Exploring Shotover Country Park m BANDS OF SAND AND CLAY m CLAY LIMESTONE m SAND Acid grassland Heathland Scrubland Woodland Bracken Wetland Ponds Scrubland Woodland Woodland Ponds Fields Hedgerows Woodland Heath Acid grassland Scrubland Woodland Wood and scrubland Wetland plants Woodland Hay meadow Field Bracken Wetland pond Pond Eastern Bypass North Way A North Way A Southern Bypass A Southern Bypass A Botley Road Woodstock Road Banbury Road Western Bypass A Western Bypass A Cowley Rd Iffley Rd London Rd Hig h St Abingdon Road Garsingto n Rd W atlingt on Road Oxf ord Rd Hollow Way Rd Wa rnford Lane Old R oad Barn s Rd Windmill R d The Slade Heading ton Rd Henley Ave Rose Hill London Road Bayswater Road Marston R oad Marsto n Fe rry Rd Headle y Way Northern Byp ass St Giles St Aldate’s Horspath Road SUMMERTOWN HEADINGTON JERICHO BOTLEY BLACKBIRD LEYS IFFLEY COWLEY WOLVERCOTE OLD MARSTON MARSTON TEMPLE COWLEY OSNEY KENNINGTON BARTON SANDHILLS RISINGHURST ROSE HILL LITTLEMORE SHOTOVER COUNTRY PARK P How to get to Shotover It is easy to get to Shotover which is located just to the east of Oxford By car follow the Old Road east from Headington over the bypass and up a steep hill to the top where the road ends in the main car park By bus the No Stagecoach service runs nearest to Shotover Get off at the Corner House pub at the end of Slade Road Walk down Horspath Driftway and cross the Eastern Bypass at the pelican crossing to enter the Country Park on the other side For timetable and route information contact Stagecoach Oxford T: wwwstagecoachbuscom/oxfordshire Starting point for Nature trails and Orienteering Course Sandpit Walk mins Northwood Trail mins Boundary Patrol mins Bridleway and Cycle track Permitted bridleway and Cycle track Maintained paths not all paths are marked Ancient Woodland Oaks Deciduous Woods Evergreen Trees Spruce Pine Poplar Larch Bushes Heather Grass Bracken Wetland Ponds Streams and Ditches Key to Main Map Seats Picnic Bench View Point Entry Points to Shotover Orienteering Stations Metalled Roads Builtup Areas Buildings 7
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HHooww ttoo ggeett ttoo SShhoottoovveerrIt is easy to get to Shotover� which is located just to theeast of Oxford�
By car� follow the Old Road east from Headington overthe bypass and up a steep hill to the top where the roadends in the main car park�
By bus� the No��� Stagecoach service runs nearest toShotover� Get off at the Corner House pub at the end ofSlade Road� Walk down Horspath Driftway and cross theEastern Bypass at the pelican crossing to enter theCountry Park on the other side� For timetable and routeinformation contact Stagecoach Oxford� T: ��� �����www�stagecoachbus�com/oxfordshire
Starting point for Nature trails and Orienteering Course
TThhiinnggss ttoo DDoo aannddFFaacciilliittiieessTTrraaiillssThere are three way marked trails to guide youthrough the Park� They all start in Mary Sadler’s Field�near the car park� Assuming a relaxed pace the red trailwill take half an hour� the yellow � minutes and thegreen about � hours�
BBrriiddllee rroouutteeFor horse riders and cyclists there are km of paths tofollow� The route starts from Shotover Plain near thecar park� Please follow the blue arrows�
OOrriieenntteeeerriinnggThere is a �� station orienteering course around thePark� Look out for the distinctive red and white markerposts� Orienteering maps can be obtained fromTouchwood Sports� �� Abingdon Road� Redbridge�Oxford�
SSaannddppiittFor children the most popular haunt is a naturalsandpit in which they may spend hours buildingcastles or damming the tiny stream� Follow the redtrail to get to it�
DDiissaabblleedd ppaatthhss aanndd aacccceessssThere is a network of paths around the lower parts ofthe Country Park accessible to wheelchair users�Access is from Brasenose Farm on Oxford’s EasternBypass� You may need a key to gain entry� Pleasephone ��� ����� for details�
OOtthheerr ppaatthhssThere is an extensive network of paths on Shotover�Those that are on the map are checked andmaintained by the rangers� There are also many otherpaths and desire lines� some only seasonal� that youcan discover for yourself�
EEvveennttssShotover Country Park is a popular venue for a rangeof different events including guided walks� cross country races� orienteering competitions� sponsoredwalks� and treasure hunts etc�
If you would like details of the events being run byOxford City Council at Shotover or elsewhere pleasephone ��� ����� or visit www�oxford�gov�uk�
If you would like to book Shotover as a venue for yourpublic event� no matter how small� please phone���� �� ���
In August the heath in Mary Sadler’s Field is suffusedwith pink by the flowers of Ling Heather� Bareground within the heaths and grasslands is wheremany species of solitary bees and wasps dig theirburrows and where lizards bask�
Because Shotover is a nationally important wildlifesite� most of the Country Park is designated a Site ofSpecial Scientific Interest (SSSI)�
AA PPootttteedd HHiissttoorryy ooffSShhoottoovveerrThe landscape of Shotover has changed throughoutits history� From Saxon times until the Civil War(���s) Shotover was part of a Royal Forest providinga hunting ground for noblemen� fuel and grazing forlocal people and timber for many of Oxford’s historicbuildings�
In �� Shotover ceased to be a Royal Forest andbecame open farmland� which was grazed orcultivated�
Until the end of the ��th Century� the main road toLondon passed across Shotover Plain� Travellers oftenfell victim to highwaymen here�
From the late ����s Oxford City Council started tomanage Shotover as a park and two wardens wereemployed to look after it�
During the first half of the ��th Century� farmingceased at Shotover and woodland started to establish�
During World War II� Slade Camp was part of CowleyBarracks and provided a temporary home for soldierswho took part in the D Day landings� At the sametime Shotover Hill was used for military training andtanks built at Cowley were tested there�
From the late ����s work started to clear woodlandto restore heath� grassland and marsh habitats�
PPaarrkk OOppeenniinngg TTiimmeessOpen all day every day� free of charge� Organisedgroup activities need permission and a fee may becharged�
Leisure & Cultural Services Leisure & Cultural Services
LLooookkiinngg aafftteerrOOxxffoorrdd’’ss CCoouunnttrryyssiiddeeA small team of rangers based at Brasenose Farmmanages ���� acres of natural open space in andaround Oxford including Shotover Country Park�We aim to provide a safe� accessible and attractivesetting for enjoyment of the countryside and anenvironment rich in wildlife�
YYoouu ccaann hheellpp uuss ttoo llooookk aafftteerr SShhoottoovveerr bbyy::� Taking your litter home� Not lighting fires� By only riding your horse or bicycle on the
bridleway� Not using motorbikes anywhere in the park� Respecting other park users by not playing
amplified music� Not using a metal detector� Leaving wildflowers and fungi for others to enjoy� By becoming a volunteer� Contact us for details�
If you have any comments about the park� or wishto report anything please contact us�
Chrysomela populi
Common Lizard
Ox-eye daisy
Golden saxafrage
Spotted Orchid Cerceris arenaria
Bloody-nose beetle
Green Woodpecker
Common Toad
Fly Argaric
Grass snake Heath Bedstraw
Heather
Noctule bat
Orange-tip butterfly
WWiillddlliiffeeWhether you are a serious naturalist or simply lovebeing in the countryside there is so much to see atShotover� Ancient woods� flowery meadows� marshes�heaths� ponds and bracken covered slopes support awealth of wildlife�
In spring and summer Shotover’s woods are carpetedwith wild flowers� Celandines and Wood Anemonesare first� then Bluebells� As spring turns to summerCommon Spotted Orchids� and later Bettony and SawWort bloom along woodland rides where WhiteAdmiral butterflies soar�
In these woods you can also hear the naturalsymphony of birdsong provided by summer visitors:Black Cap� Garden and Willow Warbler which join ourresident choristers; Blackbird� Wren and Song Thrush�
In Summer the meadows at the bottom of Shotoverare rich with the Knapweed� Oxyeye Daisy and otherwild flowers� Visit them before they are cut in July�
In the valleys at the foot of the hill are springs whichfeed marshes and pools fringed with aromatic WaterMint�
Further up the slopes in the dry grasslands the delicatewhite flowers of Heath Bedstraw mingle with the redof Sheep’s Sorrel� These grasslands are also popularwith Green Woodpeckers� which plunder the manyant nests�
Much of the hill is cloaked in dense stands of Bracken�It gives a special character to Shotover and offerscover to large mammals like Foxes� Muntjac andRoe Deer�