Pear Tree pub at end of Brewery Lane also serves Hook Norton beer and has a pleasant rear garden If walking from Shipston, the 488 Stagecoach bus from outside the Pear Tree pub to Chipping Norton (10 past hour), and then the 50 Stagecoach bus from Chipping Norton (14:40, 18:51 Monday-Saturday) gets you back to Shipston....

jezzaph

Leaving Shipston On Stour you follow the Shakespeare Way along the river Stour for a short section before more field paths with great views arriving at Cherington where we leave the Shakespeare Way....

Nigel Cull

Crossing over more fields before joining the road to Charingworth with a nice bench just before entering the village for a rest before charring on....

Nigel Cull

Between a stile at what3words ///rushed.brimmed.thinnest and ///interacts.hangs.lines is tricky in parts: a stile overgrown with brambles and foliage and fallen tree nearby (can avoid this if use nearby 5-bar gate in same field to cut this part out), a badly damaged bridge over river, and a few overgrown brambles between fields and over a small brook, also a couple of fields that could potentially be quite muddy to cross, and an occasional tricky stile. Chipping Norton: bus (check timetable before travelling), accommodation, food and other shops, cafes and pubs. Shipston-on-Stour: bus (check timetable before travelling), accommodation, food and other shops, cafes and pubs....

Ruth Broadbent

There is greater total descent than ascent in this direction if that is a factor you're interested in, however there are still two good ascents in the walk, Baker's Hill on leaving Little Rollright and Margett's Hill on leaving Long Compton. Leaving Salford, the route climbs gently before descending again into the pretty Little Rollright. The route then climbs steadily away from the village up a metalled farmers track (photo 7) and over the route's first significant hill. On reaching the village, there's a walk alongside the main A3400 road before leaving on the northern side and up the second significant ascent of the route, Margett's Hill....

Steve Litchfield

At GR SP291357 the path is very muddy due to a spring. Suggest go through wide gateway on the left and rejoin path after about 100 yards.....

Litehiker

The Shakespeare's Way is not well marked and some paths are missing where crops have been panted causing the route to be modified to go around field boundaries...

Lodge101

There are a few sections of the road just before you reach the Fosse Way, which have no verge at all (e.g. photo 2) and provide plenty of concern with the passing traffic. Walking along the flat plateau of the Downs, the route passes a couple of transmitters (photo 7) and eventually after a dip to cross the Nebsworth Road reaches the high point of Warwickshire (261m), again giving fine views to the West (photo 9). On the day we did this walk, the descent just below Kiftsgate Court gave us the muddiest section (photo 11) thanks to the splendid English summer weather we've had so far in 2023. Indeed the elevated section of the Downs provide more than one high point to this route, and without the fine views I may have been tempted to just goive this two stars....

Steve Litchfield

A couple of sections were a tad overgrown, and we had to find an alternative route at one point due to cattle. Having said that, it was a great walk and i'm really glad MikeM came up with this suggested alternative. The route eastwards towards Tysoe is pleasant, and once in the village (approx the halfway point of the walk) there is the option of stopping at the village stores for refreshments. Hopefully they won't always be in that field when you attempt this walk, but it's useful to know an alternative route is available....

Steve Litchfield

There were some parts that were a little muddy, but mostly it could be avoided or didn't last long - except for the path going through the fields around Parkhill Farm (between Halford and Little Honington) which were hard-going I will admit!...

GreenSprouts

The route then takes you around the Ettington Park Hotel, which as another reviewer correctly pointed out, there is no permissible route through the grounds (photo 8) so stick to the mapped right of way. After crossing the busy A3400, the route takes you along the road through Crimscote and past some very nice houses before crossing a field next to the river and taking you back to the main road at Alderminster. After leaving Alderminster, the route takes you through the small villages of Preston on Stour, Atherstone on Stour and finally Clifford Chambers before arriving into Stratford and walking past the final resting place of Shakespeare at Holy Trinity Church and along the banks of the Avon past the RSC....

Steve Litchfield

The first half of the route was relatively easy to navigate, though when leaving Shipston you do need to use Springhill Close to connect to the path leading to the footbridge over the River Stour....

swebbews

As you leave the village the footpath passes around the back of the brewery, where we saw their shire horses grazing; they are still used for local beer deliveries. We stopped for lunch at the Cherington Arms in Stourton, which we would recommend for its good food and beer....

swebbews

Only did first 5th of this route, but at the very beginning (starting from Moreton in Marsh), there is a more pleasant route through Queen Victoria Gardens which avoids going on road with no pavement. Only possible for those able to get down stairs, however. Would like to return and complete this walk when time allows....

Laure

A very good Slow Ways route across fields and lanes through great countryside. The route from Aston Magana to Todenham across fields is not marked clearly so will need good use of the map round these. Only shops are at the start and finish and no pubs on route....

Nigel Cull

An alternative route into Banbury from Broughton Castle / North Newington is to head down to the Broughton Road part-way along and there is a footpath alongside Broughton Road which continues all the way to Banbury Cross and into the town centre.  The only reason for not giving this route more stars is the road part Shutford to North Newington but otherwise it’s a fantastic route....

Ruth Broadbent

It is indicated on OS Maps as part of the Battlefields Trail but it's not a Public Right of Way according to the Definitive map. There are alternative routes but I wouldn't plan on following this section....

MikeM