Dogging in Oxfordshire: area guide

The lie of the land in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire centres on Oxford, with Banbury in the north, Bicester and Witney close by, and Abingdon, Didcot, Wantage and Henley-on-Thames to the south. Chipping Norton and Burford sit in the west. The county is mostly rural, and its towns are small compared with Oxford itself. Villages and market towns sit a short drive apart, so most trips here are quick hops along minor roads.

The Cotswolds National Landscape covers the north-west, with stone villages and limestone ridges. The North Wessex Downs rise in the south around Wantage and the Ridgeway, and the Chilterns edge the south-east near Watlington. Between them, the Thames and its tributaries cross wide, flat floodplain, including the Cherwell and the Evenlode.

Traffic comes from London, Birmingham, Reading and Swindon, since the county sits on several long routes. Quiet lanes and field edges can fill up without any obvious reason, particularly close to the main roads.

Getting about safely

The M40 crosses the east side past Bicester and Banbury. The A34 runs north to south past Oxford and Abingdon, linking the M40 with Newbury and Winchester, and any crash on it causes long closures. The A40, A44, A420 and A4260 fan out from Oxford, and the Oxford ring road backs up at rush hour.

Trains run from London Paddington and Marylebone to Oxford, and on to Banbury and the north. Didcot Parkway is the main hub on the Great Western line, and the Cotswold line serves Charlbury and Hanborough. Last trains leave earlier than many people expect. Check yours, or book a taxi home, before you set off.

The Thames, Cherwell and their meadows flood in wet winters, and low roads can close with little warning. Towpaths are dark, uneven and slippery. On the high ground, Cotswold lanes are narrow, with drystone walls on either side and no lighting. Phone signal can fade in the valleys, so keep your phone charged and share your location with a friend.