Cycling routes around Oxford – off road with dogs!
(From Cyclox Forum, March 2014)
Corrine: Hi, I'm just wondering if anyone can suggest any good cycling routes to take my dog with me, obviously I am looking for routes which consist of all off road, so I know she's safe, which are ideally at least 7 miles long? Unfortunately I don't know Oxford that well, I've tried looking into routes along the ridgeway, but it's knowing where I will hit roads/villages. Thanks in advance!
Dan: Are you looking to avoid crossing any roads at all? That is rather limiting. Some obvious places, which are at least semi-cycle friendly, are the Thames and the canal. The Sustrans 5 from Woodstock north is off road for about 5 miles. One road to cross.
It is worth saying that most off road routes at the moment are challengingly moist.
Jake: My normal route with dog is just to go through Wolvercote past the Trout pub, then left or right along the river. Usually I go past Godstow lock, Perch pub, Medley, the meadows etc and then back home.
The alternative, though harder is to go along the river up to Eynsham.
Sue: I know its a bit out of town but the Phoenix Trail at Thame is 8 miles off road along an old railway and is brilliant!
Cecilia: The Phoenix Trail from Thame to Princes Risboro is almost exactly 7 miles long and perfect for cycling and dog walking. It's an old railway line. Accessed from Thame town centre or The village of
Towersey. Of course it means you have to get to Thame first.....
James D: Thames path Iffley - Kennington (access from Donnington Bridge, or Iffley Lock, or ring road cycle track from bridge between Abingdon Rd roundabout and Hayford Hill roundabout (Sainsbury’s).
Probably quite busy weekends/nice evenings, but other times I expect relatively quiet. After a while the
Sustrans path moves away from the river to run near the railway line (fenced, but a neighbours dog did get through the fence once, and it was a fair sized dog). Also possibility of cows. Once you get to
Sandford Lane in Kennington, retrace your steps. Can go to Sandford lock and them retrace along the riverside path (meets up with the Sustrans path), but is more walking terrain than cycling terrain until you get back to the Sustrans path.
Pierre: I would also recommend cycling along the Thames or the Oxford canal, if you happen to reside not too far from them.
In addition, you can use OpenCycleMap to discover cycle paths near you, in dashed blue: http://www.opencyclemap.org/?zoom=13&lat=51.7537&lon=-1.23999&layers=B000
James S: You can cycle with a dog on and off the lead to most places in Oxford avoiding roads 90% of the time. I do it all the time. I can take you on a great circular route from East Oxford, it's about eight miles and I do it with my dog sometimes, it involves crossing two main roads at pedestrian crossings (Cowley Rd and Iffley Rd) and about half a mile of back streets from Jericho to University Parks (light traffic and could be walked if you can't cycle with the dog on a lead). Otherwise it is all off-road paths/bridleways/towpath.
Being circular you can obviously start anywhere in the city (Grandpont, Botley, Jericho/North/Marston) and there are lots of ways to get to it from Headington, Headley Way area, etc. Contact me directly for more details and we could ride it together sometime (with dogs).
Robert: The Thames towpath in Oxford is a permitted route. I live in Iffley and go to Port Meadow frequently with dog via the towpath - that only requires 2 main road crossings: Abingdon Road and Botley
Road - you are only meant to go as far as Wolvercote but the full there and back would be over 10 miles.
Another bit of cycle/dog exercise for me has been Shotover - from the access at the end of Horspath
Driftway at the ring road there's a lot of cycle routes through the woods so you could do a few ascents and descents - one is enough for me - you do need a proper mountain bike for this.