Watlington, Oxfordshire 26th to 31st March

We set off for our first caravan holiday of the year which was to be at Watlington in Oxfordshire with the Mountain Activity Section of the Camping and Caravanning club. We had a good drive to Watlington in sun, showers and blustery wind. As we drove towards the town a red kite flew in front of the car. We found the rally field without trouble and were greeted by the stewards who were very friendly. The holiday cost us £26.50 for 5 nights! As we pitched the caravan we were amazed at the numbers of kites flying overhead. Dad, who was staying at a B&B in Aston Rowant turnd up as we finished setting up and we set off for a walk into the vilage. Watlington was a pretty village and apparently is used for the filming of Midsomer Murders!
Saturday 28th March
Yesterday was spent visiting friends and so today was our first walking day. We found a parking place near Park Corner and then set off along the Chiltern Way to do the Chiltern Ramble geotrail. Lots of geocaches were found on the figure of eight walk. We first walked past Westwood Manor farm, and then up the hill to a nature reserve which will be lovely in a couple of weeks when the bluebells are out. We continued the walk across fields and through woods to Maidensgrove where we were treated to more views of kites. We continued round to Priors wood where we met another geocacher just as we were putting a cache back. We got back to Park Corner and crossed the road heading down the drive to Park Corner farm and then through more woodland returning to the car after walking 12km and finding 16 geocaches.
Sunday 29th March

We went for a walk with the MAS today. Dad arrived at 9.30 and we all set off at 10am. There were about 35 people in the group. We walked out of the site and started with a walk beside the Mark on Watlington Hill. This was apparently created so that when looking at the hill from the correct angle the local church would appear to have a spire on the top. There was a lot of stopping to admire the view on the way up the hill! Once at the top we walked along the ridge to emerge at Christmas Common. After a short walk on the road we entered Shotridge wood and then passed into Blackmoor wood. We stopped here, with a view of Paul Getty's estate, for a cup of coffee. We then headed into Bowleys wood and past Wellground farm, where there was a cage in the garden containing several boxer puppies. We continued in the woods with the roar of the M40 to our right and then continued onto Bald hill where we stopped for lunch. We were treated to wonderful aerial displays by red kites and also a plane dropping 4 parachuters which we were able to watch floating towards the ground. It was quite cold so after lunch we were pleased to drop down off the top.

We walked through the carpark into Cowleaze woods, where we saw lots of people with radios and Heath Robinson type devices. John asked what they were doing and was told they were radio direction finders. Somebody takes a beacon into the woods and hides and the other members take a bearing and the first team to find the hider wins. A bit like human geocaching!We walked along the sculpture trail and beside Shirburn wood and then walked down a very steep hill onto the Oxfordshire way, the Icknield way and then finally back to the caravan after walking 16 km.

We sat and had tea and cakes and watched about 30 kites exploring our field and taking food thrown out for them.
Monday 30th March
Dad left today and John and I set off for a walk up Watlington hill and then along the ridge towards Christmas Common. We walked along the road and entered a wood via a bridalway. We found a cache - one of the dawn to dusk series and then walked through the wood where we found a nice log to sit on for our lunch. After finding a couple more caches we walked up a hill and decided we had done enough walking so we cut our planned walk short and took a short cut home. We had still walked about 12 km by the time we got back.