Beyond the university city of Oxford, lies this county rich in historic beauty, with thatched cottages, distinctive ironstone communities, charming villages and towns and grand stately homes. Cutting through the county is the famous Ridgeway Path, an ancient trade route that runs from Kent to Somerset. Agriculture has always been important to the county and between the wealth of small communities and historic sites the landscape undulates gently, offering acre upon acre of unspoilt countryside. It is an area that, lying between the more popular areas of the Chilterns and the Cotswolds, will undoubtedly hold thrills even for seasoned walkers.