Stage 19 - Exlade Street

 Woodland walking for a Gastropub with poor quality control

An 11 mile romp through South Oxfordshire, almost entirely in woodland. Pleasant enough at the time, but hardly providing interest for a blog. It's the penultimate stage of the Chiltern Chain Walk, so recorded for my own completeness only.

I start in Exlade Street. To provide an indication of scale, the Wikipedia page describes it as a hamlet that was significantly reduced in size when two house burned down. There is a pub, the Highwayman, that I make payment for use of their car park through post walk refreshment.

Looks like the Highwayman has already been on the rob

Soon into woodland, where I remain for day. Blair Witch vibes, with very few encounters with sentient life of any kind.

Today's Vista

Soon back at Stage 18's Stoke Row. Brakspear beers not enticing enough to convince me to revisit the Cheery Tree but walking further along the row, I take a pause at today's only item of interest. The Maharajah's Well - dug by two men to a depth of twice that of Nelson's Column over a year. In an act of international charity setting a precedent for Idi Amin's aid the winter of disconnect, paid for by an act of charity by Indian aristocracy in 1864.

The Canopy

In a blog of few highlights, I bring you a guilded elephant

Surprisingly, I turn down a visit to the Black Horse in Checkendon. Not necessarily because Whatpub states that the beer is on gravity dispense. More because I was excited at the trail of a number of mystery caches that I had quickly solved before heading down.

Back to the Highwayman - car park now full and people have to work hard to get here, so it must have something to offer punters.

C17th Original

Its a gastropub that doesn't do the sandwich that I am after. Instead, I can order off the nibbles section. Alas, they have sold out of £8.25 scotch eggs. Some would say that this is saving me from myself, but having been resigned to ordering mini chedders, I was upsold to Dick Turpin Loaded Fries.

Cue jokes that at least Dick wore a mask.

Beerwise, its nice to see some Locale Ales....  Marlow Rebellion bringing back fond memories of the Northern sections of the London Countryway walk. Renegade Good Old Boy was chosen.

Lifting to my nose was all I needed to tell me it was off. Leading to the frisson of sending it back and counter arguing a defence for "Its meant to smell like that".

Initial relief that it was instantly declared end of the barrel, leading me to be rather annoyed they tried to palm it off on me in the first place.

The replacement, after a barrel change

Walk Information

Distance - 11 Miles

Geocaches - 12 

Walk Inspiration

Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10, Stage 11, Stage 12, Stage 13, Stage 14, Stage 15, Stage 16, Stage 17, Stage 18