The first part of the way starts near the source of the river in Syresham.
For purists, near might not feel near enough and they would like to start at the actual source.
Finding the source
If that’s you, then you could walk up the road towards Wappenham where the source can be found and it is marked on the map. It starts with a depression wending its way through the fields at Wappenham Lodge Farm and feeding into a pond, which presumably has been used in the past as a source of water for cattle. These days it’s fenced off and the sheep make do with tap water.
However, not everyone agrees that this is the source and there’s a rival spring over in Farthinghoe with the appropriate name of Ouse Well. It’s on private land so you should ask for permission if you want to visit it.
But that’s not all: There are 26 waterbodies that feed into the headwaters of the Great Ouse. Feel free to start at a different point if you’d like, after all, if every journey starts with a single step then doesn’t every river start with a single raindrop?
Ouse Valley Way
Syresham does have the obvious advantage that it’s on a bus route. Check out the Syresham page to find out how to get there.
Unfortunately, the route is a little bit confusing at the start and not all the landowners help to keep the paths and stiles clear.
The path through Whitfield Woods is well marked and it might be tempting to follow one of the animal tracks into the woods. Don’t.
Living creatures wandering through these woods are fair game.
The path to Dadford is often obscured with crops, which can be fun if you haven’t watched too many horror films.
Stowe Gardens are well worth a detour and you can pick up something to read along the way from from their pretty impressive second-hand bookshop.
From Stowe it’s a pleasant wander down Stowe Avenue, shaded by majestic beeches, down to the gatehouses that demark the estate from the town.
Buckingham is a good place to get provisions if you’re just passing through or stay overnight. You are also welcome to pick something from the community edible garden (marked on the map). If you are here on a Friday morning, you may see local volunteers who carry out riverfly surveys and you are welcome to join them.
Next leg: Buckingham to Stony Stratford
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