TACKLE YOUR STRESS THIS STRESS AWARENESS DAY – VISIT ONE OF THESE GREAT WALKING SPOTS IN AND AROUND THAME Nov 3, 2021 | Health and wellbeing WALKING IN AND AROUND THAME Did you know that 74% of UK adults have felt so stressed at some point that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope? This is a statistic shared by The Mental Health Foundation which I found quite shocking. The good news is there are lots of great charities and organisations helping us tackle ur stress. One thing they all agree on is that one of the best ways to tackle stress is to get out and about. So for this National Stress Awareness Day, I thought I’d share some great walking spots to help inspire you to get out about and reduce your stress levels. CUTTLEBROOK NATURE RESERVE – THAME If you want to get out in nature then what better place than Thame’s own Nature Reserve – The Cuttlebrook. Perfect for when you don’t have much time during the day as the short circular walk can take as little as 20 minutes. There is a network of paths across the 13-hectare site which also has direct access onto the Phoenix Trail. Cuttlebrook offers open meadows, a section of the river, a pond, small wooded areas and a few benches placed where you can enjoy some of the best views. Just be careful when the river is high as parts of the site are prone to flooding. Find out more about the Cuttlebrook here. THAME PARK FOOTPATHS Although there are a few stiles to clamber, there’s a great footpath from Sydenham across fields to, and around, Thame Park. The views across the fields to the house are stunning and you feel like you could be miles away. The grounds are beautiful and can be easily enjoyed from the main footpath which is fairly well marked with the usual footpath signs. Although I couldn’t figure out how to make this a circular walk it’s still a great place to walk – maybe check out the OS maps and see if the paths join up with any others in the area. BERNWOOD FOREST Once part of The Royal Hunting Forest of Bernwood, this Forestry England site is a little further out from Thame but well worth a visit. There are several parts to the Forest, some of it classed as Ancient Forest. There’s a Butterfly Trail and paths of different types – the main path being fine for all weather (some of the others get very boggy though). I’ve seen deer here on a number of occasions as well as buzzards, kites and other wildlife. It’s easy to get lost here, so make sure you remember which paths you took! Learn more about Bernwood Forest here ASTON WOOD AND ASTON ROWANT NATURE RESERVE If you like the combination of great woodland vibes followed by a breathtaking view across Oxfordshire then this is the place to go! There are lots of options for parking as you can start your walk from several places including the top or bottom of Stokenchurch Hill, or the Nature Reserve Car Park itself. You can also park at Christmas Common. The ground is quite well-drained (being on top of the hill) but walking boots are still advised as the woods can get quite muddy. Learn more about Aston Wood and Aston Rowant Nature Reserve THE RIDGEWAY – WATLINGTON TO IVINGHOE The ridgeway can be joined at many different places – the most convenient to Thame is by joining at Chinnor, Lewknor or Bledlow. When you join at the bottom of Chinnor Hill there is a section towards Ivinghoe or Watlington which is fairly easy to walk in all weathers. When joining at Lewknor you get to enjoy the stunning views (see image) but you will need sturdier boots as this part can get pretty muddy. Whichever way you walk along The Ridgeway you’ll be sure to find great views crossing fields, valleys and woodland. Click here to view some local parking options Click here to view more information about The Ridgeway JUST FOLLOW A FOOTPATH SIGN Some of the best walks I’ve done in and around Thame have started with thinking to myself, ‘I wonder where that footpath sign leads to?’. We have some great walking in the area so start keeping an eye out for one of the hundreds of footpath signs, stick your walking boots on and just go for a walk. There are paths that lead to Haddenham, Chearsley, Cuddington, Shabbington, Moreton and many other places. So get out there and just enjoy yourself – walk away the stresses of the day/week/years! Trails can also be found on the Thame Town Council Website here. HELP WITH STRESS – RESOURCES If you’re experiencing stress then there are lots of resources and people there to help you. Here are a few places to start: Oxfordshire Mind Information and support from Mental Health Org NHS – every mind matters THIRSTY AND NEED A BITE TO EAT AFTER ENJOYING YOUR WALK? Not only is there great walking in and around Thame – there are some great pubs that welcome dogs. So if you fancy a bite to eat after your walk then check out one of the Thame or other local dog-friendly pubs. View a list of dog-friendly pubs in and near Thame AUTHOR Laura Fellows, Thame.net Laura is the owner and main editor of Thame.net. Laura is also the owner of Thame-based marketing consultancy Hamsterlips. Laura brings her passion for marketing and the local community together to create content for Thame.net and works with local people, businesses and community groups to do the same. 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