The local Vale of White Horse Ramblers group has developed a new walking trail for the Vale of White Horse.

Named ‘The Vale Way’ it is a 27 mile walking trail that links the market towns of Faringdon, Wantage and Abingdon. Intended to give the walker a pleasant walk through Vale countryside it passes through many interesting villages and points of interest.

The Mayor of Abingdon-on-Thames, Cllr Helen Pighills was at the launch event at 11.00am today (3rd July 2015) and cut the cake. This was followed by a walk to the ‘The Vale Way’ start at the millstream bridge in Abbey Meadows.

The route starts in the west, in the village of Longcot, then Little Coxwell, Faringdon, the Folly, Frogmore Brook, Hatford, Stanford in the Vale, the Challows, Wilts and Berks canal, Wantage, Ardington, West Hendred, the Truck Fest site, Steventon, Milton and Abingdon. The Vale of White Horse can also be regarded as the valley of the river Ock and the route passes near the source of the Ock at Little Coxwell and crosses the confluence with the Thames at Abingdon-on-Thames.

The trail can be walked in various ways, the whole length, main town to main town or in shorter sections of 4-7 miles. Instructions on how to do the walk in stages can be found at www.ramblers-oxon.org.uk/thevaleway

A map of the entire route can be accessed at http://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_3944028.html

The launch was part of the Ramblers 80th anniversary celebrations. Thanks to Peter for this information.